Some of these cars also had ASF A-3 Ride Control trucks. See the builder's photo of NP #28464 in the September 1994 issue of Mainline Modeler. Brian Leppert Tahoe Model Works Carson City, NV

Tim,Just look what happened to the prices of the P-2K line.It is not just increased labor cost but the loss of purchasing power of the US dollar..Basically the same models,tooling cost should have

I'm concerned that our hobby will soon be more about purchasing than modeling. When you plunk down $50-$60 for some of today's hi-end HO kits, you have no satisfaction of actually building something

lol Armand! I think almost everyone here agrees with you that building/creating stuff is fun and is the best part of the hobby. Running trains is fun too, but it isn't why I'm here. Tim O' Circle

Jack Burgess wrote Quick calculation: If Chinese labor costs doubled tomorrow, it would cost Apple about $10 more to build an iPhone they sell for $500. I've heard it costs Bachmann about $25 to

Circle the wagons Tonto.Guess I am outnumbered Tim.I currently have five Intermountain and Red Caboose undecorated kits all built,but can't find appropriate decals,I have yet to determine the correct

<Tim is right: The move from building to purchasing ready to run has been <evolving for some years. In the larger scales, such as S or O, it is <almost completely victorious. The one exception would

Allen, my friend, I would be more than happy to work with you on this project also. The photo in question of the Sinclair AC&F 10k type 21 Insulated car was in a bunch of shots that the late Bill Raia

Tim is right: The move from building to purchasing ready to run has been evolving for some years. In the larger scales, such as S or O, it is almost completely victorious. The one exception would be

Gene, all the parts wouldn't have to have come from the same manufacturer, but on the evidence I have seen it was customary to order trucks of a specific design like the ASF A-3s and Barber S-2s from

There was a time when the railroad or other freight car purchaser specified which truck sideframe, bolster, side bearing, brake beam, and so on was to be used on freight cars being built. In the

Armand Resin kits were marginally successful among serious modelers, and some plastic kits were very successful, but as the cost difference between RTR items and kits made in China has narrowed, I

Armand, not a thesis, just an observation. "Kits don't sell" doesn't mean that none sell, that is preposterous. Intermountain sold 10s of thousands of kits per year in the late 20th and early 21st

Andy,I couldn't disagree with you more.If your premise were true ,how do you account for the success of resin kits?.The sad part is that the higher prices tend to keep many newcomers from entering the

The new reality of high prices 10-12 years ago -- which I could afford but chose not to pay -- is what led to my acceptance of using a PC simulator instead of continuing the hobby of physical model

Bill, the NP War Emergency box cars were delivered with Barber Stabilized S-2 trucks. Branchline offered those trucks in HO, and though they are now out of production you may be able to find some.

I am wrapping up the redetaiing of several Challnger brass Northern Pacific outside braced war emergency boxcars. As on most of my rolling stock I am also changing the trucks to better rolling and

Doggonit Mark, I wish you hadn't pointed that out. You are correct, I had to call Tangent to discover the only way to mount them was to cut the bottom pocket brace, remove the srew and replace the

Many of the members on this list probably remember a decade ago when the wholesale transfer of scale model train production went to China, allowing the some of the first offerings of Ready to Run

Hmmm, yeah I hear you. Only practical solution is the Micro-Trains Bettendorf trucks due to needing the medium length talgo coupler arrangement. Only readily available solid-bearing truck out there.