# Let's discuss 1:32 rolling stock



## CapeCodSteam (Jan 2, 2008)

This thread was started in an attempt to alleviate thread jacking in another forum.  Who wants to talk about 1:32 stuff?  Richard?  /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/tongue.gif


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## Dan Pantages (Jan 2, 2008)

This was started in the live steam forum and I don't think most of the fellows there will know it's now here. I would suggest that it stay in the live steam forum, as they are the most likely to want 1/32 rolling stock. Live steamers especially need 1/32 heavy weight passenger cars as well as proper freight cars. As we all know Accucraft is coming out with 1/32 mid 1930’s AAR 40 ft. boxcars at a reasonable price.


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## MarkLewis (Jan 2, 2008)

It may have started there, but it never belonged there. 1:32 rolling stock is used by modellers with all types of power, not just live steam.

Mark


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## rwjenkins (Jan 2, 2008)

Well, as I was saying over on the live steam forum, things seem to be improving in 1:32 these days, with the much-needed Accucraft boxcars looming on the horizon, and many of the old MDC cars and parts now available again from Mainline America. Mainline America are also have all-new 1:32 hoppers and an RS2 in development according to their website. 

Although stock MDC cars are a little toylike with their molded-on grab irons, oversized wheels, and loosely-scaled length, they can be made into a decent-looking car with a few simple modifications. Here are a couple of MDC boxcars that I have stretched to scale length and fitted with Accucraft 33" metal wheels. I'm planning to write up a detailed article about these and other MDC modifications in the not-too distant future.


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## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

ALL

*This is an initial list commercially produced 1:32 scale North American freight cars*
==============
*BRASS*
Box Car 40 ft  PS-1 / brass / PSC
Box Car 40 ft USRA double sheathed wood / brass / Barratt Rwys (Accucraft)
Box Car 40 ft Round roof single door / brass / J&M Models  crude by current standards
Box Car 40 ft Round roof double door / brass / J&M Models  crude by current standards
Reefer 40 ft SFRD / brass / Row & Co  (Samhongsa)
Reefer Modern steel REA express / brass / Accucraft   N*OT YET DELIVERED*
above car came in 5 different ATSF slogans w/maps
Stock car 40ft UP modern steel / brass / Row & Co  (Samhongsa)
above car in mineral red and yellow versions
Tank car ICC-103 single dome / brass / PSC
Gondola drop bottom composite / brass / PSC
Caboose SP C-30-1 wood sides / brass / PSC
Covered hopper PRR HC1(?) / brass / Eastern Rwys (Samhongsa)
Hopper 55T USRA / brass / Eastern Rwys (Samhongsa)
Covered hopper, variation on the 55T USRA  / brass / Eastern Rwys (Samhongsa)
Flat 50 ft / brass / Eastern Rwys  (Samhongsa) has metal deck
Flat 50 ft / brass / Fine Art Models  (Samhongsa) has wood deck
the above car came with loads, M41 tanks, propeller, naval gun, usually with display track and case (Smithsonian Model)
Caboose PRR N5c porthole windows / brass / Fine Art Models , usually with display track and case (Smithsonian Model)
also available with the GG1 electric and PRR M1a 4-8-2
Caboose SP C-30-1 wood sides / brass / PSC
Caboose SP C-30-1 wood sides / brass / Accucraft   *NOT YET DELIVERED* 
Caboose UP CA-1  wood sides / brass / Accucraft   *NOT YET DELIVERED* 
Caboose PRR N6 / brass / wood / Aster

*Bob Uniack produced (resin ?) kits for the following:*
Gon 40 ft SP configured for beet service
Reefer 40 ft wood (?)
Caboose SP bay window (?) MY memory may be failing on this one

*Model Die Casting *produced the following (close to) 1:32 cars in plastic:
These cars are ALL slightly oversized.  The hoppers are close to 1:30, The reefer is too tall
Gary Raymond did a series of articles in Finescale Railroader deltailing how to make the box car
a much better model. 

Hopper USRA 55T 2 bay offset side and ribbed side versions, also offered as a covered hopper
Box Car 40 ft single door generic
Reefer 40 ft generic

*Mike's Train House (MTH)* has produced several cars.  The original box cars is closer to 1:32 than the MDC models
The cars are getting slightly larger, creaping toward 1:30.  The 50 ft flat is much larger than the brass models
of the same prototype. Gary Raymond did an excellent article on modifying the MTH 40 ft box car to represent a detailed 
1:32 freight car.  Sorry, cannot find the magazine right now.

*AMS (Accucraft) plastic*
Reefer 40ft PFE highly detailed, hated by many for that reason, continued handling results in missing and broken parts
Box Car 40 ft  ANY YEAR NOW
=====================
This list is far from exhaustive, please make additions and / or corrections

This should get Kent's motor running!   /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/laugh.gif

Cheers
Jim


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## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

I noticed someone posted a query regarding the prices of brass rolling stock over on the LS Forum. 

I cannot say whether the Accucraft cabooses (Cabeese?) are worth $399 MSRP, or the REA reefer is worth $315 MSRP. Here is some perspective on brass pricing. 

Remember, these cars are usually produced in runs of from 100 to 250 units. They are hand assembled, hand painted, hand lettered (no pad printiing here). You would think the cost is in the labor. WRONG. The major cost (NOW) is the shipping cost from Korea or China. Container shipping costs are based more on volume than weight. A 1:32 freight car properly packed in a foam lined box takes up between 8 and 12 times the space of the same car in O scale. This was determined by comparing physical boxes, not math computation. 

Historical information: 

Precision Scale Co (PSC - Iron Horse Models) freight cars in the mid 1980s (20+ years) cost between $225 and $ 275 each 
Eastern Railways open hopper cars circa 1990 cost about $325 to $350 
Barratt Railways box car by Accucraft cica 1996-97 cost $325 to $345 
J&M (UK) box cars circa 1985 in early 1990s cost close to $400 
Fine Art PRR caboose $595 
Fine Art flat cars with loads $600-$700 

AS A COMPARISON, right now, O scale brass freight cars from Kohs & Co are in the $600-$900 range, RY Models are in the $285 to $350 range. 

IF the cars are excellent model representations of the particular prototype, and accuracy is important to you, then $350-$450 is what the market price is. If generic freight cars are ok for you, then your upper limit should probably be under $100, probably less. 

Just my thoughts 

Cheers 

Jim


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## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

ALL 

I just reread my first post on this topic and made a misleading statement in regard to the MDC box car. I said "oversized". They have the wrong prpoportions; too short, too wide, a little too high as delivered with an unmodified underframe and truck mounting. The sides of the reefer are much too high. The hopper is just oversized in every dimension. For the hoppers, it becomes very apparent if you put them next to an Eastern Rys brass model. Running behind the Mike or Berk you would not notice unless you have "calibrated" eyeballs. 

Jim


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## Alan in Adirondacks (Jan 2, 2008)

Jim 

Thanks for the nice lists on 1:32. I appreciate your observations on target pricing ---sometimes I'm in both camps! 

Best regards, 

Alan


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## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

I'll abide by the observaton of "If generic freight cars are ok for you, then your upper limit should probably be under $100, probably less" and enjoy a string of these along with the expense of our locos:
Street price will probably be under a hundred per car

http://www.accucraft.com/index.php?show_aux_page=107


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## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

Charles 

The good news is that they have listed the proposed road names, the better news is that there are six numbers per car. The thing I am waiting for is to see whixh lettering they are using for each car, since most of these railroads had multiple schemes even for their "box car red / freight car red / mineral brown (pick one)" box cars. The only thing I would bet on is that the cars are ALL the same color. If they are as good as the PFEs, I will eventually have a lot of MDC cars "on the block". 

Alan 

Regarding brass car prices, I checked my records and found some more sobering numbers: 

UP stock cars from Row and Co, original price in about 1998 $485 each 
SFRD reefers with curved map and train name lettering from Row & Co, $595 each, also old in sets of two for $1175 
SFRD reefer with straight map and "Ship and travel" lettering from Row & Co, $625 each 

According to someone who spends time on "EvilBay", these cars are still fetching high prices, but have not appreciated in value. 

DO NOT base your retirement on a warehouse full of Aster locomotives and brass freight cars. 

ADDITION TO THE LIST: 

Caboose NKP "High Speed Sevice" /metal shell with wood exterior / Sunset Valley Railroad (Peter Comley) short run to match the Aster Berkshire 
these units were built using the same construction methods Pete uses for his LNER (UK) teak sided coaches 

Cheers 

Jim


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## GaugeOneLines (Feb 23, 2008)

Hey Jim, 
An addition for your list, somewhere in the depths of my addled brain I am able to recall a Pennsy caboose made by Aster, yes? These still come up for sale occasionally, not a bad model, probably on a par with J&M boxcars. I'm doing my damnest to get Accucraft to make 80' smooth-sided streamliners, since they would be too large for Accucraft's injection moulding presses I have suggested extruded aluminum with milled windows and all the add-on stuff in injection moulded plastic. They like the idea and are 'working on it' so in about 2012 maybe something just may appear, we can only hope. Accucraft and the Good Lord move in mysterious ways! 

DM-K 
Ottawa


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## tony23 (Jan 2, 2008)

Can you guys place some links to where I can buy stock for the S2  coaches or wagons.

Also I need to see some pictures of these 'Empire Builder' coaches or other coaches the S2 pulled ,I cannot find any. I have spoken to someone that may be able to press these shells out in aluminium 

Tony


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## rwjenkins (Jan 2, 2008)

The MDC boxcars are based on the 1937 AAR design (same as the new Accucraft cars, naturally), and their main problem in terms of dimensions is the length, they're about 3 1/2 scale feet too short. The body height is just about perfect, and the width is ok give or take a couple inches. The overall height suffers because of the oversized wheels, which scale out to about 39" instead of 33" on the prototype. The reefers apparently used the same basic mold as the boxcars, just with different side details. The ends, floor (inside and out), and overall dimensions are identical. Although this makes for an overly tall reefer, it actually worked in my favor for lengthening my boxcars because of the wider panel spacing on the reefer sides. The MDC boxcars have the right number of side panels (for a 10-panel car), but they're compressed to fit the shorter length. The wider spacing of the panels on the reefers is pretty close to what the boxcars should be, so my lengthened boxcars are actually reefer bodies with boxcar door sections grafted in. The roof panels, on the other hand, are just about the right size but there's one fewer than there should be. That makes stretching the roof a simple matter of lengthening it by one panel. 

The ore cars are another one where the oversized wheels are a problem, making the car too tall. They're also about 2 scale feet too long, presumably stretched to fit the stock MDC trucks which are too long for these cars in addition to the oversized wheels. The real cars are 24 feet overall to match the spacing of the pockets on the ore docks, which are also spaced to match the hatches on the ore boats. The trucks should have a 5-foot wheelbase, the MDC trucks are about 5'10". There's not a whole lot to be done about the overall length, unfortunately, since the streching seems to have been done in the sloped areas rather than the midsection. However, 5-foot wheelbase trucks from Ozark and Accucraft 33" wheels really help the appearance of these cars and make for a nice heavy train too. Body-mount Kadees are also a must for these cars for prototypical close-coupling.


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## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

D M-K 

The Aster PRR N6 (Pennsy) is the last item under BRASS on my initial list. 

Is your intent to ask Accucraft for specific prototypes (ie window arrangements matching Pullman diagrams), or just do "generic" smooth side cars? I thought Alan Wright's CP coaches looked pretty good when I saw them at DH a couple of years ago. Of course they had those CP trucks that were not common in the USA. For modern cars, Jack Verducci did an article on lengthening MTH cars and rearranging the windows to match cars on the D&LW Phoebe Snow. 

Richard 

I am looking forward to a "how-to" on building the box cars from reefer shells. I have a bunch of the MDC reefers as unlettered kits that would be great for the project. I thought I was being "dumb" when Chris Gans (Nicholas Smith Trains) dumped them on me from the back room about 15 years ago. Cost me $12 each, but I had to take them all. Have you found a suitable replacement brake wheel and rachet housing for these? 

Tony 23 

On the Live Steam forum there is a topic like "Aster S2 coaches" . In that thread Jim Overland said: 

I do think we should discuss potential sources and encouragement for 1:32 heavyweights for the S2. 
The Kerns cars seem a bit expensive to me. 
Something less than $500 per car and in the right consist, Pullman sleepers 8-1-2. etc. See the Great Northern historical site. 
=========== 
The Kern Valley cars started out with the molds and parts from Ralph Brown's Standard Car Company line of 1:32 heavyweight kits. The kits assembled like an old walthers HO or O scale kit. The sides were resin castings, floor and underbody were wood, roof was plastic (which bowed after prolonged outdoor use). They had their own six wheel trucks. In the 1980s these kits cost over $300 each. Kern Valley has been rengineering the cars, redone the molds with a finer level of detail, made the underbody parts as castings, and done very nice interiors. I think a $500 price tag is acceptable given the amount of labor involved in production, and the relatively low numbers of cars that will ever be sold (of any given floor plan). Low numbers means hundreds not thousands. I will guarantee that even Jim O would not sell them for less if he was doing the work. If you don't want to pay for someone else's efforts to research, design, and produce (for a profit), go buy a plan book full of heavyweight drawings and start building. Let me know how you feel after the third car. People do it all the time. Check out Marty Cozad's posts on building 48 ft Bethgons on this Forum. Not as complicated, but he has the builders spirit. 

David Leech built a lot of streamlined cars to order over the years. MOST folks thought they represented good value for the money. Depending on the painting, lettering, and level of detail; these cars ranged from $400 to $600 each. I believe that IF he had done heavyweight cars, they would have been at least the cost of the Kern Valley versions becuse of the extra labor involved. 

I suppose one could get some older J&M cars that were made for the Aster NYC Hudson and PRR K4. they would not be the correct cars, but they would be 1:32. They would also cost as least as much as the Kern Valley cars. 

Cheers 

Jim


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## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

DMK 

An additional comment regarding your post: 

An addition for your list, somewhere in the depths of my addled brain I am able to recall a Pennsy caboose made by Aster, yes? These still come up for sale occasionally, not a bad model, probably on a par with J&M boxcars. 

The Aster caboose was an accuarate model of a specific class of PRR cabin car, with fine detailing. It has thin wood veneer for the sides, ends and cupola, as well as nice steps, railings, and ladders. It also had working couplers made by Aster. I think they were originally about $200 or $250 back about 1984. I have seen them sell for $500 and up recently. 

The caboose is FAR ABOVE the J&M box cars. The ladders are cude stampings with flat rungs. The doors and ends are rudimentary stampings. I think the round roof (closer to the N&W turtleback) was chosen becose a flat roof was easier to make. There is absolutely no underbody, just a single brass channel soldered lengthwise in the center. The trucks attach to the end of the channel, there are no bolsters. The truck sideframes are a crude (plastic?) casting with little relief. Dummy couplers that made Lionel's cheapest look good. The wheels are the worst I have ever seen on a 1:32 model. Why didn't they put the Aster couplers on the box cars? Cost, I guess. 

It is hard to believe that John Gumo (Gauge One America) brought in during the same peroid: 
(MY PERSONAL, HIGHLY BIASED RATINGS) 
Aster NYC Hudson and PRR K-4 Pacific - great models 
Aster PRR cabin car (caboose) - excellent 
J&M heavyweights NYC (Pullman green) and PRR (Tuscan with and without stripes). Good models outside, interior very basic. Did have excellent working couplers (I think from Aster). The trucks were "lead sleds", and needed to be reworked. Listed at $800-$850 in 1984 
J&M box cars - Given the existence of the very good PSC box cars (for the same money or less), should have been pushed off the boat on the way here from the UK. 

More than you wanted to read. 

Jim


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

On the Live Steam forum there is a topic like "Aster S2 coaches"

www.mylargescale.com/Community/Forums/tabid/56/forumid/11/postid/11327/view/topic/tpage/5/Default.aspx


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## MarkLewis (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By GaugeOneLines on 02/24/2008 7:59 AM
Hey Jim, 
An addition for your list, somewhere in the depths of my addled brain I am able to recall a Pennsy caboose made by Aster, yes? These still come up for sale occasionally, not a bad model, probably on a par with J&M boxcars. I'm doing my damnest to get Accucraft to make 80' smooth-sided streamliners, since they would be too large for Accucraft's injection moulding presses I have suggested extruded aluminum with milled windows and all the add-on stuff in injection moulded plastic. They like the idea and are 'working on it' so in about 2012 maybe something just may appear, we can only hope. Accucraft and the Good Lord move in mysterious ways! 

DM-K 
Ottawa

That is very good news indeed! I've stopped holding my breath for 1:32 rolling stock; I breath easier, but the alternative of shrinking the 1:29 stuff is not as attractive to me as simply waiting.

Mark


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## GaugeOneLines (Feb 23, 2008)

Posted By Dr Rivet on 02/24/2008 9:27 AM
D M-K 

The Aster PRR N6 (Pennsy) is the last item under BRASS on my initial list. 

Is your intent to ask Accucraft for specific prototypes (ie window arrangements matching Pullman diagrams), or just do "generic" smooth side cars? I thought Alan Wright's CP coaches looked pretty good when I saw them at DH a couple of years ago. Of course they had those CP trucks that were not common in the USA. For modern cars, Jack Verducci did an article on lengthening MTH cars and rearranging the windows to match cars on the D&LW Phoebe Snow. 


Jim, 

I completely missed the item...............I'm not really stupid, I just look it! 
They would be to Pullman Standard design and would be just a small choice such as coach/chair car, dining, kitchen/lounge and baggage car. A round ended observation would increase the price but would be a possibility. Target price between $250 and 300. I KNOW that they'd sell an enormous number if offered in different liveries.  Alan's CPs are lovely but are $600ish each and on top of that his order books are full until June/July with British outline stock. He is attempting to stay focused on British and CP which is a very smart move, I have friends who are well into their second and third years of waiting for their orders from David Leech (well worth the wait).

Cheers
DM-K
Ottawa


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## tony23 (Jan 2, 2008)

/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/whistling.gifStill waiting for a link to see what an S2 pulled /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/whistling.gif


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## CapeCodSteam (Jan 2, 2008)

1:32, Hmmmmmmm... What would I pick for the ultimate car? That is easy, a flat car. Then I could place anything on it. It might be a 1:32 '67 GT-40. Perhaps a '32 coupe rescued from some field in South Dakota. Wait, what is that? OMG, it looks like the hull of the Cutty Sark, only a bit smaller. Old steam tractors, tanks, coils of cable, every giant bulky item that built this country which couldn't be loaded into a boxcar, went on a flat car. Where is the affordable flat car?

We just saw wonderful entries in the Conrad contest. Isn't it time for the new MDC, or perhaps Accucraft to come up with a flatcar? And once this car is released, lets have a Flatcar contest. What would you transport, and make it exciting? I wonder...


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## CapeCodSteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Tony, at the moment, there aren't any cars released for the S2. There are builders working on a variety of cars. And this being Oscar night, I'm not gonna name names, cause I'd hate to forget someone. I have some info on my computer at work, which I'll be back to on Tuesday. I'm sure between now and then, someone might post something. And in the meantime, you can take a look at some of the Aristocraft heavy weights. they'll need repainting, Stan could make decals. Take a look at the site. You could further drop the car, bringing it more in scale. 

And I'm sure there are craftspeople out there working on true Empire Builder cars. Be patient, the S2 isn't here yet. Build it, and they (cars) will come. 

Kent SA# 4468 LNER Mallard


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## John McGuyer (Jan 2, 2008)

On the Uniack cars, I have both the composite and steel drop bottom gondolas and the beet gondola, the B50-14 40 foot single sheath box car, the 50 foot single sheath automotive box car and the 38 foot stock car, the build of which was recently in the model building forum. All of these are planned as future kits from Ozark. 

John


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## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

Tony
I posted this prior in the other thread:

S2 was passenger engine along with high speed mail train, here is a good reference link:
http://www.gnflyer.com/1924original.html


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## CapeCodSteam (Jan 2, 2008)

John, 

Was that the stock car with all those hundreds of brass detail parts? That was a wonderful car. And they are gonna be avail in 1:32?

Kent SA# 4468 LNER Mallard


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## John McGuyer (Jan 2, 2008)

Yes the stock car is 1/32. I have Ozark's first shot of the 1/32 drop bottom gondola and it looks very good. Dave is right now trying to get the kit together. 

John


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## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

John 

Are there any "ball park" estimates of the kit prices? 

I just found the boxes for my American Standard Car Co Resin/wood Pullman kits from the 1990s ==> $337.50 in 15 year old money, probably $450 now. 

Cheers 

Jim


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## John McGuyer (Jan 2, 2008)

It's not up to me, but my guess would be somewhere between $100.00 and $150.00. 

John


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## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

In  a related post on Aster S2 rolling stock, Pete Comley is in the process of producting heavyweights for the GN Northern:
We don't know the price yet as the amount of labor has not been calculated. I'm very aware of the price escalation of cars over the last few years and so am aiming for Jim's price range. Whether we can achieve that  I don't know. A decent train will have 6-10 cars, so the price of a consist can be daunting. Pete.


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## yardtrain (Feb 18, 2008)

AM32-514
40’ Reefer Car, MDT Lackawanna Railroad, Metal Sided,
6 Car Set (#12115, #12127, #12134, #12146, #12153, #12167)
$604.00 

Does anyone know if these are released yet? 

Also would it work well with MTH Engines and Rolling Stock? If I read things correctly they do not come with couplers.

Are there any photos available?

John


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## GaugeOneLines (Feb 23, 2008)

They will come with Accucraft's fully working coupler (compatible with Kaydee820s ) and will sit beautifully with your MTH stuff as they are the same scale. As regards delivery, don't expect to see them before the Spring of 2009, which could translate to July/Aug! No photos yet.


David M-K
Ottawa


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## GNSteamer (Jan 16, 2008)

If you read my post in "Model Building" I am in the process of acquiring a laser or contracting a laser cutter. I am developing a model of the early Barney & Smith and Pullman Standard passenger cars that the Great Northern used for their Oriental Limited run. These were wood sheathed cars that represent the equipment used in the early 1900's until eventually being re-sheathed with steel sides in the 30's. I am using information published by the Great Northern Historic Society. These early cars were intermixed with later more modern steel clad heavyweight cars on the Great Northern International and Empire Builder routes. I've had a Great Northern 25' and 30' wood sheathed caboose all ready for production with layouts for many other railroads in line, but lost my source of laser cutting. I've also developed a AAR livestock car and am looking for someone to do the metal casting for the latches, air tanks and the like.


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## du-bousquetaire (Feb 14, 2011)

Hi:
I am old at gauge one 1/32 (been in it in continental modeling since 1975) but new in US modeling got into it because MTH came out with a GG1, then I started to look for things to haul with it. I got some MDC hoppers,box cars and reefers some Marlon Wilson wheels on them, and some kadees, then some accucraft box cars and I scratch built an N5 Cabin car to go with it. Then I found that David Leech made the proper diagram shells so I built a short smooth side consist. I agree that there is a need for more. Some heavyweight cars, not in resin, mass produced would be the most obvious need to be filled but also some of those 50' or 61'mill gondolas, or flats as well as some tank cars and stock cars. Those long mill gondolas are so typical of US railroading, none exist in Europe, nor probably elsewhere. I bypassed the 1/29th stuff and feel all the better for it, as I also like live steam. I feel that serious US modelers should do what we (I was in the US then and member of the NMRA) did in the '60 when serious modelers made the manufacturers adopt finer wheel standards like RP25 and kadee couplers to bring a new higher level of realism in our models and drop the 1/29th scale and move on to 1/32 which is the correct scale to gauge ratio. There's E bay out there, to sell all those cars to people who just play with their trains, so you can buy correct scale equipment and lets' move on in the right direction. Of course this is just my opinion, and I don't claim to have invented anything, but it is the right scale to gauge. Lets put in a big enthusiasm for 1/32 scale. 
du-bousquetaire


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

I think if they had started outdoor model trains in this country, scale to ratio. the right way. 1:29th would be it. 
Very detailed models coming out. 
Besides, most folks don't use the "right" size of rail anyway. 
 I will go back under my rock.


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

I bypassed the 1/32 stuff and feel all the better for it.  

Scot


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## GNSteamer (Jan 16, 2008)

Take a look at the Great Northern Wood Sheathed Caboose that I am producing in kit form on the Aster Great Northern S2 web page. I am also building a hand full to sell as RTR. 
I will be doing a UP caboose with other roads to follow. I am always looking for prototype information in the form of photographs or measured drawings with dimensions. PM me with any suggestions for caboose models and you will receive a model of the one you help provide me with information for. I will also be producing a heavyweight passenger car in the coming months look for prototype photographs soon. Thanks! Harlan


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## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By GNSteamer on 06 May 2011 07:23 AM 
Take a look at the Great Northern Wood Sheathed Caboose that I am producing in kit form on the Aster Great Northern S2 web page. I am also building a hand full to sell as RTR. 
I will be doing a UP caboose with other roads to follow. I am always looking for prototype information in the form of photographs or measured drawings with dimensions. PM me with any suggestions for caboose models and you will receive a model of the one you help provide me with information for. I will also be producing a heavyweight passenger car in the coming months look for prototype photographs soon. Thanks! Harlan 
Harlan
Did I see you in the Straver video of the most recent steamup? Been wondering about the caboose situation, thanks for update.
cb


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## jnovosel (Dec 29, 2009)

I agree with you! By the way, there will be a 1:32 scale 40' Milwaukee Road (URTX) reefer coming out in June from Mainline America.


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## GNSteamer (Jan 16, 2008)

Charles, Yes, you may have seen a glimpse of me on David's videos at Staver's Spring Steamup. If you saw a caboose sitting alone or between GN box cars, that is the one Pete Comley produced. A couple of my caboose were coupled together and ride at the correct height off the rail as well as behind either the S2 or my GN Mikado. I will post some more updated photographs of the caboose on my profile section as I am not able to post pictures here on the forum.


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## tacfoley (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By GaugeOneLines on 24 Feb 2008 07:59 AM 
Hey Jim, 
An addition for your list, somewhere in the depths of my addled brain I am able to recall a Pennsy caboose made by Aster, yes? These still come up for sale occasionally, not a bad model, probably on a par with J&M boxcars. I'm doing my damnest to get Accucraft to make 80' smooth-sided streamliners, since they would be too large for Accucraft's injection moulding presses I have suggested extruded aluminum with milled windows and all the add-on stuff in injection moulded plastic. They like the idea and are 'working on it' so in about 2012 maybe something just may appear, we can only hope. Accucraft and the Good Lord move in mysterious ways! 

DM-K 
Ottawa Sir - that would be wonderful, even more so if we could pursuade them to make a somewhat more affordable Grove smooth-sider to suit the Royal Hudson. Much as I love my one and only passenger car from our friend Mr Wright, the recent nose-dive of the £-v-$ has hit me right in the pocket, preventing me from ever again paying out that kind of money again for a single car, no matter how beautiful it might be.

A train of ten $300-400 cars is a lot more likely to happen, AFAIAC, than a train of ten cars that cost a $1000 each by the time they get here.

tac
http://www.ovgrs.org/


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## du-bousquetaire (Feb 14, 2011)

What ever happened to that Mainline America RS2, is it still under development? Also is it ging to be 1/32 or 1/29 scale? I hope the few manufacturers doing 1/32 scale stuff recover from the present economical mess. I have nothing against 1/29 (even though its not the right scale gauge ratio, its like 1/48 it's the standard now. Its just since I run live steam and untill very recently most standard gauge steam was in 1/32, and also because I started recently, so just refrained from buying 1/29 stuff. Although when you see what is available it's tempting. For a Pennsy fan an E8 or an E7 In 1/32would be great. I turn out about one heavyweight coach a year scratch built and have survived. keep the posts coming, 

du-bousquetaire


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I don't think Mainline America is doing anything. Used to sell some stuff from their website, but that link no longer seems to work.


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Mainline America is alive and kicking 

http://midwestcompanies.us/manufacturedproducts/mainlineamerica.html 

I bought one of the Monon Hoppers not long ago.


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## GaryR (Feb 6, 2010)

Bought a hopper, 2 reefer bodies & parts... so far. Few if any problems. Waiting for the box cars they said they were coming out with. Paint issue seems to be the hold up.

Might try this one if others don't work. 


GaryR 


http://www.mainlineamerica.com/


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

Are those Mainline America cars made from the old MDC molds? Sure look like MDC.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Seem to be, but seems that Piko got most of the molds. 

When I talked to the owner, and asked the question, I got sort of a whishy washy answer... apparently the hoppers they had a lot of spare parts, but no trucks.. 

I think they may have the hopper mold, but the cars you see from Piko, (obviously) Piko has the molds. 

Think the mainline america guys are trying to make some new molds... there was a lot of stuff promised, but nothing new it seems. 

Greg


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

I see on the website that they have some "new" foot stirrups. Those also look like they might be the same as the old MDC product. I bought 100 sets of those from some guy in Carson City for next to nothing right after MDC quit the market. Still use them on the occasional kitbash to replace oversize castings. Also bought a bunch of brake wheels. Wish I had more of those.


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## du-bousquetaire (Feb 14, 2011)

For all of us interested in Piko (ex MDC) parts the lady at Piko in Germany to contact is: "Matthäi Martina" she speaks English, and is extremly helpfull (or at least was a couple of years ago) when I was looking for some brake gear parts to detail my MDC Hoppers. What parts she had in stock she held for me as the rest were programmed to be cast a couple of weeks later and sent me the whole order. Of course you need to make a bank transfer to Germany but she is very helpfull. She is in charge of customer service. Although I didn't look for truck parts at the time, I think there is no reason why these shouldn't be available also. It's really too bad that they haven't taken up prototipical paint and lettering schemes,as MDC used to do. 
Any news from Accucraft about coaches streamlined or heavyweight? 
How about a long mill gondola. I may use some of my MDC boxcars to make some from styrene. The Pennsy used them a lot with all the steel mills on their right of way. Has anybody any news about the PRR M1 that was announced last year? 
Also I would like to know of a shop that has a good stock of MTH freight cars foir sale? I need some flats and other cars. The fellow in Carson City who had the MDC parts was probably Marlon Wilso who makes excellent steel wheelsets for the MDC cars with 33" wheels almost finescale (he has made the tread much narrower than the 6mm standard), and they run as well on my track as his older ones. At $14,95 for four wheel sets that 's good. Once blackened they look great. Has anybody heard about the new MTH steamer? What type would it be... 
The problem (seen from over here in Europe) with converting MDC reefers into boxcars, is you have to paint and letter them behind. Where do you get decals or transfers? So far the only source I have found (and they are excellent) is TMR distributing in Malton, Ontario, L4T 3B5 site:www.tmrdistributing.com E-mail: [email protected] - Does anybody know of others? 

Simon Duhamel 
Valmondois France


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Stan cedarleaf a frequent contributor here on MLS has an extrisive library of train logos that he converts into excellent decals. He also does custom decals. I have used him for many re lettering projects and I am a very happy customer. Do a search on "Stan Cedarleaf" and you should find contact information. Chuck


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## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

Simon 

The TMR dry transfers were bought out by OZARK MINIATURES in Utah. Not clear if anything will actually be done, at least in the near term. If you have some art work, Stan can produce very good decals. He has done 1:32 stuff quite accurately. I highly recommend him.


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks, guys.... Contact [email protected] cedarleafcustomdecals.com


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Simon:


Here are some examples of Stan's work. I had to repaint and letter 32 LGB iron ore cars to the Duluth Missabi &Iron Range RR (DM&IR). This is an existing railroad. Each car has a different number. I also have made some kits for my garden railroad, the Clear Lake Lumber Company. He helped me design those decals.


























Chuck


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## Dick Friedman (Aug 19, 2008)

In the LSC contest I built a 1:32 20 foot ng flatcar. Thanks to the contest folk, the kit looked pretty good until I aged and weathered it. Then I put a 1928 Chevy Ambulance atop it. If I knew how to put pix up here, I'd even show you! Couldn't figure it out no longer a 1st class member, just a classless one. So, I entered the next model contest. Take a look there!


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## du-bousquetaire (Feb 14, 2011)

I have recently found on E Bay and in some shop three MTH freight cars which I was looking for. This enabled me to check their proportions and details and to my surprise they turn out to be very useable 1/32 cars: The first was a clinchefield flat it turns out that this is an almost perfect model of the AAR 50' flat of the early '40 I was able to locate a photo of the prototype on the Pennsy which is nearly identical. These were made with US steel cast integral frames (like most modern steam locos and Baldwin diesels) which is why they don't have any rivet details. As they had probably been ordered to haul amongst other things, tanks from manufacturers to ports they have quite large deckings in wood (needs to be weathered) which is why some folks think they are over scale size, probably. However the bolster makes this car too high, I sawed with a metal saw the bolster in two cuts to reduce the height 5 mm. and used chloroform to reglue the remains of the bolster to the frame. I put scale wheel sets and Kadees on it and the result is a very good looking car. Then I found two of the meat packers reefers which I was looking for, the Raskin and the Wilson car lines. These are very good models, a bit less refined than the Accucraft but a whole lot sturdier. The roof is at correct height for reefers, the hatches open, the width, length is correct and goes well with the Accucraft. The pug door is well modeled although on these particular prototypes they should be hinged doors (from the Morning Sun guide on private reefers) I can live with that, as it is even possible that some did or were converted. it would be nice if MTH came out with a hinged door version of their reefer. Also as on the box car the wheelbase is a bit short, there is a simple way to correct this by sawing the bolster and a piece of the frame and inversing it to move the bolster outwards about 1cm. I then bolt it to the steel weight for rigidity and add a small strip of styreen to arrive at the same total length of frame. These will add variety to my freight train, a piggy back trailer is next on another flat car.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I made some 1/32 stock cars using wood stir sticks. Classic old way of pinning them down to a foamboard with wax paper over the plans.









Ended up doing 3.


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## K27_463 (Jan 2, 2008)

I have some brass 1/32nd SP caboose models from Accucraft available- at significant discount. Sealed boxes and from the old production run, these are not new builds. Also have a single UP brass caboose. 

Jonathan 
www.rctrains.com 
Free shipping on electronics and lithium batteries at competitive prices / warranted for a year, not 90 days 
Experts in all things rc for trains


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By K27_463 on 12 Feb 2014 08:17 PM 
I have some brass 1/32nd SP caboose models from Accucraft available- at significant discount. Sealed boxes and from the old production run, these are not new builds. Also have a single UP brass caboose. 

Jonathan 
www.rctrains.com 
Free shipping on electronics and lithium batteries at competitive prices / warranted for a year, not 90 days 
Experts in all things rc for trains 


I don't see them anywhere on the website you have... got a link directly to them? I usually figure that if I have to ask the price I cannot afford it, so asking for a link to the site is pretty close to my figuring I cannot afford the product.


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## tomohara (Aug 6, 2014)

This is an interesting thread to me, as I'm modeling a 1/32 non operating diorama with a boxcar in it as a background item. Tried to find inexpensive running gear - wheels, trucks, couplers, figuring to scratch build the rest - having a deuce of a time. Bought a Bachman 'G' scale used boxcar on ebay, very cheap, thinking to just use the gear off it, as some bloggers say they will work in #1, but won't be surprised if it's too big. 
Will probably spring for a more pricey 1/32, which are all over a hundred bucks, looks like.


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## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

tomohara
please check your PMs.


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## Robert (Jan 2, 2008)

Nice work Jerry. Did those plans run in GR?


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I found the plans online and scaled them to 1/32. PM me and I'll give you my email and I could send them to you. I think there is a more detailed posts on it over on LSC, or maybe here, not sure. Try a search. There are more pix on my web page, under the Projects 3 button.
http://thescrr.com/projects3.html


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## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry
The creative artist is showing through on the stock car build:IMPRESSIVE!


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