All Nation Boxcar

All Nation or any of the kits can be built to a comparable level of detail with a little effort in my opinion.    And generally speaking the All Nation and Athearn (later Reynolds) boxcars are much sturdier than intermountain cars. 

Labelle kits of older prototypes make up into super detailed cars of the wooden era too.    Labelle woodworking is still in business.   

The current Atlas 1937 ARA car is the direct descendent of the IM cars - Atlas bought the tooling.

Some further research.   Ye Olde Huff and Puff is still in business also and is still issueing their original kits plus most of the "MainLine Models" kits.   These are also older wooden prototypes.   

http://www.yeoldehuffnpuff.com

I think the plastic cars have way better detail.  I have mostly Athearn and All Nation because I do not care for plastic models.  It is irrational, since even brass does not come close to what can be mass produced in plastic.  Opinion.

I should add - that is a very nice looking model.

Great looking boxcar. If you don't mind I will save a photo of it for reference later when I finally get around to building the kits I bought at Allentown last Fall. The Art is in the detail.

I sort of agree and disagree that the new plastic mass produced cars have good detail.  

In the sense of smaller finer details I agree.   

However, in the sense of accurate detail I disagree.   They can't produce uniquely detailed cars for the multitude of prototypes that existed.    There is just not enough sales to make each unique version of each car.    For example the Atlas X-29 is a very good detailed Pennsy car and I love it.   However, they also sell it as a 1923 ARA car painted for a bunch of other roads.   Well that is not quite right for the rivet counters.   While the basic dimensions were generally the same, many details on the other roads cars were different.   One major difference I think was in the rivet patterns on the sides of the cars.   So the car is highly detailed but not accurate for a 1923 ARA car.   

Repeating myself - I have one Lionel PS-1 boxcar

And one PSC boxcar, a photo of which will have to wait.  The PSC is a generic car in brass, and no attempt was made apparently to change minor details to suit various railroads.  So the brass car suffers the same defect - you get a choice of one configuration.  And you get to paint it yourself.

The Lionel car has better detail than any other box car around here - and is worth maybe $30.  The PSC will routinely go in eBay for over $300, and while it looks ok, it sounds pretty tinny in a freight train.

My preference for box cars is the Atlas/All Nation for steel sheathed, and Scale Craft for outside braced.  But again, the plastics have way better and more accurate detail.

Opinion.

Here is the best of the best - Scale Craft on Auel trucks.  Not especially accurate or finely detailed, but it has an antique patina about it that is difficult to capture in a picture, and it rumbles when under way.

James, BEAUTIFUL boxcar!!!

I tend to agree with prrjim that if you model one of the more prominent RRs like PRR, then you're golden when it comes to getting what you want in plastic.

But when modeling something like the Seaboard Air Line like I do, even kits like those mentioned don't always hit the mark.

Seaboard had some of the round-roof boxcar, similar to those owned by PRR.  But the roof was different (almost flat on top) and the ends were Pullman "Dartnaught" ends.  The 2 plastic MTH round-roof cars I have that are lettered for SAL have more rounded roofs and riveted ends, there's not even a simple fix for that.  Even their ARA single-sheathed boxcars have differences in outside bracing.

If you model a specific RR you really need to look and compare BEFORE buying, or be prepared to make a lot of modifications, or build your own.

bob2 wrote:

and it rumbles when under way.

I had an old HO slot car setup and had a Pontiac GTO that would make a squealing sound when you let off the "peddle".  Always thought that was pretty cool.  You're right, some cars just sound better going down the tracks.