FWIW: Comparison of "1:48" seated figures for passenger cars. My conclusion is to buy cheap!

I used the same Evemodel figures on a recent interior detail upgrade to my Atlas O RBM&N passenger cars. Couldn’t be happier. Great price for 100 figures, and they fit really good!

I recently added people to my passenger station. I bought some WS, Bachman, and BEEP people. The WS are the largest by far, Bachman about right IMHO, and the BEEPs are shrimps.

Agreed that less expensive figures are fine for passenger cars.

Bob

Except for your own satisfaction , even with unrealistically bright cars, usually moving at speed, who gets down with a jeweler's optic to carefully scrutinize passengers.

Although I repaint A lot of the seated figurines, to period appropriate colors The cheap ones work just fine . to populate 32 passenger cars, its just cost effective to buy them a hundred at a time

Unless it's for a special car, I load them up with the folks from China. For my club car and diner, I printed my own (including waiters, porters, conductors and kitchen staff). "Extra fare" stuff and all...

@hokie71 posted:

It has been a few years since I populated passenger cars and I remembered thinking that what I had at the time was inconsistent. This time around I have about 10 cars to do and thought I would try to document the bang for the buck comparison.  "For your consideration" (as Rod Serling would say), here is what I purchased, ranging from $0.75 each (K-line set on the big auction site) to $0.18 (on the big river site) for comparison.

The first picture shows examples of the two figures, the expensive ones are on the right, cheap on the left. Both are advertised as 1;48. Size matters but the ones on the left look ok in the cars (even if I have to amputate some feet, occasionally).  I can use a sharpie to add facial features at the cost difference.  The trick obviously is don't sit them next to each other in the same car to accentuate the differences.

My conclusion is to buy cheap; the difference at 4X is not worth it. If these were going on park benches, my conclusion might be a bit different- but probably not at this cost difference.

Thanks for posting this information.  Although I try to keep abreast of what's available, I wasn't aware of the Evemodel line of figures.  They're listed as 1:50 scale and there are obviously some compromises regarding detail, but IMO they're close enough for most situations.

This topic is going to cost me some money, but not nearly as much as some threads...

@Mallard4468 posted:

Thanks for posting this information.  Although I try to keep abreast of what's available, I wasn't aware of the Evemodel line of figures.  They're listed as 1:50 scale and there are obviously some compromises regarding detail, but IMO they're close enough for most situations.

This topic is going to cost me some money, but not nearly as much as some threads...

My bad, they are 1:50 which you would think would make them smaller than the 1:48?  I was surprised to find them on the big river site at a more competitive price than the auction site. 

I just finished populating my passenger cars. Yep, lowest priced figures at the right size makes sense. I’m guessing 10% are whole, 80% don’t have feet, and around 10% are cut off at the knees.

I recommend wehonest. They have 30 sitting 1:48 Painted Passenger Figures in 10 poses per box for $15 on eBay. There are also 8 separate lots available, so if you order more than one you will get different colors. They are very nice figures that come well packaged. Since they are coming from China, they take a while to arrive, about 4-6 weeks as I recall.

Pat

Here's a K-line set with figures (from a previous owner). A little large IMHO but the car isn't scale either so....

These two characters are from MTH and required surgery to fit in a Lionel F3 cab.

I've purchased from Wehonest and they are a good value. Yes- shipping takes time.

For the engineer figures to fit in my GP9 cab I had to cut off arms on one side and the leg on one of them. I couldn’t fit them in seats so they’re just standing, glued to the side. They both have arms sticking out and look pretty good actually. They were Bachmann engineer figures.

@RSJB18,

Is that a custom made cab interior for your F3?  Is that a Lionel F3 as well?

@texgeekboy posted:

@RSJB18,

Is that a custom made cab interior for your F3?  Is that a Lionel F3 as well?

It's a Lionel F3 interior. I didn't realize that the control stand was a separate part so instead of placing another order, I fab'd one out of some scrap styrene.

Yes- this is a Lionel F3 AA set from the early 90's with pullmor motors (6-18177). I've been upgrading the set with an ERR AC commander and sounds, and all new LED lighting.

Yeah, I’m following your thread on that. I just wanted to make sure. Thanks.

@hokie71 posted:

My bad, they are 1:50 which you would think would make them smaller than the 1:48?  I was surprised to find them on the big river site at a more competitive price than the auction site.

Real people come in a variety of sizes too.  And we all know that "scale" is a flexible concept in the 3-rail world.

As stated above, many seated figures need either amputations or butt reductions to fit in their seats and also have their heads at window height.  MTH figures are undersized but work well in most passenger cars (no surgery needed).  Most mass produced figures are painted in bright/neon colors with glossy paint, so repainting is recommended.  I use mostly cheap craft paints.  Pastel colors or browns, black, green, or blue look the best.  You can convert any color to pastel by mixing in some white.  I probably go overboard in detail, but at the very least one should cover the bright colors, paint over the bug eyes, and get rid of the shine.  Those features will not look right, even in a moving passenger car.

I use a variety of figures from different manufacturers (MTH, Beep People, GGD Little People, Ebay and Amazon figures from China) and paint around 8 figures at a time, painting in this order:

1. skin color  2. shirts, pants, dresses  3. vests, jackets, shoes  4.  Hair, hats

Here are some completed figures.  I fill my cars around 20-25% to keep reasonable the amount of painting I need to do.  I still ended up painting 120 figures for my 9 car Aerotrain.

This photo shows the bright colors and shine that is common with the cheap figures.  These are Beep People.  They are too large for most passenger cars, so they needed the butt surgery.  Yes, that is a genuine surgical scalpel!

In more visible areas of the layout, I would not use any of these figures, but instead use the more detailed (and pricey) Artistta and Preiser figures, or some of the newer 3D printed figures.

I have 8 more passenger trains to go (mostly 21" cars) . . . so maybe 30 passengers per car, 8 cars per train, times 8 trains . . . only 1,920 more to paint! Fortunately, I just retired.

Bob

He is referring to amazon

@RRDOC posted:

He is referring to amazon

Guess I didn’t hit delete fast enough😳😳🙁🙁🙁

Anyway, what should you use to anchor 1:50 scale butts to their seats?

I use a hot glue gun, put a blob on their butt and press into the seat.

Bob

@irish rifle posted:

I recommend wehonest. They have 30 sitting 1:48 Painted Passenger Figures in 10 poses per box for $15 on eBay. There are also 8 separate lots available, so if you order more than one you will get different colors. They are very nice figures that come well packaged. Since they are coming from China, they take a while to arrive, about 4-6 weeks as I recall.

Pat

Thanks Pat.  I just ordered three sets.

John

The one thing that I learned when trying to populate some O scale trolleys was O scale people do not fit O scale seats. If I return to that project, I will be using S scale folks.

EDIT: And as just occurred to me, HO and N for younger children.

@Mark V. Spadaro posted:

Guess I didn’t hit delete fast enough😳😳🙁🙁🙁

Anyway, what should you use to anchor 1:50 scale butts to their seats?

I use an automotive product called 'GOOP' for figures and other similar items.  It holds items in about 10 min and stays flexible for a very long time.  Items can be removed years down the road without damage.

@Dennis-LaRock posted:

I use an automotive product called 'GOOP' for figures and other similar items.  It holds items in about 10 min and stays flexible for a very long time.  Items can be removed years down the road without damage.

Another  vote with Dennis, I use Goop too.  They don't come loose unless you pull them off.

I use a hot glue gun. Can be loosened again with a little blast from my heat gun.

@irish rifle posted:

I recommend wehonest. They have 30 sitting 1:48 Painted Passenger Figures in 10 poses per box for $15 on eBay. There are also 8 separate lots available, so if you order more than one you will get different colors. They are very nice figures that come well packaged. Since they are coming from China, they take a while to arrive, about 4-6 weeks as I recall.

Pat.

I bought a bunch from them a while back. Shipping takes a while. I have purchased as well 1:30 and put them in my standard gauge trains.

If you have any cars without seat you can glue them to the cars and no one would even notice.

Another option is to add seats. You would need this pattern of decorative metal screen from Menards, Home Depot or Lowe's.

Cut and bend the screen as shown in this thread:
https://ogrforum.com/...ou-from-having-seats

Glue them in with your passengers.

Scott Smith

@RRDOC posted:

As stated above, many seated figures need either amputations or butt reductions to fit in their seats and also have their heads at window height.  MTH figures are undersized but work well in most passenger cars (no surgery needed).  Most mass produced figures are painted in bright/neon colors with glossy paint, so repainting is recommended.  I use mostly cheap craft paints.  Pastel colors or browns, black, green, or blue look the best.  You can convert any color to pastel by mixing in some white.  I probably go overboard in detail, but at the very least one should cover the bright colors, paint over the bug eyes, and get rid of the shine.  Those features will not look right, even in a moving passenger car.

I use a variety of figures from different manufacturers (MTH, Beep People, GGD Little People, Ebay and Amazon figures from China) and paint around 8 figures at a time, painting in this order:

1. skin color  2. shirts, pants, dresses  3. vests, jackets, shoes  4.  Hair, hats

Here are some completed figures.  I fill my cars around 20-25% to keep reasonable the amount of painting I need to do.  I still ended up painting 120 figures for my 9 car Aerotrain.

This photo shows the bright colors and shine that is common with the cheap figures.  These are Beep People.  They are too large for most passenger cars, so they needed the butt surgery.  Yes, that is a genuine surgical scalpel!

In more visible areas of the layout, I would not use any of these figures, but instead use the more detailed (and pricey) Artistta and Preiser figures, or some of the newer 3D printed figures.

I have 8 more passenger trains to go (mostly 21" cars) . . . so maybe 30 passengers per car, 8 cars per train, times 8 trains . . . only 1,920 more to paint! Fortunately, I just retired.

Bob

Congrats on your retirement, Bob!

Peter

Great thread !!!

Thank you to all posters !!!

CB&Q Bill

@Putnam Division posted:

Congrats on your retirement, Bob!

Peter

Thanks. I saw you did as well. No stress except the ever growing “honey do” list!

Bob

This shot perfectly illustrates my complaint with many available figures.  Virtually all of the passengers are headless, it looks really silly!  Most of the passenger cars really need S-scale figures, which are as hard to find as hen's teeth, and also just as expensive!

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

This shot perfectly illustrates my complaint with many available figures.  Virtually all of the passengers are headless, it looks really silly!  Most of the passenger cars really need S-scale figures, which are as hard to find as hen's teeth, and also just as expensive!

Agreed John. But the set came with them already installed so......

There was a member on here a while back who used to buy Preiser figures and paint and set them in his cars. They looked great but the time and effort to paint them is beyond me.

Bob

@RSJB18 posted:

Agreed John. But the set came with them already installed so......

That was a factory installation?   That's pretty low class not to have the right sized figures!

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

That was a factory installation?   That's pretty low class not to have the right sized figures!

no- I bought the set from Trainz. The previous owner had installed them.

This is the test of the first car (MTH premier) and the cheap figures.  The heads show but some not as much as I would like.  I think the dremel tool operating room is going to open up for some liposuction on the lower torsos.

That's not too bad, but for several of my sets, I set my little 4" grinder on the bench and did some butt reductions to lower them in their seats.

Can anyone recommend a brand of seated figures that don’t need bilateral foot amputations to sit properly, plastic cheeks to plastic seat, so that heads can viewed through the windows? I’m speaking strictly for RK O27 Madison  Cars.

Several have recommended s figures but who knows where to get them.

The two best I have found are golden gate depot and k-line. Even these, depending on the car and the seat, have batted a high percentage (50%?) of severe plastic surgery. And that has been in scale cars. I  plan to do some rail king cars in a few weeks and will try some GGD people along with the cheap ones

My observation is that the seats in most scale passenger cars are no bigger than the ones in the RailKing cars.

     The "Beep People" are exactly the same as the people that came with my original K-Line Hiawatha cars. Same people, same clothing.

Are the BEEP People different from the old stuff from a few years ago?  I still have several cards of those, and they were too fat for almost any O-scale passenger car seats.