The quality and detail of today's mass produced Scale cars, two or three rail, compares to and occasionally beats brass rolling stock, especially the older brass that will be found on e-bay.
Tim
I agree with Andy. I would add that modern O scale plastic freight cars tooled in say the last 15 years usually beat older brass freight cars in two areas. First, the quality of paint and lettering on modern plastic cars is excellent. Second, the crispness of detail on injection molded doors, car ends and roofs is often better than is achieved in stamped brass. The area where you might find plastic cars behind brass is on underside detail. If that is a major area of concern to you adding detail to the plastic cars might be the best way to get the level of detail that you want.
Weather you are looking at a brass or plastic, knowledge of the prototype you are modeling will help you decide if a particular car is up to your standards.
There are about 200 differently tooled plastic freight cars that have been produced since the 1990s. Since you are modeling the steam era I would suggest looking at these particular O scale models.
Box cars:
Atlas, Lionel and MTH all make USRA double sheathed box cars. I have the Atlas and MTH cars and find them to be similar in add on details but MTH has the most accurate rendering of the car sides.
Atlas and MTH make models of the USRA single sheathed box car. I consider them equal in detail.
Atlas and MTH both make models of the 1937 AAR box car. I have several of each. Atlas offers both single and double door versions made from the old Intermountain tooling. The MTH car is made from more modern tooling (which helps keep the cost down) and has a Viking roof that was preferred by the VanSwerengen lines. If I was looking for a C&O, Erie or NKP car I'd go after the MTH model and go with Atlas for most other roads.
Weaver makes model of the B&O round roof car and will soon deliver the Milwaukee Road rib side box car. These railroad specific designs will add variety to a car fleet.
Lionel, MTH and Pecos River have all made 50 foot steel automobile box car models. The Pecos River cars were offered in 2 rail and, while not super detailed, they are scale models of a common car.
Lionel makes the best model of the PS-1 box car.
Atlas Trainman gets honorable mention for their post war AAR and 50 foot single sheathed automobile cars. While less detailed than all of the models mentioned above they are scale models of prototypes that are otherwise unavailable outside of brass.
Reefers:
Atlas, Lionel and MTH all make very nice models of ice bunker reefers. If you know your prototype you can find something you like.
Stock Cars:
Atlas Trainman, Lionel and MTH all offer O scale stock cars. The Lionel car is the most detailed model and the most typical in dimensions of a car built in the steam era.
Tank Cars:
The Atlas 8,000 and 11,000 gallon tank cars are the best models of steam era tank cars available in plastic. If you want more variety I would look for brass tank cars.
Covered Hoppers:
Lionel, MTH and Weaver all make models of the 70 ton 2 bay PS-2 covered hopper from the very late steam era. Atlas makes a model of an earlier 70 ton 1958 cubic foot covered hopper that went into production in the late 1930s. Weaver makes a PRR specific covered hopper. All were used to haul dense products like sand or cement and would tend to stay on or close to their home roads.
Coal hoppers:
O scale plastic coal hoppers could be an article all on their own.
Gondolas:
Both the Lionel PS and Weaver War Emergency cars have drop ends. The recently manufactured MTH 52 1/2 footers have an underframe designed for Kadee mounting.
The MTH GS gondolas are good models and Petersen Supply has two road names in factory 2 rail, the first MTH freight cars offered in a factory 2 rail configuration.
Flat Cars:
Lionel and MTH make good 40 or 41 foot flat car models. For 52 1/2 foot flats take a look at the MTH or Lionel PS car.
