Kit form rolling stock

I assembled some of those "shake the box" kits from Athearn - and others? - back in my HO/post-027 teen years, before the usual hormonal story took over. Very few 3RO types would buy kits, I fear. Even the simple type. Some would, I would, you would, but as Americans generally and mostly no longer have or even know about tool skills - or even the tools themselves - I fear the idea would fail. And these cars would not be free, even if cheaper, plus, if they came with a detail level that is now expected, 90% of the purchasers would open the box once, look at it, quietly close it and list it on eBay at a giveaway price.

I like the idea, but the US is not a country of makers anymore. That cultural ship sailed a long time ago, never to return.

I used to build Intermountain Reefer and Box Car kits. Very good tooling and assembly wasn't too difficult, though many parts were pretty small. They need additional weight to be brought up to proper weight, but track very well. They show up on eBay quite often. They even did one in Delta Lines livery.

@AGHRMatt posted:

They even did one in Delta Lines livery.

The Intermountain Delta Lines boxcar was part of the NMRA's "Historic Herald" series celebrating the pioneers of models railroading.  One had to be a member of the NMRA to purchase the cars.

Rusty

There are still a few of us kit builders around. Modeling HO most of my life it was more common to build everything vs. use ready made. Currently building a Mullet River Caboose. This is the most challenging kit I have attempted to date.

Pete

I had Marx 3/16, went to HO, discovered three rail was alive and collected, found 3/16 was not a broad field of many prototypes, branched into assorted lobster claw brands and patiently waited for HO's once prolific variety of shortline steam era prototypes to flood the market in three rail. Ain't seen a trickle. In HO l built models.  Rolling stock and structures, scratch and kit, still do, mostly structures, while still waiting.  I am definitely NOT the only one buying kits.  I built one Mullet River caboose....was my most challenging car kit, by far, but wish the series had included  Colorado Midland and FEC side doors, for l would tackle those.  I think l may have encountered my most difficult structure kit, as l brilliantly? elected to bash it larger.  Forces duplication of many unique kit parts...it and Mullet kits should appeal to those who get satisfaction from jigsaw puzzles and giant Lego towers.  A lot of satisfaction is in YOUR creation.

@Rusty Traque posted:

The Intermountain Delta Lines boxcar was part of the NMRA's "Historic Herald" series celebrating the pioneers of models railroading.  One had to be a member of the NMRA to purchase the cars.

Rusty

Like everything else, they show up in the used market place occasionally.

A few years back I bought an O-gauge box car kit of Bruce Chubb's "Sunset Railway and Navigation Co." at a local hobby shop.  While super-well detailed, a lot of fragile little plastic parts made up all the details.  I left a lot of these fragile plastic underframe details off, and modified the underframe to accept Lionel die-cast metal sprung trucks.  Also made up wire grab rails to replace the plastic ones, for better durability.  And added some extra steel weight to the car, to supplement the weight of the Lionel trucks.

All-in-all, I ended up with a pretty nice O-gauge box car to add to the fleet.  Admittedly though, while I used to enjoy building models of this caliber this in my younger days, nowadays I find myself not really wanting to take the time to mess with building models that contain lots of fine, fragile molded plastic parts.  I can still do it, I just don't WANT to do it.  These days, I'd rather be running the trains, not building them.

Both Intermountain and Red Caboose offered O Scale kits of reefers, boxcars, tank cars, open top hopper cars and flat cars about twenty years ago, I assembled a quite a few of these cars, these kits were finely detailed die molded kits, the carbody, roof and top walkway were not attached to the sprues whereas the remaining parts were and had to be removed for assembly. The kits came with detailed sequentially listed step instructions for assembly with diagrams. I liked the challenge in building them, they were weighted and equipped with Weaver 3-Rail Bettendorf trucks and couplers. Both companies withdrew from the O Scale market well over 10 years ago, I would assume because of minimal or diminishing orders for these kits. I also believe that both companies today are in the HO and N Scale markets today.

I think that Atlas O bought the tooling for both the IM and Red Caboose lines.    They modified underframes and such as needed to use their trucks and couplers.      They also replaced most of the plastic details with diecast which are sturdier. 

the P&D F units went this same Route.    Atlas bought the tooling from P&D hobbies and modified it for a china-block drive that they preferred.      P&D did keep an inventory of kits and parts for their line of business. They still do have detail parts and maybe a few kits.  

The kits are still very common at O Scale shows.