# WALTHERS MAINLINE TRAIN CARS



## coming round the bend (Feb 22, 2016)

hello, first post. new to model rr. i have a 4 by 8 ft layout that runs ho scale. i purchased quite a few lifelike train cars, but was having problems with cars derailing. did some reading an found out this is common on cheaper cars.weight couplers and wheels all play a part on how they perform. therefore purchased some freight cars from walthers. they have metal wheels. biggg difference in performance. will still keep the lifelike cars because they are nice for display or even to practice weathering on them. any one into the walthers line like myself?


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## PhillipL (May 5, 2012)

I have been a fan of Walthers Mainline for a while. I just received three 40 ft box cars the other day. I noticed problems with the walkways on the top of the cars. It appears they are glued on and the glue was not done correctly so the walkways were coming off. These are brand new releases which disappointed me. Depending on the era you are running, you might consider Kadee freight cars (especially the box cars-both 40 ft and 50 ft). No glue is used on them and they are beautifully detailed. They cost more, so I buy them one or two at a time. I have accumulated 40 over the last 15 years. I just pre-ordered the RF&P 40 ft box car due out in May.


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## santafewillie (Feb 13, 2016)

First of all, welcome to the forum.
Most of the Walthers Mainline products that I have seen, are too early for my era, but I do have a few of the Evans boxcars. I haven't had quality issues like Phillip but I also don't have roofwalks on mine. Every one that I have I had to do a little fine-tuning on to make it up to my standards for rolling stock. Minor things like reaming the trucks with the truck tuner, adding weight, etc. The wheels are too shiny for me and I use "Blacken It" on them. If you have the time for assembling kits, try Accurail. The price is right, the detailing is better but you still have to add metal wheels and KD couplers; although the Accumate couplers are usually workable for a while. LifeLike cars can be made into decent looking/running models with a little work. Using them for practice is good. 
Willie


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Welcome to the hobby and the forums!

I have never bought a bum product with the Walthers name on it (although technically LifeLike is Walthers). Even their trainline stuff is good. The only things I would really stay away from is Tyco, LifeLike (locos and rolling stock), and Model Power (although since they were just acquired by MRC, that may change, too).

This is a hobby where it's tough to say "this brand is the best". Generally, when you pay more for a model, you're paying for details and finish quality, not manufacturing quality.

One other thing though. With a 4x8 and presumably 18" curves, stay away fromanything longer than about 55 scale feet, as it just won't run well or look good in that tight space.


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## mopac (Feb 24, 2011)

Those old lifelike and tyco cars can be made into nice runners fairly easy.
Cut coupler mount off the truck, add body mount couplers, change out the plastic wheels for metal wheels, add some weight, and you will have fine running cars. If you want,
change the trucks to accurail trucks. About a buck a pair.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

mopac said:


> Those old lifelike and tyco cars can be made into nice runners fairly easy.
> Cut coupler mount off the truck, add body mount couplers, change out the plastic wheels for metal wheels, add some weight, and you will have fine running cars. If you want,
> change the trucks to accurail trucks. About a buck a pair.


Just picked up a NH box car at an estate sale for $2. I will be doing this surgery on it in the near future.


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## IslandTrains (Feb 14, 2016)

I had a bunch of "RTR" brands when I was a kid in the 70's. Life Like was by far the worse. Tyco wasn't bad and early Bachman was pretty good. I do remember Cox rolling stock was pretty good quality for the price.


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## tkruger (Jan 18, 2009)

I have made seveal of the Tyco and Mantua box cars into good runners. Just add weight, upgrade to metal wheels and body mount the couplers. Event without body mounting the couplers they will work OK. Some new cheep Model Power cars need the same thing. Why do this? Well there are some cars in paint schemes that no-one else has, or were cars from when I was a kid. More importantly why not?


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

mopac said:


> If you want, change the trucks to accurail trucks. About a buck a pair.


Accurail trucks are excellent. I put them on a miserable-rolling Varney refer, and it cured the wiggles. ExactRail are also very good, but expensive.


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

Hello coming round the bend and welcome. Have you thought about the fact that it may not be the cars that are causing the details but the track? Where are they happening? Get down and close to the spot where it happens and see what's going on.


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

CTValleyRR said:


> Welcome to the hobby and the forums!
> 
> I have never bought a bum product with the Walthers name on it (although technically LifeLike is Walthers).


It is now, for about the last 10+ years, but the older Life-Like cars pre-date Walthers.

After the acquisition, Walthers kept the "Proto" series name that Life-Like had introduced for their better, non-train set cars, but that became "Walthers Proto" and the Life-Like name disappeared - though it might still be used for a line of cheap scenic details.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

cv_acr said:


> It is now, for about the last 10+ years, but the older Life-Like cars pre-date Walthers.
> 
> After the acquisition, Walthers kept the "Proto" series name that Life-Like had introduced for their better, non-train set cars, but that became "Walthers Proto" and the Life-Like name disappeared - though it might still be used for a line of cheap scenic details.


Yes, that's exactly why I phrased my comment the way I did. "Proto 2000" became "Walthers Proto"; "Proto 1000" became "Walthers Mainline", and Trainline has always been Trainline, at least for the last 15 or so years.

LifeLike is bargain basement stuff: cheap, but not high quality. I'm not counting that in the Walthers line up.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

I'm a fan of the Walthers Proto line.
But I'm biased -- they offer an excellent R-T-R Southern Pacific caboose with very good quality.
Although I picked up an Athern at a better price, I'll be looking to grab the Walthers as soon as it's available.


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## Navarre (Mar 17, 2016)

How many people know that life like left the train business to concentrate on there other product line.....

Styrofoam coolers. 

Next time you see a styrofoam cooler look closely it almost always says Lifoam on it. 
That is the lifelike brand of coolers. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Navarre said:


> How many people know that life like left the train business to concentrate on there other product line.....
> 
> Styrofoam coolers.
> 
> ...


I do, I do!!!!


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## santafewillie (Feb 13, 2016)

Navarre said:


> How many people know that life like left the train business to concentrate on there other product line.....
> 
> Styrofoam coolers.
> 
> ...


 Foam coolers were their initial business before getting into model trains in the late 60's. 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life-Like
Willie


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

santafewillie said:


> Foam coolers were their initial business before getting into model trains in the late 60's.
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life-Like
> Willie


Bit seasonal, coolers.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

That's a big jump...from foam coolers to model trains....maybe they heard that trains were "cool", so they made the jump back then....


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

The initial jump was from foam coolers to cheap foam tunnels and similar 'scenic' items. Not that much of a stretch.

Expanded from there.


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