# Best freight cars?



## ProScale (Feb 19, 2013)

Hi All,

After 20 years absence from the hobby I have decided to get back into it. I used to only run Hornby 00, but have now decided to go with HO layout with a Colorado theme.

I have just purchased two Walthers Proto SD9 locomotives which look great; but before I buy Walthers freight cars, I was wondering if someone could tell me which brand makes the best and most realistic freight cars? Is Walthers good?

Thanks.

James


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

If you want to buy new then Walthers is as good as anybody but generally pricy I think. A good many of the members here tend to buy used stuff and refurbish what needs it. New couplers from kaydee and metal wheels are the two most needed changes to freight cars in general and the new stuff doesn't come with them unless it specifically says so. You will find great savings on our classified threads and on ebay under "HO scale trains". Pete


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## ProScale (Feb 19, 2013)

Hi pete,

thank you for the advice.

Cheers,

James


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Your welcome James and also welcome back to the hobby. I just got back into it myself about two years ago after a thirty year break.This forum has been a great help in getting going again and the guys on here are very friendly and always willing to help. Tons of priceless information here and lots of experience to draw from. When you get going with a layout post some pictures of what your doing. We love lots of pictures all the time. Two thnd to look for and get are a track and wheel gauge and a coupler heighth thingy that sits on the track and tlls you if your couplers are high or low. You adjust the heighth with different thickness of washers installed on the truck pins between the trucks and the car bodies. Easy. Pete


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

yea I have been slowly converting my rolling stock to teh KD couplers, next will be metal wheels for the stock, but its a slow process but worth it...


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## Hutch (Dec 19, 2012)

New Berlin RR said:


> yea I have been slowly converting my rolling stock to teh KD couplers, next will be metal wheels for the stock, but its a slow process but worth it...


I'm doing the same thing. The wheels I just installed are to tight and don't spin well. What's the best way to fix that?


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## Grabbem88 (Feb 24, 2012)

The fastest way I have done wheel sets that are tight is use a dremmel with a buffer pad and spin those wheels... Some will free up by just doing that others might take a dap of oil deburring and rubbing compound like toothpaste!!

There is a special tool like 6 bucks that looks like an over sized athearn axle that works also


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## ssgt (Jan 8, 2013)

I like athearn and bowser cars.I am also keeping an eye out for used rolling stock.I recently got a whole box full of cars(used) for $25,most already had knuckle couplers and metal wheels .some needed a little minor work


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

Micromark, Truck tuner.
Unless they are too tight, if it is swap wheels out for shorter ones.


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## morrjr (Dec 20, 2012)

For nicely detailed 40' box cars I like MTH, Accurail, and ExactRail.


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

Grabbem88 said:


> The fastest way I have done wheel sets that are tight is use a dremmel with a buffer pad and spin those wheels... Some will free up by just doing that others might take a dap of oil deburring and rubbing compound like toothpaste!!
> 
> There is a special tool like 6 bucks that looks like an over sized athearn axle that works also


That, or theres a tool (forget the name of it) that will fit in the space of the wheels and as you spin it it will deburr/remove the plastic as needed to get wheels to free up and roll better...


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## THE TYCO MAN (Aug 23, 2011)

I run MDC, Athearn, and some Varney cars. Good cars with good detail. Easy to adapt any coupler or truck. Tyco cars can be good is re-weighed, the Talgo's removed, and nice trucks and body mount couplers added. Their 40' box car can almost pass for a Athearn car. Bachmann cars are OK. Never had a Walther car.


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

NIMT said:


> Micromark, Truck tuner.
> Unless they are too tight, if it is swap wheels out for shorter ones.


I bought one of those truck tuners from MicroMark myself. Works great!


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

ProScale said:


> I have just purchased two Walthers Proto SD9 locomotives which look great; but before I buy Walthers freight cars, I was wondering if someone could tell me which brand makes the best and most realistic freight cars? Is Walthers good?


Well, this kinda depends on what you're looking for.

Accurail and Bowser make cars that are generally pretty accurate overall* but have molded on ladders/steps/handrails and don't have some of the extra separate details that are on a lot of modern offerings. These tend to be a little more robust and economical though.

Walthers has a couple of "lines" or levels of detail on their equipment; their Platinum line usually features some extra detail parts and added wire grab irons. Their cars are generally pretty good, but occasionally they make some rather silly mistakes in the lettering. I have a whole pile (almost 60 cars and counting) of their "Ortner" hoppers, which I'm re-detailing and painting, and a bunch of their Canadian bulkhead flatcars, which are actually quite nice.

Atlas also has a high-detail (Master series) and low-detail (Trainman) line. Atlas is generally pretty good quality.

Athearn has a high-detail "Genesis" line, and their normal "Ready-to-Roll" line, which can be a little hit or miss for accuracy; their newer cars are really good, but this line also includes a lot of "upgraded" old tooling from 50 years ago that isn't necessarily accurate for anything. You kind of have to know what you're looking at.

MDC/Roundhouse is defunct, now part of Athearn. Athearn has been upgrading and re-releasing some of their better items, although the Roundhouse name has been maintained for some of their "old-time" style equipment.

BranchLine Trains was another manufacturer with some good models; they sold their line to Atlas, and the majority has now been re-run by Atlas.

Intermountain makes decent cars, and is one of the few manufacturers that still extensively offers undecorated kits and parts of their entire line. Sometimes it seems like they always slip some sort of error into at least one paint scheme they do from every run, so it can sometimes be worth researching or comparing to photos before buying, if you're not sure. (Unless that doesn't bother you.)

ExactRail is another higher-end manufacturer with some pretty good cars with lots of detail.

BLMA is another newer, up-and-coming manufacturer that makes some really nice stuff.

That's most of the majors; there's a number of other smaller manufactures that mainly target specific niches or markets. Spring Mills Depot has run a couple of C&O/CSX items, TrueLine Trains is a Canadian company, and Rapido Trains is another Canadian company that mainly does passenger equipment, but has been branching out into locomotives and freight equipment.

* Many manufacturers will often also offer plenty of "stand-in" paint schemes for railroads that didn't own that exact car, but did have something quite similar in appearance. This takes some research and diligence to determine if any given car is actually accurate for what it is painted and lettered for.


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

TYCO cars are ancient tooling, and they really show it. They were never designed to be any more than basic train set cars, with only basic detail.

Bachman makes durable cars that are decent for a train set, but if you're concerned with accurate details, their freight cars are a joke. Their SPECTRUM series of engines are pretty decent though.


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## wjacob (Nov 26, 2011)

Most of my rolling stock is walther and atlas. I like the detail and price. I have mostly modern day rolling stock.


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## ProScale (Feb 19, 2013)

cv_acr said:


> Well, this kinda depends on what you're looking for.
> 
> Accurail and Bowser make cars that are generally pretty accurate overall* but have molded on ladders/steps/handrails and don't have some of the extra separate details that are on a lot of modern offerings. These tend to be a little more robust and economical though.
> 
> ...


Thanks Chris, I couldn't ask for a more accurate answer.


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## trnfn69 (Jan 21, 2012)

North American Railcar Corporation has some really nice rolling stock, but it certainly isn't for anyone on a tight budget.


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## Sawdust (Oct 26, 2010)

Before your start reaming or grinding  check to see if the bearing hole needs cleaned. If these are the original axles that is usually all you need to get the axles to spin freely. If it's any better once cleaned you may just need a little lubrication. I use powered silicone & it only takes a small amount. If they are still tight then you should ream them out slightly. Here is the truck tuner.

http://www.micromark.com/SearchResult.aspx?deptIdFilter=0&searchPhrase=truck+reamer


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## 10wheeler (Feb 13, 2013)

Unlike what appears to be the choice of most Model Railroaders today, I still like to build my cars from kits. Branchline kits are still offered as kits from Atlas and Atlas also makes some of the older Branchiline Yardmaster Series cars in their Atlas Trainman series. Both of these build into wonderful car kits. The Branchline models do have very small-fragile parts such as grab irons and brake lines that break very easily. However, they are as detailed as any RTR stuff available. My favorte car manufacturer is Accurail! I model the tranisition and I love Accurails outside braced wood box and stock cars. There are many other car kit manufacturers and I have a pretty good list I would make avalable should anyone be interested.


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## 10wheeler (Feb 13, 2013)

Per the above post, I thought this would be a good place to post my list of manufacturers still producing kits. You can visit each manufacturer's website by using a search engine and typing in their company name. Also, many of the various railroad historical organizations have models available, so check them out, too. 

Here is my list of Freight and Passenger Car "KIT" manufacturers:

*Abacus Model Works *(Mixed media prototype scale model railway kits in HO).
*Accurail* (I love this manufacturer, they have told me personally that they will continue to make kits)
*Alkem Scale Models *(Laser cut freight car kits and detail parts, car kits are from the 1860s to 1890s). 
*American Model Builders*-Laser Kits (Out of the ordinary Wood Caboose Kits. There kits produce very fine caboose models)
*American Models* (S-Scale & S-Hi-Rail model kits and RTR, a wide selection of products).
*Amesville Shops *(Resin craftsman Kits of pre-1900s freight Cars).
*Atlas Trainman Series *(Kits of easy to build AAR box cars).
*Bethlehem Car Works* (Passenger Car Kits)
*Branchline By Atlas *(Maybe the second widest selection of kits available. Some small parts that break easily. Branchline Passenger Cars and Freight Car kits produce excellent models.
*Central Valley Products* (Has a very nice Northern Pacific Round roof Stock car Kit).
*C&BT Shops* (Fairly easy to build, mostly box car kits).
*Crusader Rail Services *(Handles craftsman kits from a few different manufacturers.
*Deerfield River Laser* (Laser cut wood kits in 0 scale narrow gage).
*Durango Press *(Now owned by JL Inovative, did have some HOn3 freight cars).
*English Model Railroad Products--Bowser * (Bowser sells a nice selection of Freight Car Kits! Easy to build and nicely detailed.)
*ExactRail * (ExactRail does offer some kits of their products. However, they sell their undecorated unpainted kits for the Exact same price as their RTR [ready to run] products?!?)
*Funaro & Camerlengo* Highly detailed resin unpainted/undecorated kits. I've never built a resin kit, so I can't speak to there difficulty).
*Hi Tech. Details* (Make kits of Hy Cube Boxcars and detail parts).
*Intermountain Railway* (Undecorated kits and RTR)
*JL Inovative Design* (Detail parts, structures, line side details, etc.).
*Kadee Quality Products *(Kadee offers undecorated; but, painted car kits of many of their Freight Car offerings and has hundreds of detail parts, wheels, trucks and of course probably the best couplers available to the modeler.
*Kasloshops *(Canadian company with many products listed at http://www.central-hobbies.com/products/kasloshops.html#CMLW ).
Labelle Woodworking (Wood Kits, mostly older truss rod type equipment, both feight and passenger)
*Moloco* (An Ontario, Canada manufacture of two General American 50 foot box cars, caboose and freight car parts).
*Mount Blue Model Co.* (Mostly On3, On30 caboose wood kits.
*NKP Car Company. *(Prototypically correct passenger cars for many roads. Craftsman kits for experienced modelers, with brass car sides, plastic and resin parts. 
*OK Engine Company *(Passenger car kits and will even make car side per the buyers descriotion of window positions and other data).
*Precision Scale Company* (As well as an importer of wonderful brass locomotives, the offer some kits in both HO, HOn3, O, On3 and large scale, both cars and locomotives).
*QConnection* (HO scale Whale Belly Cement car and CB&Q Havelock Baggage/Express car [unsure of material construction] and structure kits. Also sell American Model Builders [Laser Kit] CB&Q Caboose kits).
*Rail Line *(I could not find a website for this manufacturer; however, they are advertized in the Walther's Catalog as a producer of quality narrow gage plastic kits.
*Red Caboose* (Undecorated/unpainted freight car kits)
*Rib Side Cars* (CMSt.P & P, Milwaukee Road 40 & 50 foot Rib Sided steel boxcars with decals for road numbers. Middle as far as difficulty).
*Rio Grande Models* (HO, HOn3, On3 On30, Sn3 model craftsman's kits with laser cut and cast metal parts).
*Silver Crash Car Works *(Resin pre-1900 craftsman kits). 
*Southern Car & Foundry *(Manufacture passenger cars, tank cars and box cars in both HO and O scales, fairly expensive).
*State Tool & Die *(Steel industry hot metal cars, Ingot mold car, Universal Mill cars for steel mills and some structure kits). 
*Sunshine Models *(Another producer of high quality/highly detailed resin kits. Owner has recently died and so their may be some transitional changes coming).
*Tichy Train Group* (Nice selection of out of the ordinary and ordinary Freight Car Kits)
*Treasure Trove *(HOn3 Trucks, Passenger and Freight cars kits).
*Trout Creek Engineering *(HOn3 freight and caboose craftsman kits in wood, styrene with metal detail parts).
*Westerfield * (Another resin kit manufacturer, extensive list of kits).
*WrightTRAK.com* (Resin kits Freight cars and cabooses, I love their sales position: Our models are not "ready to run" because we feel each model should be built and painted by the modeler according to their specifications. We also feel that a hobby should be "hands on" for enjoyment and to be able to say "I built that". A hobby is an activity or interest that is undertaken for pleasure or relaxation, often in one's spare time. Personal fulfillment is the aim)! 
*Ye Olde Huff & Puff *(Wood Kits, older steam up to transition era freight cars and Cabooses from Silver Streak, Mainline Models, Sugar Pine Models and AC Models)

If yo see that a kit manufacturer has been overlooked, please inform me and I will add them to the list! Thanks!


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

The best cars I have are from Exactrail and Intermountain, but the Walther's Gold/Platinum line cars that I have are very nice as well. It all depends on what you want to spend.


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