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I love Athearn blue kits box Cheaper than that ready to roll expensive ,,,,,good car. But different type. Ready to roll can,t afford of that. ?

For me Atlas has always been nr one. Second i have Athearn blue box.

I am not running a museum so I don;'t need the super detailed offerings. I buy the blue box kits at train shows.

Atlas, Kato and some Walthers lines are twice the model of the athearn. And now Scale Trains, Rapido, Intermountain Bowser and a few others got the athearn beat hands down in the quality of prototype colors and some parts inaccuracies. Athearn has so many other products it just appears to me they got a little much on their plate to get everything perfect, it's about money money money is how I see athearn.

Caboose hop

Great review. You came out with guns blazin in your face no holds barred review. Yes in your opinion, you gave credit where do and pointed at shortcomings. Bravo. The industry needs to be shown areas that are less than stellar especially when charging premium prices. You stated facts from your own personal track time experience, what more could you ask for. In my book kudos on a superlative post. Thank you.

If I Had Someone Buy me a Ton of those and asked me to Build Them For Them I Would Do it Cause I Wouldn’t mind it.

Every one Is Different in Their Own Unique way Who Knows If I Had The Money And I went Kit Cars I Would Do them Cause When You Build them It Gets Built The Ways you want to different Strokes Different Folks.

I Think ALL are Good No Matter What it Is.

Those kits are what taught me to build a train set. Now I can kit bash and hate that most of the stuff is made in China. The local hobby shop is a thing of the past. I had so much fun and learned so much about fiscal management mowing lawns, saving the money so I could ride my stingray to the hobby shop to buy a piece of rolling stock.

Great video! In addition to Athearn “shake the box” and MDC/Roundhouse kits, I built cars from Silver Streak, Varney, and Train Miniature kits. I didn’t build Ambroid and LaBelle kits as my modeling skills weren’t that developed. I want to try Accurail, Central Valley, Funaro and Camerlengo and subway cars kits from Island Modelworks. 😊

For many years, Intermountain offered highly detailed kits at prices comparable to Accurail. They stopped. When I asked why they no longer offered kits, here is what they said "Up until about a year ago, we were getting kits with each delivery of decorated cars. At that time, the factory started charging us the same price for an undecorated, unassembled kit with no metal wheels as they were for a fully assembled and decorated car. When we attempted to fill reservation orders at the new price, nearly all of them were declined. We now have lots of those kits (an R-70-15 reefer and ACF 2-bay covered hopper) sitting in stock with almost zero interest at the new price. Going forward, if we do not see a price break from the factory, there is the possibility that kits will no longer be offered. As soon as the decision is made, it will be noted on the website." I suspect - but cannot prove - that the higher price coming from the manufacturer is due to decreased sales volume of kits: it costs more to package a kit than it does to assemble and package an RTR car. We have done it to ourselves.

I built dozens of Athern blue box kits. Plus a few other brands. For me, it was part of the hobby. Something to do in the evening after work and dinner. Plus they were way less expensive. Back in the 70's, a small car could be less than $10. Not sure how anyone can afford this hobby anymore. Could buy a nice Athern loco for around $35 to $50 back then. Now $400 and up for locomotives?? No wonder our children are not starting in the hobby.

Accurate Finishing was a predecessor of Accurail. I have a lot of Athearn, Accurail, Roundhouse cars! The ScaleTrains Kit Classics are EXELLENT kits. I agree, if you buy kits, companies will continue to make them. Making the hobby affordable for all of us. My "Standards" are Kadee couplers and Intermountain wheelsets or if the kits come with metal wheels like the Kit Classics.

Good sturdy kits are key. Superdetailed RTR cars are nice but they won't fill out a good fleet unless you're a millionaire. A club I belonged to had literally hundreds of blue box cars used in operating sessions, all were bought for a few bucks a piece, and I got a bunch from shows and sales for my older-prototype stuff. Ops sessions everywhere rely on them. Yeah, the older kits aren't as detailed as the newer stuff, but if you have a yard full of them or a long train you don't notice as much. Plus once your skills improve, you can improve them anyway. The thing the hobby needs is more modern-era kits, especially with all the people modeling the modern era (me included). Good locomotive and passenger car kits would be nice too but installing DCC, sound, lighting, etc might be a little too far for most buyers. Tip: If you're doing your first few kits, pick up stuff from a show that you won't care too much if you mess up a bit. (I made that mistake and messed up a Branchline Pullman sleeper, guess it's gonna be a MoW car now!)

I wish they had more car kits in N scale.

It's like they want to be collectors instead of model makers. Don't call yourself a "Model Railroader" if you are not going to build models.

Inflation is a huge factor, maybe THE huge factor, in those prices; just now on the US Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Price Index calculator web page, it takes a $7.50 price in 1983 for an Athearn Blue Box kit (I can't give which exact one, but do remember that price on Athearn boxes from hobby shop I worked at then, maybe it was the passenger cars) and shows same basic Blue Box kit would cost $23.85 in 2024 dollars. And a something like $32 Blue Box SD40-2 of same era would in today's 2024 dollars cost $101.76 So, now, take that SD40-2's adjusted for inflation price then add the DCC electronics and what does one expect its price to do? Same for that car kit coming assembled from manufacturer with some of the detail parts plus metal wheels and Kadee couplers now factory-added where we would have purchased and added the parts ourselves in the 1980s. The current price situation is simply the result of inflation, that is all.

I'm really missing the MDC/Roundhouse 34ft Overton and 50ft passenger car kits.

I'll buy a kit before I'll buy RTR. In fact, I've started working on 3D printing the kits I can't get. I'm lucky that I focus on the transition era, so there are still loads of new old stock kits out there if you look long enough. Also, with a kit, I can go hog-wild with the detailing. Add Bowser Mfg to the available kits.

Another hobby in itself for me is bargain hunting. I never pay MSRP. People who complain don't know how to bargain hunt. They expect to go on to Amazon and have it shipped to their house without any effort or the first page of a Google search. Well, that isn't how this hobby works and never has even back then. Counting for inflation you now get more than even 20+ years ago. I was able to find Kadee freight cars for $6 a piece, normally $20+. As for kits, I prefer Athearn BB, old Roundhouse, and Walthers. I tackled Bowser and Accurail hopper kits but wasn't a fan, at least the PRR hopper kits from Bowser.

I love the branchline blueprint and red caboose kits. I wish someone would offer a wider range of that level of detail.

All hale the Athern Blue Box kits!

nice storage system! nice rolling stock too :)

I've been scratch building for a long time because most of the cars a want aren't offered in kit form.

I enjoy building the Trainman models by Atlas. I also enjoy buying used rolling stock for 5 bucks, put metal wheels and knuckle couplers on them, BAM done.

I agree with you so much I would rather build a kit than pay the ridiculous prices they ask for rolling stock today. Sorry but to me a hunk of plastic pre made is not worth what they ask for them today. I have been looking into scratch building, or 3 d building my own rolling stock. At least this way and with the kits as well you can not only have that unique car that you made yourself, but you can customize it as you go so it's not just like everyone else's.

I love the old kit cars. You can get them for such an inexpensive price, swap for metal wheels and a pair of Kadee couplers and you are ready to go for not very much money.

Definitely run whatever you want! It's more fun than limiting yourself worrying about road names or eras. Those Merchant's Row buildings are a great way to get a lot in a little space. We built one last year and spent the time to divide the inside up into 10 individual spaces to have fun with the lighting.

I LOVE KITS I WISH MORE WHERE STILL MADE AS KITS DONT CARE FOR READY TO RUN THAT MUCH .

To me Walthers ProtoMAX couplers are just as good as Kadee, they are basically identical to a Kadee #5 . They dont have the variety of coupler options as Kadee, but they are the one coupler I dont replace with Kadee.

The problem with kits is simply finding ones appropriate for what the modeler wants to operate. In the past, manufacturers would pick a model and then mass produce them with different paint schemes, resulting in tons of completely fictitious models. Athearn STILL hasn't changed the RTR models based on their vintage kits - virtually every model of pre-1970's boxcars or reefers, for example, has the same interim improved Dreadnaught ends that were only applied to a few thousand cars in the 1930's. That might have been good enough in the past, and some modelers may not even care what they run, but many modelers today are more discriminating. Somebody may have decided they want to model Southern Pacific operations in a particular region in the 1980's, or maybe B&O somewhere else in the 50's. They would need vastly different types of equipment, some of which might only be available in expensive RTR versions. Manufacturers are also moving away from kits in favor of RTR. If one doesn't care what they run, then random older cheap stuff would be fine. The rest are left having to find other sources, including the disappearing arts of kitbashing and scratchbuilding.

I love kits! They will always be a part of the hobby for me.

Car Kits is why i got in to the modeling kit building was fun to do and i can run it on the tracks

Once you earn the knowledge of kit building. Whether it be a freight car or structure.It opens yet another modeling door. Kit bashing and scratch building custom kits. The ready to run kit like say Otter Valley Railway CN Drill Pipe Flatcars.Yup,this car is here today,gone tomorrow. That's the RTR cars I buy,the only ones.

I have a couple of Kadee boxcars and an Intermountain hopper (that won't stay on the tracks) and I prefer Branchline, Athearn, BevBel, and Accurail kits. They may not be as detailed but parts don't fall off when you handle them. That Intermountain closed hopper really sucks for its price. Doesn't even have coupler cut levers. I like Atlas also. Cheers from eastern TN

Bowser Century series early runs have motor issues .They burn windings and just have no torque. Sad they used a universal China motor that you would find in generic toys in the 70's with dual motor shafts and large flywheels .They are 5 polers ,but just trying to go cheap cost them.The replacement motors they have now are great. Should had did it right the first time.

Or You Can Call It Pride N Passion RR?

Or You can Call It slow But Surely RR?

How Bout Callin it the Low Buck RR?

Cool Rock Island set.

Thanks for the insights on the different manufacturers. I'm just getting back into this hobby after 30 years and see many brands that I am not familiar with. As I'm re-learing everything about the hobby I allowed myself one new Atlas Master Silver locomotive, and a few old Athearn BBs to get me started. While there is more refinement in terms of operation and details when comparing the Atlas to the decades old second hand units, I got to say these old BBs still impress me with their overall longevity and simplicity for servicing...at worst, at least for me, a fresh set of Kadees, new wheelset, clean-up contacts, oil the bearings and drivecups, and grease the gears...ready for another several years of use!

DANGEROUS to list the Manufacturer .. BUT .. 3 or more of its locomotives, 2 Steam/ 1 Diesel ARE USELESS local Hobby Shop and several who do repairs tell me “WONT TOUCH THEM WITV A 10 FOOT POLE” … WOW! The Manufacturer will repair fora fee … but if they “FAIL OUT OF THE BOX” … WHY BUY THEM!!!🤬

I agree bachmann will always be at the bottom, great details, but even the plus and spectrum are questionable at best..junk

IMHO Kato make the best Loco's. Not the best detailed but the drives are superb. These include( Stewart hobbies & Atlas) I like newer Atlas as well. I too was not that impressed with Bowser. I am surpsied how well Walthers perform as well. I don;t know about newer Athearn but I like the blue box Loco's as a lower priced alternative. Too many issues with Rapido. Bachmann is slowly (last 10 years) improving as well. Interesting video.

my 1972 Athearns STILL run beautifully and I have spare parts for them too even in 2024.

I have the PRR E8 here but mine is a Walthers Proto. I avoid Bachmann products given the toxic chemicals in them and the cancer warning on the label. Bottom-line though, got to wash your hands after handling model trains. I have Athearn Genesis NYC F3s from 2016. Great runners.

did you mention Kate? By far the best runner of them all, almost bulletproof (except for a problem with their early version SD40-2 in HO, which is fixable). Perhaps not the most detailed by the new standards, but great.

You need to watch other You Tube channels. Your speech patterns are awful and you just ramble. You might have good info but your presentation is very poor.

I totally agree with you on Athearn. Athearn Gennies are my all time favorite. Thanks for sharing!