I posted this on RR-line too, but thought I'd pass it on here too.
I bought four Branchline Yardmaster USRA 40' boxcars at the Montvale show yesterday, and I thought I'd offer my first impressions of them. I didn't build any of them yet, so these are just kit impressions.
I did't compare the car to prototype drawings, I intend to use them as generic red boxcars, so I'm not going to worry too much if the car is 1/4 scale inch too high.
First off, the price is right. I paid $30 for four. The dealer charges $8 each but gives a discount when you buy four. That price includes METAL WHEELS and knuckle couplers (McHenry's maybe? The ones with the plastic spring).
The painting is good, as is the decalling. I didn't break out the magnifier, but with my 40-year-old eyes everything looks nice. The casting is also nice, I didn't see any flash.
The basic car is a box that you cement the roof and ends too, so the style of ends is supposed to match what the prototype had.
Now for the part some folks hate, the model has details cast in place. Brake rigging is cast into the underframe, and grabs and ladders are cast as part of the ends/sides. Before you groan "Bluuuuuue booooooox" let me tell you, these details look NICE. The grabs are thin and have nut/rivet detail where they attach. I doubt that from normal viewing distances you'd be able to tell that they're not wire. I love this since I take no joy in drilling dozens of tiny holes and inserting tiny hunks of wire.
You have the option of cementing the doors in place or using these brackets that clip the door on so you can move it. Since I havn't built any yet I can't comment, once I do I'll let you know.
Downsides you ask? Well, the roof and ends of some cars are black, and they look like unpainted plastic, kinda shiny. A zap of dullcote would be in order.
If you can't tell, I'm highly impressed. For a price about what you'd pay for a blue-box (considering you don't have to add your own wheels and couplers) you have a nice model. Not contest quality for sure, not up to the level of the resin kits or probably even Branchlines Blueprint series (I didn't look at those). But for $8 a pop you could afford to populate your layout with them and you'd find nothing to be ashamed of.
Once I build them I'll report again on construction, directions, etc.
I bought four Branchline Yardmaster USRA 40' boxcars at the Montvale show yesterday, and I thought I'd offer my first impressions of them. I didn't build any of them yet, so these are just kit impressions.
I did't compare the car to prototype drawings, I intend to use them as generic red boxcars, so I'm not going to worry too much if the car is 1/4 scale inch too high.
First off, the price is right. I paid $30 for four. The dealer charges $8 each but gives a discount when you buy four. That price includes METAL WHEELS and knuckle couplers (McHenry's maybe? The ones with the plastic spring).
The painting is good, as is the decalling. I didn't break out the magnifier, but with my 40-year-old eyes everything looks nice. The casting is also nice, I didn't see any flash.
The basic car is a box that you cement the roof and ends too, so the style of ends is supposed to match what the prototype had.
Now for the part some folks hate, the model has details cast in place. Brake rigging is cast into the underframe, and grabs and ladders are cast as part of the ends/sides. Before you groan "Bluuuuuue booooooox" let me tell you, these details look NICE. The grabs are thin and have nut/rivet detail where they attach. I doubt that from normal viewing distances you'd be able to tell that they're not wire. I love this since I take no joy in drilling dozens of tiny holes and inserting tiny hunks of wire.
You have the option of cementing the doors in place or using these brackets that clip the door on so you can move it. Since I havn't built any yet I can't comment, once I do I'll let you know.
Downsides you ask? Well, the roof and ends of some cars are black, and they look like unpainted plastic, kinda shiny. A zap of dullcote would be in order.
If you can't tell, I'm highly impressed. For a price about what you'd pay for a blue-box (considering you don't have to add your own wheels and couplers) you have a nice model. Not contest quality for sure, not up to the level of the resin kits or probably even Branchlines Blueprint series (I didn't look at those). But for $8 a pop you could afford to populate your layout with them and you'd find nothing to be ashamed of.
Once I build them I'll report again on construction, directions, etc.
