Repainting Presidents Choice freight cars?

[RobertInOntario]

The Presidents Choice/Loblaws freight cars, as noted elsewhere, are rather cheap and decorated with Loblaws graphics. I was wondering if it's worthwhile to repaint and weather these? They could also be weighted down & have new couplers added.

If these cars are reasonably accurate otherwise, would this not be a worthwhile & creative project? It wouldn't take much to repaint them in authentic colours and then add some decals and weights? Just curious about this and if anyone has already done this.

Thanks, Rob

 

[viperman]

If you aren't a rivet counter, and don't care what rivet counters say - go for it! Could learn some useful stuff rebuilding a car

 

[RobertInOntario]

If you aren't a rivet counter, and don't care what rivet counters say - go for it! Could learn some useful stuff rebuilding a car

Thanks -- I just thought that rather than 'waste' them or give them away, that this might be a useful project where one could practice modelling and weathering skills, especially since these cars otherwise at least appear to be accurate. Rob

 

[Catt]

Don't know about President's Choice in Canada but on this side of the border that is an IHC brand and those cars are actually old TYCO cars.The TYCO cars were quite accurate even if the paint jobs weren't.

I'd say go for it repaint and decal them and swap out the truck mount couplers for bodymounts (you may have to build the mounting pads though).

Have you bought the set allready? If so how about posting some pics of the cars.

 

[RobertInOntario]

Don't know about President's Choice in Canada but on this side of the border that is an IHC brand and those cars are actually old TYCO cars.The TYCO cars were quite accurate even if the paint jobs weren't.

I'd say go for it repaint and decal them and swap out the truck mount couplers for bodymounts (you may have to build the mounting pads though).

Have you bought the set allready? If so how about posting some pics of the cars.

Thanks, Catt. All of this is making sense now. I actually have a couple Tyco cars and I can see how they're similar to the Loblaws ones. These too look accurate except for the advertisements on them.

No, I haven't bought the Hudson set yet, but I do have a different Loblaws set from 1994. This set has a CNR 2-8-2 loco and about 6 freight cars. As noted, the freight cars appear accurate to my eye except for the Loblaws food graphics. I might poste some pics in due course.

I was thinking that if I did buy the Hudson set, what would I do with all of those freight cars? as they wouldn't sell for much. Then I thought about trying to authentically detail them.

At any rate, these are just interesting ideas at this point and I'll see what I can find at the grocery store!

Thanks, Rob

 

[60103]

Robert: we strongly urge you to repaint the cars. The fewer there are in mint condition, the more they'll be worth in 50 years time.

One of my friends repainted his set and they look quite presentable when toned down.

 

[RobertInOntario]

Robert: we strongly urge you to repaint the cars. The fewer there are in mint condition, the more they'll be worth in 50 years time.

One of my friends repainted his set and they look quite presentable when toned down.

Thanks, David. Maybe I'll buy 2-3 of the current sets for my sons to sell in 50 years time. I remember my Dad buying up these (and other) sets 12-15 years ago and keeping them in the box in mint condition -- I used to think it was a bit silly but he was actually very wise! I still might paint, weather and add weights to 1-2 of the freight cars from the 1994 set that I'm already using. Rob

 

[60103]

Robert: I see the sets on tables at train shows, marked up to $150-180. I see them still on the tables at the end of the shows.
There's a thread showing what Spitfire did with her 0-8-0 a few years ago.