Re: PC: RTR freight cars vs Kits (was: HO C628 coming from Bowser)

[Craig Zeni <clzeni@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Feb 17, 2008, at 5:45 PM, zootowerprr -AT- webtv.net wrote:

>
>         To change the subject a bit, How many of you guys prefer RTR
> freight cars over kits? To be honest, the last kits I bought were Gene
> Fusco's PRR X58s. Now I'm hooked on RTR cars. I don't know if that  
> makes
> me a bad modeler or what. I've been told that real modelers build  
> kits.
> "Real men build kits!"
>       I like to run trains. I like to take cars right out the box and
> run them. And now that Athearn is starting to weather thier RTR cars,
> now I'm really getting lazy.
>        Now Branchline is build more and more RTR cars. Red Caboose is
> doing RTR R-70-15 Mechanic Reefers. I can't wait!
>         Getting back to Bowser, their kits sit on the shelfs for years
> while Athearn,Red Caboose, InterMountain,Walthers, etc, are going  
> right
> out the door. I've been modeling for years but I think I've just about
> had it with kits............(unless Gene does Merchants Dispatch Tri
> Level auto racks.)

I'm not sure the Bowsers sitting on the shelf is entirely a function  
of their being kits.  Let's be honest - most of the Bowser car kits  
are shake the box specials with 20 year old levels of detailing.  I  
don't buy many of them for that reason.  I don't mind the RTR cars  
that much, but I'm perfectly happy with kits and would like the  
option of buying them.  More importantly, I do wish that  
manufacturers would make more undec cars available so that I can  
paint/letter them myself...not because I don't think their paint/ 
lettering quality is poor but rather because I like painting and  
decaling...