Alot of folks don't want to e bothered with assembly these days. Some of then don't like the idea of handling glue in the case of plastic. Others don't want to assemble anything that involves the use of super glues. And in still other cases, assembly kits are no longer available.

Frankly it's a mixed bag.

Irv

Second:  I just had to throw in a Silver Steak kit I recently found in a cabinet in the garage .  It's also no longer made, but this one is decades old. 

Actually, Silver Streak kits are still being made. Ye Olde Huff N Puff makes them: . http://www.yeoldehuffnpuff.com/sstreakkits.htm

The PFE reefers are available, but unfortunately not pictured at the site, but here's the Burlington version: http://www.yeoldehuffnpuff.com/images/HO/ss%20burlington%20ref.jpg

Mike

Will wonders never cease?  Thanks, Mike, for the tip.

However, I'm now kind of spoiled by the quality of the current offerings in plastic by Tichy.  Plus, The Ye Olde Huff N Puff price is $22.00, so the $14.50 pricetag for the Tichy PFE cars makes it a no-brainer.   The wood and metal kits were a great way to take a mental break from studies during college.  And the price back then:  $4.95.

I happen to have my hands on two different kits today, and this is great idea for a thread, so count me in.

First up is a Roundhouse kit (in this case a custom painted Central Vermont express Reefer)

A simple kit, plastic body, roof, and bottom. The accessory bag includes trucks, small detail parts, weights, and couplers.

EDIT - added completed photo (non-weathered)

Next up is a Funaro & Camerlengo car.

This model is number 6220 Rutland Hopper Bottom Coal car as built with decals (less trucks and couplers)

Craftsman kit? "Real man" modeling? Who cares, but if anyone says that "real modeling"  is gone because of RTR is clearly hasn't picked one of these up.

The resin body needs lots of flash cleaning, and while some of the detail parts are cast, others (like the wire rod or fishing line) need to be bent and cut to the right shape and size.

Cheers!



Will wonders never cease?  Thanks, Mike, for the tip.

However, I'm now kind of spoiled by the quality of the current offerings in plastic by Tichy.  Plus, The Ye Olde Huff N Puff price is $22.00, so the $14.50 pricetag for the Tichy PFE cars makes it a no-brainer.   The wood and metal kits were a great way to take a mental break from studies during college.  And the price back then:  $4.95.

Don

The old Suydam building kits are also available through Alpine Scale Models. http://www.alpinemodels.com/index.html

What a lot of people wailing and gnashing their teeth about the loss of kits (especially rolling stock) forget is that a lot of these old kits came without trucks and couplers. Furthermore, the old Silver Streak kits only had the sides painted and lettered.

An interesting comparison of building kits then and now would be to get a sample of the Alpine Combination station:  http://www.alpinemodels.com/catalog/item/2762955/2639756.htm which is based on the Common Standard type 22 station and its Laserkit competition:  http://www.laserkit.com/laserkit.htm/images/134.jpg

Interestingly, the AMB Laserkit also comes in the "left hand" version (like the old Suydam orientation) as well : http://www.laserkit.com/laserkit.htm/images/176.jpg 

The AMB versions are a bit over 3 times the price.

In terms of rolling stock kits, the Silver Streak caboose of which I speak was based (loosely) on the SP C30-1 caboose. It's AMB counterpart is $46.95 versus  $28.00 for the Silver Streak.

Mike

I have been buying Athearn and MDC/Roundhouse kits on Ebay.  I am trying to build a large fleet of rolling stock for my basement layout.  I currently have about 300, but I will eventually need 850-1000 cars for my 1981 era Kansas City Southern layout.  (Several unit coal and grain trains will be needed.)

Weathering, KDs, additional weight and metal wheel sets make these shake the box kits an inexpensive way to build a roster of "good enough" rolling stock.  Upgrading these kits (from Ebay) brings the total cost per car at $12-$15 each.  The new RTR kits are fantastic right out of the box, but at $25-$30 or more each....OUCH!!!

Don't forget the yellow box Accurail kits!

They're dead simple to assemble but have much crisper detail than the blue box kits from Athearn ever did. They assemble in between 20 minutes to several hours depending on the weathering (if any) you decide to apply. The parts fit pretty nicely.

These became the "fleet" cars on the BC&SJ because I couldn't afford to do it all with Kadee PS-1 box cars and I don't have the time to assemble the Intermountain/Red Caboose/Proto2000/Branchline Blueprint/etc kits (although I think I've got a bit over 100 of these in boxes waiting for the layout get expand enough so I'd have a place to put them if they got assembled...)

Oh, yeah. Bowser kits.

Frankly, there's a big enough price difference between kits and RTR that I'm not very motivated to do everything RTR.

Charlie

I've still got a couple of "Timesaver" PS2 covered hopper (4427?) kits sitting around. I'll haul one out and take some photos of it.

Fortunately I don't believe I still have any non-Timesaver kits....

It's not gone but you don't see it that much anymore. In N-Scale about the only things that are left are building kits. But even those are now available built up and the cost is often much higher. AS examples just look at what happened to DPM.

Irv

If you;re looking for athearn cars, don't overlook the old swampmeets...I've had no problem finding tons of cars and many with Kadees installed and all for $5-$6 a car...real lucky, you find 3 for $10...And that's Athearn, with Kadees - it tells you just how big the market is for these things.  Tables and tables...