New Athearn ready-to-rolls

[sumpter250]

I just saw some of the new Athearn ready to roll cars. very nice!! individual hand grabs, and ladders, great brake wheel/chain detail, etched brake platforms, and the printing is excellent. Trucks leave just a little room for improvement, but overall, very nice!
Pete

 

[brakie]

Pete,Those PS 5344s and the FMC 5347s are great looking cars as is the newer RTR cars.. :thumb: IMHO the 5344s and 5347s look as good as any of my Atlas cars.Needless to say I like these cars so much I buy each road name has it comes out especially the short line cars... :thumb:

 

[santafewillie]

Bought my first Athearn RTR today. I got an FMC 5347 with the Railbox scheme. Found a broken stirup that I can fix, but it was otherwise an excellent model. Individual grabs, ladders, metal wheels, EZ mate couplers (I think, didn't look that close) and see-thru end boards. Like Pete said, the trucks could be improved. This is coming from a diehard kit builder. It was only about 60% higher in cost than some of the recent PS 5344 kits I bought two years ago, so the price was right. The workmanship was much better than the Walthers RTR models that I have purchased before. They might just convert me!

 

[Catt]

I just got my first N scale Athearn SIECO 50' boxcar.I got to tell ya I am impressed The detail is awesome IMHO.I will definately be buying more.

 

[brakie]

Guys,I forgot to mention..Some of the 5344s and 5347s comes with the simi scale .088" wheels while others come with the more standard .110"s wheels...I like the .088 better...I have been told that Athearn will be producing a operating roller bearing cap for these cars..Why they are designing a new truck with operating roller bearing caps is far beyond me seeing the have the 70 and 100 ton trucks with operating roller bearings already-unless they want these in .110s since the Genesis's is .088s..

Catt,I have not seen the N scale cars yet..But,I bet they are beauties. :thumb:

 

[Catt]

Brakie,If Athearn does the covered hoppers in N scale and they are anything like the boxcars I am gonna be in the poorhouse

 

[brakie]

Catt,I think you may be in trouble..Athearn is suppose to be releasing covered hoppers.