L&HR Available model releases

New release coming from Atlas, announced 6/5/09:

HO Scale "Trainman" caboose, September 2009 delivery.

http://www.atlastrainman.com/HOFreight/tmhocupcab.htm

Atlas has been really good to us L&H fans over the past few years...

HO Scale RS-3's, two paint schemes.
HO Scale C420's, both Phase 1 and 2.
N Scale RS-3's.
N Scale C420's, both Phase 1 and 2.

Thanks to Atlas, one can now model the L&HR in HO or N during any diesel era period thanks to their factory painted products (for those who are "kitbashingly challenged").

This topic and it's contents were edited 7/29/09, to reflect all models available. Sorry I was late on this one, I was out of town during the initial release announcement. See related topic.

All we need is a plywood hack!

Grab some chalk and 'cement' it, looks like my childhood watching them in the cement mills...

Dump The Air wrote:All we need is a plywood hack!

I hear ya, I'm trying to figure that one out (N scale kitbash). I saw in the "models" thread a company made kits to convert a LL "Northeast" caboose into a plywood one in HO, but nothing in N yet. I'm still staring at several N scale "undecorated" cabs for possible conversion, but life gets in the way and nothing's happened yet...

I have my N-scale C-420 and just ordered an RS-3. The models live up to Atlas' usual excellent quality.

I was just thinking about an L&HR caboose myself. I know it's not prototype but I'm seriously considering painting/decaling my Atlas NE-6 caboose. Of course there are no caboose decal sets in N-scale but that can be easily rectified by custom-made decals.

I also have an undecorated wide-vision caboose, hmm.........

Hi, I got a chance to see the new models at the railroad show in Springfield, MA today. The RS-3 is a beauty and the new run of C-420s looks to be a lighter gray than the first run. I don't have any photos unfortunately.

UPS dropped off my phase II L&HR C420's today. Here are a few quick shots to show off the lighter grey:







Please ignore the messy workbench...

Drew

Handsome looking locomotives.

The lighter gray looks much better IMHO.

That grey is a LOT closer to what it should be (and the blue looks better, too).

The color subject came up in the Scale Model Railroading forum a few months ago; I made a comment there:

http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopi ... ht=#433329

If ATLAS had listened to color input it got before the first release (from me and others), you wouldn't be looking at two shades of grey on your phase I and phase II models...

There are other problems; the walkways were not painted black, and the hood side lettering is too tall; the old Herald King decals were much better.

Too bad, because they are beautiful models.

Has anyone tried Highball Graphics? He has L&HR decals for both the RS-3 and the big Alco. http://www.mgdecals.com/homepage.htm I was thinking of custom painting an RS-3 in the later scheme. What would be a good match for the green?

Bump to the top ... new release from Atlas.

I have purchased from and have used Highball Graphics decals and they're very good. Received my order within a week. While I have the LHR set, I have yet to use them (bought a prior release Atlas RS3), but the D&H yellow stripes I have used and was very pleased working with them and the results. My only complaint (with the D&H set anyway) is the lack of numeral "2". You don't get very many!

What is the group consensus on the soon-to-be released LH caboose by Atlas? Are they true to prototype or facsimile? From the pics it is hard for me to see if they replicate the plywood sides?

Well-

The Atlas release is red, has yellow lettering, eight wheels, and a cupola...

Other than that, not even close. First, it's a steel sheathed C&O prototype. L&HR's were wood sheathed (later replaced with plywood), a Reading design based on the original USRA standard.

Two windows per side. L&HR had four.

Offset cupola. L&HR was centered.

Platform steps are close, but wrong (judging from the illustration, and photos of the C&O prototype).

The lettering appears to be based on #17, in the last year or two before Conjob. It was repainted in '74 or '75, and the herald stencil 'bars' weren't filled in. As I remember it was the only one to appear like this, and only at the end. Also, while so lettered, it had the FRA data stencils and ACI plates on the sides.

If you can live with the discrepancies, I suppose it'll do.

For comparison, the real thing in March 1976:

Thanks for the great info Marty. Great in content that is, sounds like a big disappointment for anything close. I guess when I get a chance to examine one up close and personal I will see if I can live with it. The window configuration might be a real deal-killer though. At least they didn't offer one their wide visions in LH. Hate to complain though, this forum continues to be a great source for help and information.