Looking for N scale B&M passenger cars

Hi folks

I am still trying to find out where to get accurate N scale passenger equipment for the B&M. All the ready to run cars I can find are for all the popular roads and trains. As for core kits, I can't find sides to go with them.

Does anyone have any tips for finding out more on this topic? How do I know if a set is close enough if painted for the B&M?

HELP!

Are you looking for specific models of specific cars? B&M ran everything from wooden day coaches, to heavyweights, (did they have streamlined Budd coaches??), RDC's from Budd (the largest fleet in the country)...

-otto-

The only accurate N scale passenger car sides that I know of are the laser cut American Flyer sides, if I can find the contact info for Philip (the guy who makes them) I will post it. They go on the American Limited core kits.

Kato does do Budd RDCs, but has not done them in B&M.

I'd like anything, really, though the older heavyweight ones would be nifty. I just have trouble searching sites for info because I don't know what each car was called, how many feet, what style, etc. American Limited's site has lots of info, but I don't understand much of it, other than only the hugely popular roads are covered. I can see why:sales. But a niche group who builds their own cars might want a smaller road, after all... I am confused... maybe I need a book to help me along?
http://www.americanlimitedmodels.com/core_kits.htm
http://laserkit.com/passn.htm I was going to email these companies direct, but I'm afraid I'll feel like a fool...

As for RDCs, I have only been able to buy one, and it is the Kato Budd promo unit. Undecorated copies came in pairs and are pricey!

So, what should my next move be? Bite the bullet and email the companies?

JD

Here is the link to the AF sides, I have some, they are decent but not the easiest to assemble, and you will need to do some filling and sanding on the roof.

http://smithmodels0.tripod.com/osgood-bradley-n-scale/

There are no B&M prototype heavyweight cars available in N. However, Branchline has started doing their structure kits in N now, some of us are hoping that they will do their heavyweight cars in N. We looked at doing passenger car laser kits for some of the older wooden cars, but the roofs killed the projects. Sticking to cabooses for the moment!

NellsChoo wrote:So, what should my next move be? Bite the bullet and email the companies?

No, hit the books/magazines/websites and do some studying up on the B&M's passenger fleet. It ain't easy, but you have to do your research...

atrosa has a good idea- you obviously want to model some specific B&M cars... find some pictures of the cars you would like to model. If I remember right, B&M has a pretty simple paint scheme- one color for body (a kind of wine red, marron-ish color. reminds me of Soo Line passenger color) and black roof. Easy to paint. Plenty of B&M decals out there. If you want to replicate the "look" of a B&M train, get some generic heavyweight cars that look close, and paint them to match some photos you have on hand.

These are some images of HO scale cars I found:

http://www.theoldandwearycarshop.com/BCWbm1404.jpg

http://www.pwrs.ca/products/maker/3/6210-prototype.jpg

http://www.pwrs.ca/products/maker/3/6210-picture.jpg

Crack open some B&M color books, see what you like, then go out and
find some models that match what you're looking for! :-)

You might want to ask in our B&M forum at what point all passenger service was converted to RDC's.


-otto-

Nells Choo, the new book "Passenger Trains of Northern New England" will be a great resource for you. It covers the "Streamline Era", and also provides info on the locomotives used to haul the passenger trains. It's only been out a couple of months, so I'm sure Walthers and most good hobby shops have it.

Ron

I do have that book, Passenger Trains of NE. As well as many others, but so far I am still defuddled at how so many model railroaders know so much about everything! I mean, they know if one little pipe is wrong on a steam engine (or so it seems)! It is a bit easier with model cars!


I was just looking at the 470 Club's book A Rail Journey Through New England, and the photos are great! But it brings about another question. With all the black and white photos in these books, how does a hobbyist know how to paint things? As far as I know, B&M cars were indeed a dark maroon/red, so I should be safe there. How do pre-1940 modellers do it??

Anyhoo, I will have to do some more studying I guess. Thanks for the tips so far!

Jonelle

Nell, if you have not joined, the B&MRRHS has the Modelers Notes, once you join you can ask around and dig up older copies. There have been about 95 issues so far, with pics, drawings and articles - well worth the 35 bucks a year or whatever it costs. The B&M yahoo list has some good info, there are a few tools on it who are major know it alls but if you can look past that, its a great resource. The Trains.com magazine index will also give you a good list of B&M articles.

With B&M steamers coming soon from Model Power, the last big hurdle for B&M N scalers is passenger cars. We desperately need B&M passenger cars!

More or less... someone has answered that question before you! Ask around to other B&M modelers, and they will tell you what paints they use for B&M passenger maroon... from the color photos that do exist, and the research already done, SOMEONE has the answer. Besides, the heavyweight cars you want to model made it into the color film era, so you should have no problem finding colors that look right.

-otto-

I did join the B&M Historical Society a few months ago, but so far have not heard a peep from them...


(sorry, couldn't resist that one!)

I have heard about the Model Power engines coming out. I didn't think they were known for quality products, but I see they have already had steam engines out, and in photos, they look nice.

"With all the black and white photos in these books, how does a hobbyist know how to paint things?"


...you mean, all the models I painted in black and white to match my books are wrong????????

HA!

I took the plunge and ordered a 3-car set of heavyweight passenger cars from the Con Cor website. They are undecorated. Something tells me I will have to buy new couplers, seeing as they probably have Rapidos.

Hi all

Well, my undecorated passenger cars arrived from Con Cor. Other than Rapido couplers, they look nice. Thing is, I thought "undecorated" meant "unpainted". They are green.

So now I am stuck with something I have never figured out how to do, even after 10 years of building model cars.

How in the Wide World of Sports do you effectively strip paint off of plastic without ending up with a blob?!

If I paint over the green, I will loose details, and how does maroon look when sprayed over green? Yuck...

Unless the B&M had green cars, I am stuck...

JD