Whats the most detailed HO models available?

Hello,
I wanted to get peoples opinions on whats out on the market of the most scale accurate models in HO. On the assumption money is no object what would you purchase? Brass? Plastic?

From what I can tell I have found a few manufacturers that seem to sell extremely high detail models:

http://www.blmamodels.com/
http://www.exactrail.com/

Any other manufacturers out there?

BTW, these are some of the most detailed trucks I have ever seen:
http://www.exactrail.com/ho-trucks-100- ... del-trains

Thanks!

In spite of what some well meaning modelers might suggest, there is still little comparison between mass produced plastic steam locomotive models and the individually handmade current brass examples when money is no object. The same is essentially true regarding rolling stock. While various examples of the latest plastic cars and motivepower are indeed impressive in detail relative to comparable equipment from just a decade ago, they still fall short of the truly "scale" details and absolute realism that can be attained using using brass (especially for piping)...to say nothing of how much more robust the brass models are when both are handled less gingerly.

CNJ999

In the Canadian Rolling stock,there are Rapido Trains,highly detailled HO models,I got a CP Angus caboose,the VIA steam generator 3 LRC cars 1980's paint scheme and 2 CN wet noodle coach cars and I'M very satisfied by their products,theire one of the rare manufacturer that they add bottom detail,when turning the cars upside down

http://www.rapidotrains.com/

There are many plastic manufacturers out there that now create highly detailed models, including former entry-level manufacturers such as Athearn. Even some of Athearn's older models, while lacking in detail, had accurate dimensions and looked quite good when detailed. I'll also add a second vote for Canada's Rapido Trains whose models are spectacular. Atlas and Kato are historic benchmarks, but some of their models have had incorrect dimensions or over-chunky handrails.

As for brass - it's good for highly specific prototypes, but in terms of detail it just doesn't hold the advantage over plastic that it did in the past. Yes, the wire details are accurate, but plastic models often use wire as well. More to the point, the 2D embossed or etched details on brass diesels simply look inferior to modern plastic castings - things like door latches, seams and irregular components.

trainiac wrote:
As for brass - it's good for highly specific prototypes, but in terms of detail it just doesn't hold the advantage over plastic that it did in the past. Yes, the wire details are accurate, but plastic models often use wire as well. More to the point, the 2D embossed or etched details on brass diesels simply look inferior to modern plastic castings - things like door latches, seams and irregular components.

By that statement it's obvious that you've never owned, or examined close-up, a quality brass locomotive. Look at one of mine pictured below and tell me which of today's plastic models could even hold a candle to it...and this example is from about 15 years ago! Plastic has a long, long way to go before it seriously challenges brass for any degree of fully scale accuracy...at least in regard to steam.



CNJ999

Okay, just stumbled across this site and I'd like to point out that those of you who say brass model detail exceeds that of plastic are not really correct. That brass models are in excess of the majority of plastic models (or even more so die cast variants such as MTH due to in arguable material limitations) is most often the case. But even with Athearn's QC issues of late their tooling on the S.P. MT-4 exceeds any brass model ever produced.

There isn't a brass model steam locomotive that has scale cross section spokes on the drivers, nor anything but a relatively crude bell yoke and other lost wax castings, or the cross-sectional thickness on the cab roof overhang. Those are some of the most obvious comparisons, do look for yourself. But to be really truthful, each of you needs to do as CNJ999 has recommended: "take a really close look." Personally I'd recommend using a 14 or 20 power jeweler's loupe for that close of a look. I use both.

Brass models that have large area stampings (such as first generation diesel noses) when scrutinized under this level of magnification appear just as do old tinplate toys, stretched, rippled with distortions, etc. No joke. But you say "that's a ridiculous, no one looks that closely!" Perhaps, but once you've seen this for yourself you will see it with the naked eye from then on. On steam, you'll see all of those "rivets" are in fact round and flat discs, nothing like a real rivet. It goes on and on.

The way in which plastic tooling is created can produce (but rarely is done to this degree) "State of the Art" results well in excess of any brass models. As an example go ahead and use those same loupes on an Athearn Genesis F Unit. There you'll see accuracy in replication of the prototype that you were completely unaware of. No short-cuts, a fineness of detail that is impossible to render in brass due to the grain of this or any other metal. The breakthrough in the old analog record industry came with vinyl 33 1/3rd RPM recordings replacing the pre-war shellack 88rpm's due to the fineness of grain of plastics over any other substance. That literal lack of grain found in plastics is one of that family of materials strongest assets.

So regarding the above comment; "Whats the most detailed HO models available?" First I'd add to that question the word "accurately" as in; "What's the most accurately and well detailed HO models available?" This as opposed to the total number of more or less indiscernible blobs representing detail is a somewhat more meaningful question.

I'd strongly recommend an extremely close scrutinization of the above mentioned two Athearn model series. There is simply nothing else like them. I still buy brass models, but only on rare occasion, as they're relatively primitive.

Yeah, Brass is pretty Hit or Miss. There is a LOT of brass that have serious issues with them, like many of the "Alco Models" products. Even if the drives work (well), they are frequently not to scale. For what you get, I can't really say most brass is always worth it. Alco's E44 comes to mind as a personal exprience. They are downright horrible! Probably not worth the money I paid for it (which was the usual amount these things go for).

I suspect that some of the OMI brass models are amongst the most detailed out there, but they go above and beyond, and that is reflected in their price range.

In Plastic, Athearn Genesis is up there.

One company that recently went out of business was Railyard Models, which made VERY detailed kits. I suspect they had some of the more detailed cars you can buy. I'm upset that i missed my chance to own some (I literally logged onto that website the day after they went out looking to buy).