Can a Model Be Value Priced AND Detailed? - Unboxing and Product Review of Athearn's HO FMC Boxcar!

Can a Model Be Value Priced AND Detailed? - Unboxing and Product Review of Athearn's HO FMC Boxcar!
Model trains can be affordable!
This mid-range model from Athearn has a lot of the important details, and can be easily upgraded!
Production of the FMC 5077 cubic foot double door boxcar began during the incentive per diem boxcar boom of the 1970s. Large numbers of these cars were purchased by shortlines and often appeared in very colorful paint schemes.
Western Pacific was the only Class I railroad to purchase the double door 5077.
The real cars were some of the last new pieces of rolling stock purchased by WP, with the modernized feather insignia.
As usual, Dan evaluates the model's packaging, prototype accuracy, paint & detail, and how well it operates and conforms to applicable standards.
If you're a fan of modern era boxcars, Western Pacific, or just trains in general, be sure to check out this unboxing and product review!
Note: The NMRA recommended weight for this car is 4.5 oz. The 4.55 in the video is a typo, not an attempt by Dan to be super precise.
#train #modelrail #trainvideo #modeltrains #railroad #hoscale

[@Bigboyy-dd7fd]

Dan I have said it before and I will say it again, I love how your reviews are truthful. The good, bad and ugly. Some of the reviewers at your level seem to suck up to manufactures and others in the model industry to become internet stars. You keep your reviews real. I think your followers appreciate that.

[@DanielCortopassi]

I'm glad you like the format. I made a video about my approach to reviews if you haven't already seen it, but I think it's important to be honest. That's what a review is supposed to be. Thanks for the feedback and for watching!

[@wiseguysmith6519]

You have the best format of model rr reviews on youtube!

[@DanielCortopassi]

I'm glad you like the format. Thanks so much!

[@lucgagnon5241]

Hey Dan. Thanks again for sharing. That car looks more like a Roundhouse unit. It's the cheapest version of Athearn cars. It's pretty much easy to upgrade and it's the kind of car to do a weathering job without breaking small details on it. En résumé, it's an all purpose boxcar at a very cheap price. When it comes to boxcars, Athearn is to my point of view the leading manufacturer. Very good review again. Keep on your good work. Hi to Nicole !

[@DanielCortopassi]

I'm glad you liked the review. This would be a great model to upgrade with a few additional details, and a good weathering job could work wonders. Nichole says "hi" back. Thanks for watching!

[@gacj2010]

He is so thoroughly informed...great Daniel...you are a book of knowledge

[@DanielCortopassi]

Well, in this case I had a couple books at my disposal, which is good, since my memory isn't perfect. I'm glad you liked the review. Thanks for watching!

[@eliabraham6918]

Great video review. I remember Jim from Athearn saying that the RTR line isn't prototypically accurate so that the modeler can add things if they want to

[@DanielCortopassi]

Some of the models are missing stuff like uncoupling levers and air hoses that are easy to add. Athearn has retooled some of the mid-range models so that they have wire grabs and other hard-to-change stuff done already, which is nice. Thanks for watching!

[@paulkirkmanMYTRAINS]

Very nice car !!!! I like a lot on Athearn products rtr (middle group). Locomotives and cars too !!!!!

[@DanielCortopassi]

I've liked the RTR (now just Athearn I guess) line for a long time because Athearn has retooled some of the older cars and upgraded them with wire grabs and other details that are hard to retrofit. I don't mind having to add an air hose or two. Thanks for watching!

[@nermalgod]

That's the old FMC tooling. You should see. What the new cars look like. Huge improvement.

[@DanielCortopassi]

I like it that Athearn does retool their molds from time to time, rather than just punching out the same old stuff over and over. I'll keep an eye out for those new cars. Thanks for watching!

[@conrailfan6277]

Great review Dan, I've collected quite a few of the Model Die Casting cars over the years on the cheap, a little work and some decently priced after market details and I've got some nice train fillers!!! You should do a video on replacing stirrups and ladders on medium priced cars!!

[@DanielCortopassi]

I still have a small handful of older MDC cars that I've detailed. I have some more cars that might benefit from wire grabs and such, so I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for the suggestion and for watching!

[@user-et2sq6pz4u]

While I'm a railfan, and I enjoy your videos, you don't see too many PCF based exterior post boxcars as models, even with the WP PCF boxcar built in 1980. Nevertheless, I like trains and enjoy your videos.

[@DanielCortopassi]

I thought it was interesting in my reference books that the FMC and PCF cars looked very similar, so much so that it's difficult to tell them apart just by looking at them. Thanks for the info and for watching!

[@user-et2sq6pz4u]

@@DanielCortopassi no problem. oh, the exterior post boxcars that were in their factory condition or paint, they would usually include the company builder emblem, and how the posts are placed.

[@billyray94]

I spend time, effort, and money making sure my motive power is as detailed as close to real as possible. My philosophy on rolling stock has always been that the details can't be seen when the train is going by at speed - especially since the ends of the cars aren't really visible. Further, people always pay closer attention to the power than they do the rolling stock. As long as the cars match the era (roof-walk era vs no roof-walk era OR 1930's billboard box cars running in the same train as recently built 50 foot high cube box cars) we're OK. YMMV

[@DanielCortopassi]

I can see that. I'm kind of the same way with regard to rolling stock. There was a time when I wanted to get rid of some not quite accurate cars, but I realized that the overall effect isn't really hurt by them. So while I still have a preference for accurate cars, I don't mind having some like this. Thanks for watching!

[@blainedunlap4242]

If you have to lookup the car in a reference book I would suggest it's close enough. Love your reviews.

[@DanielCortopassi]

I can see that. I like to check references when I can. I'm glad that I've been able to accumulate a lot of books and other material over the years, at least for certain railroads. I'm glad you liked the review. Thanks for watching!

[@johnmalley4355]

That was great timing, I was upgrading an old roundhouse bulkhead flatcar with metal wheel sets, I looked at a new Athearn bulkhead flatcar to compare with, I purchased a couple months ago. The same basic model except better printing and paint. One end was higher than the other like yours, I fixed it as you did. A nice model though. The box said Athearn on it and not anything else. A good show on your part, and good timing with what I was already working on. I didn’t look the car up to see if it was accurate though. It looked close enough to me.

[@DanielCortopassi]

I have several of the old MDC Roundhouse bulkhead flats that I painstakingly upgraded with wire grabs, new decking, etc. They look pretty good now, though I was never able to find a prototype car that was an exact match for them. I still like them a lot. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for watching!

[@kalelharrison2162]

I’m really enjoying these shorter rolling stock reviews related to older models being released in the current market. They definitely fit a nice gap between beginner rolling stock and the highest end pieces on the market. They can easily blend into any mixfreight and no one would bat an eyes

[@DanielCortopassi]

Cars like this are nice because (to my eye anyway) they're detailed enough to look good next to more high-end models, especially with some weathering. Like you said, they can blend in very well. Thanks for watching!

[@Heavydieselloc1974]

Good evening Dan. Greetings from the Netherlands. The only thing I just want to say is that I love the old Blue Box locomotives and freightcars, also those of Roundhouse. If I have a small project I always take these kind of equipment because you cant go wrong with them and for a nice price to qualety. I am always annoyed by the high prices of some manufacturers. With these types of cars, the hobby becomes accessible to a lot more people. Also for the younger generations such as Pocket money prizes Even though it's a foobie, it's about the fun you have with your hobby.

[@DanielCortopassi]

I'm glad that Athearn and other manufacturers offer models in different price ranges, because everyone has a different budget. Some people care more about detail and accuracy, too, so it's good that there are options. Thanks for the feedback and for watching!

[@user-sv4pj5jl8n]

Dan, thank you for reviewing a more budget friendly car.

[@DanielCortopassi]

You're welcome. I'm glad you liked the review. Thanks for watching!

[@HenrikSweden1]

great review ! but i stick to my blueboxcollection. When weathered they still are good enough on any layout. I might pay these prices only for a caboose that is at the end of the train and therefore stands out more. Keep up the good work.

[@DanielCortopassi]

A lot of people still like the old blue box models. I'm glad you liked the review. Thanks for watching!

[@randallellison6421]

Nice review, Dan! I tend to lean more heavily towards cars in this bracket than say, an Athearn Genesis, Scaletrains Rivet Counter, etc rolling stock! This mainly due to the fact that, A: they're cheaper, and B: they are far more durable than their more highly detailed counterparts. Also, if you factor in things like inflation and minimum wage compared to say, 25 to 30 years ago, the $30 to $35 price tag is not as bad as some people like to make it out to be. It's still not "cheap", but then again, this hobby hasn't been "cheap" for a very long time when it comes to mid range and higher end models, and if you wanted cheap trains, you pretty much had Tyco, Bachmann (before they started getting expensive), and low end train set quality Life-Like models to chose from back in the day.

[@DanielCortopassi]

I'm glad you liked the review. That's a good point about durability vs. detail. I think about that sometimes when it comes to actually operating on a layout, especially a large one with multiple people. I like it that Athearn and others are offering models like this that are more mid-range, as I think a lot of people like models like this. Thanks for watching!

[@davidl.miller8168]

Dan, Great review of a nice car, I always had a fondness for the WP being a UP modeler. I especially like the cars with the large "WP". Keep them coming. BTW, how is the layout coming?

[@DanielCortopassi]

I'm glad you liked the review. I'm still working to get the layout room finished. I am making good progress on that, but I don't want to start the actual layout until the room is done. Thanks for watching!

[@joedelusso1415]

Thanks dan for doing these "mid range" reviews lately,these mid range rolling stock and locomotives aren't really All that bad and it's a nice evening job to add simple details to the models too..

[@DanielCortopassi]

I'm glad you liked the review. Cars like this are nice because they lend themselves to adding additional details if someone wants to. Like you said, a nice relatively quick project. Thanks for watching!

[@YourLocalRailfan]

Dan, you’ve inspired me to start reviewing my own rolling stock on my second channel

[@DanielCortopassi]

That's awesome! Good luck with your channel and thanks for watching!

[@tulyar1043]

YourLlocalRailfan What is the name of your second channel please?

[@YourLocalRailfan]

@@tulyar1043 CNmodeler28

[@nyemt601]

I have several of these models. The one thing I like Dan and I’m surprised you didn’t pick up on it was the overspray on the roof from the side panels to the roof itself. I think it’s a unique detail that is sometimes found in the real world but often not captured in a model

[@DanielCortopassi]

I didn't mention that specifically, but it does show in the roof shot. Good catch. Thanks for watching!

[@rjohnson1690]

I saw these WP cars in revenue service, often as a block, between Roseville and Portland as late as 2008. I recall seeing large numbers of older WP, MP, SP, and UP boxcars being scrapped in The Dalles around the 2010-2012 time frame.

[@DanielCortopassi]

From the photos I found, cars like this are the exception rather than the rule these days. I imagine a lot of them are gone now. Thanks for sharing the story and for watching!

[@rjohnson1690]

@@DanielCortopassiTo my surprise, just yesterday I saw a WP boxcar heading NB on a UP freight. It was the even earlier style than the model depicted with the large block “WP” rather than the stylized feather. I was going track speed, and too high up to see if the car still had its original reporting marks, or if it had marks from a leasing company. It was kind of like seeing an animal that was thought to be extinct in the wild. Btw I ordered one of these cars after watching this video.

[@Bdmrr]

For freight rolling stock it often more economical to buy used lots. For 33 dollars I might be able to get 5 box cars of similar quality.

[@DanielCortopassi]

That would be a good deal. I've bought quite a bit of used equipment myself. Thanks for watching!

[@Bdmrr]

@@DanielCortopassi for sure. I like your channel

[@devernepersonal3636]

that is the way to make a car. I think its a bit easier to do with boxcars though?

[@DanielCortopassi]

Boxcars have less conspicuous detail than some other types of cars, for sure. Athearn has retooled some of their other older models (used to be in the RTR line), even covered hoppers, with better end cages, wire grabs, etc. Some of them are kind of like "Genesis lite". Thanks for watching!

[@epacm50]

According to one of the reviews (private, not from KZbin), this model received an "F" for accuracy and durability. I would avoid this model series at all cost. This model reminds me of the cheap, entry level Bachmann cars. The final score was a 2.0 out of 4.0.

[@DanielCortopassi]

I'd be curious as to why they would ding this car for durability. It's got fewer small parts to break off than a lot of more detailed cars, and it's otherwise pretty solid. There's nothing about it that struck me as being more prone to falling apart than any other model. Thanks for watching!

[@Wolfe351]

I liked the older white RTR packaging better, just looks more "modern" the new boxes look a bit "Bleh!" I have a mix of diff brand cars and I think Athearn made a backwards step with the new box art compared to what the rest of the market is doing.

[@DanielCortopassi]

Yeah, I'm not sure about the new graphics either. The box is colorful if nothing else. Thanks for watching!

[@JimmySpears-xv7bg]

Do you have any experience building a Cannon & Company boxcar kits?

[@DanielCortopassi]

No, I've never managed to get one of those. I've used a lot of their locomotive parts and like them a lot. Thanks for watching!

[@JimmySpears-xv7bg]

@@DanielCortopassi have use a lot of them also

[@anb7408]

$35 is “mid range” on pricing?! This overpriced crap is why I’m glad I amassed most of my collection long before the ready to run stuff that’s anything but affordable now. Athearn and Rapido are now in a contest to see who can out price the other on new releases. Getting close to $400 for a single locomotive. 😂

[@riogrande5761]

ScaleTrains offers the newest run Rivet Counter diesels for $200 and with DCC/Sound for $300. I guess they over better value. But there is a lot of cheaper stuff out there for you - AThearn blue box, MDC, Accurail.

[@DanielCortopassi]

It is mid range for the current market, yes. Many of the super-detailed, super-accurate high end freight cars are now in the $50 range or more. There are models at many different price levels, though, and there's also the used market. Thanks for watching!

[@riogrande5761]

@@DanielCortopassi Many just like to complain about prices, such as anb7408 - been that way for decades. That is today's economy and complaining isn't changing anything.

[@conrailfan6277]

Me too, I've been collecting equipment in HO since the 70s for the "Big" Conrail layout I plan on building in a couple of years when I retire from Truck driving!! By Big I mean 15x10!! 😂😂😂😂😂😂