Detailed Unboxing and Review: HO Scale Walthers Mainline Budd Corrugated Amtrak Passenger Cars

Detailed Review: HO Scale Walthers Mainline Budd Corrugated Amtrak Passenger Cars
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[@UnionCentralSystem]

Very nice set of passenger cars. I purchased the Amtrak Horizon cars a few months ago, but they are still in the box, I should probably check them out. I am way behind this year! Enjoy your weekend.

[@DoctorHobby]

Thank you so much! Before your open then and make them "used," you can check out my review on those, too! ;) kzbin.info/www/bejne/sHLOc2aprcaqj80

[@BrooklynWalker]

I bought three of these with Santa Fe markings: the Baggage/Railway Post Office car, the Dome Coach, and the Observation Lounge (rounded-end car). They’re very pretty and detailed, but I find they frequently de-rail, for no reason, even on 22” curves.

[@chrischoice2707]

Very nice cars i have some myself i don't like the gap between them so i cut the coupler box away from the truck frame push it back alittle and no problems derailing i have 15 in phase three and eight in phase one for another train but anyway thank you for the good taps

[@DoctorHobby]

Ah, yes, that would look great! Thank you so much for stopping by.

[@James-Railyard]

I might get a few of these in o go with my Rapido Amtrak 4316. I would definitely change out the trucks to standard Walthers trucks. It looks like you can use the standard coupler for the passenger cars but it would also raise the radius needed for the car. I have 26” so I’m good.

[@DoctorHobby]

Yes, I think that would be a good swap to make, actually! Would look really nice running down the track! Best wishes.

[@firestarspelt]

the exterior detail kit includes body mount close coupling hardware though the couplers tend to hang low if you install it

[@DoctorHobby]

Oh! Thanks for letting me know… that’s good info!

[@jimtrack3786]

I had Walthers Mainline Amtrak cars for a short time. Mostly I prefer to buy the old Rivarossi off ebay, and give them a thorough going over. I close the gaps by using McHenry snap in couplers with each car getting a long shank on one end and a short on the other. This makes for a very closed gap without affecting the running ability even in 18 inch radius curves thanks also that they remain Talgo.. I also have the Proto passenger cars from before the Walthers buyout. These were a nightmare, constantly uncoupling despite running on our club layout with excellent track. Using Kadee shelf couplers, this problem was resolved nicely. As for the gap, it was too close and the rigid attached one piece diaphragms caused the cars to jack knife on tighter curves. I removed one diaphragm from each car, replacing it with a very light sponge foam taken from old Athearn blue box packaging. It is hardly noticeable and closes the gap without problems. As always, I enjoyed your fair minded commentary, and look forward to each of your reviews. Thanks! Jim

[@DoctorHobby]

I didn't think about differently-lengthed couplers! I'll have to give that a try. And, you're right, the Riv stuff can be really underrated and deserves better.

[@atms04]

These reviews are awesome!

[@DoctorHobby]

Thank you so very much! There will be another one up shortly!

[@charlesmorschauser5258]

The mainline cars are half the price of proto cars and quite nice for the price the talgo trucks are of course to go around 18 inch curves, they come with predrilled holes for body mounts

[@herbertrodriquez6456]

Can't wait till they come out with Amtrak phase II.

[@davidsprague6385]

I just got six of these cars off an auction from ebay. For a great price of $150.00 so now I just need to find a place to build a mainline. Oh boy! Great review.

[@DoctorHobby]

Thank you so much! A great price, indeed! And, I guess you’ve run into the main issue with this hobby.. spending money makes you need to spend even more money! Lol! Best wishes!

[@tonycraig6984]

Outstanding I plan to buy!!!

[@DoctorHobby]

Excellent! Looking forward to hearing about it!

[@CaseysTrains]

I've yet to met someone else who uses the 3-foot rule. Also I like domes too!

[@DoctorHobby]

There are SOME sensible model railroaders out there! We're rare, and usually have to stay silent for fear of being cancelled, but, yup, not all of us watch our trains run from 1 inch away ;) Thanks tons for watching and commenting!

[@josephcosta5161]

You can have all mine, I have alott amt- pnrr- not into them but I buy sets and always comes with it... I put my own lights and interior in . Hard but worth it . Just learning , but actually you can buy LEDs cheap on line and do your self, joe

[@daniellucas6573]

These are good for starters to the hobby. Ì got spoiled by Rapido Trains Inc equipment as well as what Atlas H.O has been putting out lately! Just no looking back now!

[@DoctorHobby]

Indeed! A luxury, once experienced, becomes a necessity! Thanks tons for watching!

[@jeffreyrule8143]

Nice. Not sure the Budd cars would go around my 22” radius curves.

[@gundathroneps448]

These are designed for 18" curves i believe

[@DoctorHobby]

They made it on mine, so I think you'll be good to go!

[@DoctorHobby]

Indeed! See 17:33 - i think from now on I'm going to do curve checks in my passenger car videos..

[@jeffreyrule8143]

@@DoctorHobby I probably should pay more attention to your summary

[@DoctorHobby]

Hahaha..I’m not sure if many do? I’m happy just to have ya here!

[@evanhizon8112]

I have to admit those Mainline passenger cars are good. But my only gripe is the non-flushed windows.

[@petere4540]

I like the Amtrak passenger coaches from walthers but obviously where possible I would always get such coaches from rapido trains for extreme detail. They are doing more and more stainless coaches for Amtrak. Omi overland and kato also did some of them

[@DoctorHobby]

Definitely go for the detail when possible, for sure, but I'm glad that there are lower cost options for when I'm not worried about it or when I just need to fill in. Thanks tons for checking in!

[@saints093]

Nice video, I really like this set of Amtrak passenger cars you have, very nice consist, I also like the old school Amtrak diesel locomotive with the headless arrow on each side of the locomotive, and I like the bloody red nose on the front of the locomotive as well, what brand is the locomotive? Just wondering

[@DoctorHobby]

Thank you so much for watching and commenting! It IS, indeed, very old school! What you're looking at is a standard Phase I Amtrak scheme that they put on EMD E- units. The Rapido black/blue/red scheme was a one-off design but every other E- unit looked like the one you see in this video. Believe it or not, this was just an old Athearn Blue Box shell I had sitting around that I plopped down on a Proto E- chassis. I think ?? Broadway Limited and Rapido have made these in the recent past if you're looking to pick one up.

[@ACLTony]

Tip: The lighter weight issue is easy to fix, with a little patience. Remove the roof and the interior. Fill the floor's pockets with birdshot and apply a light coat of water-based cement or glue over the birdshot. You've added add 2 to 3 ounces to the car and you'll notice that they'll roll more firmly over switch turnouts and rail joints.

[@aidensypolt]

Theank you @ACLTony

[@fredrick5152]

It’s interesting that they used the combine car as a Amtrak because Amtrak never had any of those. And also amtraks last BUDD sleeper was retired in 2002

[@DoctorHobby]

History says otherwise about the lounge car: rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2946206 You can actually go see one today: 261.com/fleet/wisconsin-valley/ Also these are in Phase I paint (including the locomotive), which would have been the livery used between 1972 until they were all eventually painted over, which wouldn't have been until the mid-late '70s at least.

[@fredrick5152]

@@DoctorHobby If you look at the pic it’s not the same, walthers just made a generic car not the one Amtrak had.

[@DoctorHobby]

That wasn’t what you stated, tho :) They had combines, the model’s just not 100 percent prototypical. Just FYI, the combine is actually the Wabash Bluebird’s baggage / lounge combine-certainly not Amtrak, but a long way from generic ;)

[@aidensypolt]

There is a phase 3 and 4 set avalable

[@herbertrodriquez6456]

I'd like to see them in Amtrak phase II

[@ACLTony]

These are nice cars that roll well and look decent. Keep in mind that some of the reasons why they're cheaper than the 1990's - 2010's production Walthers Proto passenger cars is that 1) The underbody detailing featured is for the 10-6 Sleepers, regardless if it's a coach, sleeper, or combine, so that's a cost savings for Walthers. 2.)The Proto's feature flush fitting windows. The Mainlines have a long clear plastic strip, on each side of the car, that hangs down from the roof piece and sit behind the window openings. Again, another cost savings. 3) The Proto passenger cars, collectively, came in a WIDE VARIETY of configurations, based on a number of railroad prototypes. 4.The Mainline passenger cars are also based on railroad prototypes but, however, just a very few. 5) The plastic Talgo trucks are cheaper to produce than Walthers metal trucks with metal wheels, which are designed for electrical pickup. Overall this is partly why Walthers can afford to sell them at a lower price than the Protos.