HO scale Walthers Centerbeam details

[@ModelingSteelinHO]

Still haven't picked up any of these cars. I like using the Kadee #158 whisker couplers. These are so much easier to use. Thanks for sharing.

[@ruatrainman2]

They do need a little work but they are well worth the price. I like the 158's as well, I just have a surplus of 58's sitting around. Thanks for watching and the comment. Dave .

[@davestrains6816]

I think the car looks fantastic. Thanks for sharing. Dave

[@ruatrainman2]

Hey Dave, thank you for your kind comment, I appreciate it. Also Dave . ;)

[@dacuzzz]

awesome review///i like the one with the cable/string...thx 4 sharing.. vinny

[@ruatrainman2]

Hey Brother Vinny, thank you for your kind comments buddy, you're welcome... Dave .

[@engineerhall5887]

I do Agree adding details on the car makes it look even better

[@ruatrainman2]

Oh yeah to most of the cars I model I feel I need to add extra details. But the stock Centerbeams don't look to bad.

[@rayrr2013]

McKean car with the cables looks great! Wish I had the patience to add them to my Atlas cars.

[@ruatrainman2]

Thank you Raymond, I have another nice custom built centerbeam that is nicer but a different road name without the cables. The only reason I don't add them to all the cars is they can't ever hold a lumber load with the cables on.

[@ModelingSteelinHO]

@@ruatrainman2 Sorry,to butt in the conversation. Wal-Mart carry's stretchable string in their craft section. I think it's found around where the craft beads are. Anyway,I've been using this string to tie down loads for years. So far no load shifting of any kind.

[@ruatrainman2]

@@ModelingSteelinHO Ha ha it's cool, no apologies needed. My wife is a Native American Indian and a bead worker, I too was made aware of this product, but thank you for your comment, I do appreciate it.

[@DGModelworks]

Fantastic Dave! I think these models are a great bang for the buck. As always you did a great job detailing and weathering.

[@ruatrainman2]

Hi Dglass77, thank you buddy. They are very nice for the $$ and I can add an entire fleet for half the cost of other manufactures. Thank you for your kind comments. Dave .

[@PennCentral99]

Hi Dave, nice review and nice weathering and detailing. I have a few of these and yes, they're not bad for the price. Terry

[@ruatrainman2]

Hello Terry, thank you friend. They are the best priced centerbeams on the market and well worth the price. Dave .

[@brian102256]

Looking good Dave! I think all of them look very nice! - Brian

[@ruatrainman2]

Hi Brian, thank you very much . I hope to have my whole fleet of centerbeams done before winter, I'll keep you updated. Dave .

[@JoeG-firehousewhiskey]

Great job on the weathering, it looks like the perfect amount.

[@ruatrainman2]

Ha ha I tend to way over do it, but I've learned a lot from watching so many talented modeler's here on YT. I like this car a lot and need to try and replicate the light weathering on the other ones I have.

[@Northwest_Railfan]

Hi Dave, nice upgrades! I picked up one of the TTX ones, might have to detail it eventually. -Aaron

[@ruatrainman2]

Hi Aaron, thank you buddy. It only took me 30 minutes to add those details, so it's not too time consuming, and they definitely dress the car up a bit. Dave .

[@funnelfan]

I see the paint is quite a bit more glossy than the first run cars I have. I couldn't tell, but it looks like you may have added the brake chain to the handbrake? Adding the load securement cables isn't hard to do. But you will want to have a micro-mark mini-chuck for 61-80 size drill bits to put in a cordless drill. Drilling all those holes by hand would give you hand cramps in a major way. Anyways drill holes under each ratchet and through all the keyholes in the centerbeam supports and the top edges. Then I use gray quilting thread to make the cables. You want to keep the threads under tension until the glue dries. I've built a few of the McKean cars myself, but they are too tall. Wish Exactrail would redo their 60' centerbeams with plastic centers because the metal ones had a lot of issues.

[@ruatrainman2]

I agree and thank you for the tips. I did add larger wheel sets to the McKean car , but the Front Range car has some better body work. Yes Exactrail had some great cars but twice the price, sometimes it's all about how much you're willing to pay. I did pick up some of the new Exactrail Bulkhead cars and they are beautiful. Thank you for your comments. Dave .

[@DiggerEvans]

great review I like these cars very much, they look great detailed and weathered

[@ruatrainman2]

Hi Digger, Thank you buddy. I like them too, they are just priced to good to pass on, and the detail for stock is not bad. Weathering definitely helps as well. Dave .

[@outlawrailroad3702]

Hi Dave ,some real nice centrebeam cars mate....

[@ruatrainman2]

Hi Brother Ron, thank you mate....cheers, Dave.

[@mysticrailroad]

sweet car, excellent detail. real nice weathering and detailing. sucks that the glue is weak- that should never happen i would think, no matter how inexpensive the model.

[@MLWQC]

Very cool. Great job

[@CraftyFoxeMC]

1:42 I hear a rooster

[@ruatrainman2]

Yes I have a farm with lots of chickens, but no Foxes aloud lol. ;)

[@CraftyFoxeMC]

@@ruatrainman2 aww man

[@jenniferwhite6089]

i will say it once again the rail companies could allow people to paint on the rail cars for the canvas some of the graffiti is a very beautiful art think of it as a free paint job they keep painting over the graffiti making the cars look worse then if they would repaint the whole car the rail company thing and put the logo and all the safety decals on the cars after the car have been graffiti painted most of the people will not repaint over and other art

[@ruatrainman2]

I do agree, there are far too many ugly train cars. Patch jobs add modeling interest for modeler's, but not so much for viewing them in public. I too have seen a lot of tasteful graffiti. Dave .

[@mustanger041]

What is the max curves those can take in HO scale

[@theelginrailfan9489]

Nice

[@echohunter4199]

You’re dead on about the McKeans model kit, it’ll suck every bit of patience you have to get it built! To make it worse, as the kit ages, the plastic shrinks a bit and you have to trim, sand and file every damn part to get it to go together right. Not to mention if you have one with the wrong instructions in it! And the instructions are a one piece of paper that shows an exploded view diagram and some general pointers and none of them help show how parts fit. Thank god I only paid a few bucks for the kit but that’ll be the last time I do one.