Will the real C&O 21299 please roll out?

[Kentuckian]

This is a matching game.  One of these is custom painted and decaled my me several years ago using an HO scale cameo on a MT undecorated shell.  Another is stock MT, another is stock Athearn.  Any guesses?

[davefoxx]

My guess (from left to right): custom paint on MTL shell, stock Athearn, and stock MTL.

DFF

[muktown128]

That would be my guess as well (Custom / Athearn / MT from L-R)

Scott

[Chris333]

Custom, Athearn, MTL.

[wazzou]

Too easy. 

[nkalanaga]

As Bryan says, too easy.

The one in the middle is lower, and has a different door, so must be the Athearn.

The one on the left has a different sized herald, so is probably the custom paint.

That leaves the one on the right as the stock MT.

[Chris333]

I was going by the sweet Athearn etched roofwalk arching to the sky.

[davefoxx]

I was going by the sweet Athearn etched roofwalk arching to the sky.

Bingo!  Every one of the Athearn cars that I owned lost its etched metal running board. 

DFF

[Kentuckian]

I was going by the sweet Athearn etched roofwalk arching to the sky.

Yeah, what's up with that?

You guys are right, this was too easy.  Left to right is custom paint, Athearn, and MT.   I do like the Athearn car body better and how it rides lower, but the MT brake wheel is much finer; I will have to switch that out on the Athearn.  It doesn't show in my fuzzy photo, but my color separation is about the same as Athearn's, but not even close to MT's.  I don't know how they got such a crisp line over the relief of the door.

Any ideas on how to keep/repair Athearn's roof walks?

[John]

Nice work .. it illustrates that if you want a model, do it yourself ..  my only comment is the Chessie decal is too large .. Athearn and Micro-Trains have it right ..  my source is a good picture in the C&O color guide ..