AMB NYC cabeeses

[Tom L]

Just saw on their (American Model Builders) website that they are doing NYC cabooses in N scale. Not something I need but nice to see them rolling out more N scale cabooses.

Tom L
Wellington CO

[prr7161]

Woot!!!  I'm sure I wasn't the only one to email them about this but I am sure glad they listened.  P&LE wooden cabeese incoming...

[jargonlet]

Oh great. They do it just after I finally found one of the old feather river kits. In all seriousness, this is great. When I spoke with AMB they said that the NYC Caboose was the most requested kit they haven’t done in n scale. I guess those emails do pay off. I also requested the Lehigh Valley and the Atlantic Coast Line Caboose they make. They said the more they hear from n scalers the better chance that we have to getting the kits we want.

[Joetrain59]

NYC caboose, as in low-cupola like the Robert Ray kit?    Link?
 Thanks,
 Joe D

[johnb]

Nice! Now if they only produce an N Scale version of their LV copula caboose in N Scale....The Pacific Electric bought a few of them....

[btrain]

HOLY HELL YES!!!!  Thanks for the good news. I had just given up trying to kit bash one out of a Roundhouse/Athearn three window wooden caboose.

[Mark5]

NYC caboose, as in low-cupola like the Robert Ray kit?    Link?
 Thanks,
 Joe D

19000 series
http://www.laserkit.com/n.htm

Mark

[Joetrain59]

Found them last night. Laserkit.com threw me for a while. Kept searching for AMB. Hopefully, someday a plastic R-T-R version will be made.
 Joe D

[btrain]

Would anyone know if production had started for these, and shipped out to hobby shops or online retailers yet?

[coosvalley]

I think these are close enough to try modeling this: 

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2459698

[prr7161]

Would anyone know if production had started for these, and shipped out to hobby shops or online retailers yet?

I've been keeping an eye out at the usual suspects (BLW, Klein's, N Scale Supply) and haven't seen them listed yet.  But you can order direct from AMB, so it seems like the kits are good to go.  Been meaning to call Klein's and see if they would special order one or two but other things are getting in the way right now.

[Brian M]

I ordered mine through the NYCS Historical Society's store and got them last week or maybe the week before.  I don't know when I'll get around to building them, as I'm trying very hard to stay focused on layout work, but they look like fun kits.  I also have some un-built Robert Ray kits, but I haven't compared the two side by side yet to see how they compare (dimensions and part counts, etc).

Here's the link to them in the NYCSHS store:
http://www.nycshs.net/AMB-N-Scale-NYCS-19000-Wood-Caboose-Kit_p_1126.html

It would also be great if AMB offers the Pacemaker caboose in N.  The Society has worked with AMB on the various NYC HO kits in the past, so there might be a chance of prodding them to do their other HO NYC cabooses in N scale.

-Brian.

[Joetrain59]

Brian,
  Please take a look at this kit and Ray kit, and let us know any differences in materials. Would the end railings be wood, or laser etched metal?
 Thanks,
 Joe D

[chessie system fan]

I bought their NW cab recently.   Just from looking at the parts sheet,  the end railings are wood, but they're much finer than the Ray kit.  You'll be happy with it.   The sides aren't as good.  AMB makes their sides with a laser.   Ray made his with scribed siding and then laser cut around the edges.  So the AMB car looks more corrugated,  but it passes the 2 foot rule.  The kit seems more intuitive than the Ray car, and the resin steps are a good improvement. 

 I assume the nyc car is similar to the nw car.  If that's so, the ideal car for me would be a Ray body, AMB underframe, end railings and details. And AMB instructions.   

Overall, I'd rate the AMB kit style (haven't seen the nyc  one in person yet) better.  we'll see if that opinion  holds up when I build it.

[Brian M]

I was able to dig out one of my unbuilt Robert Ray 19000 kits this morning.  I laid the various parts out with the AMB kit's parts so people can see how they compare.  As Aaron stated, the AMB end railings are much finer.  One other detail difference is that the AMB kit uses laser cut wood for the under-body truss rods, whereas the Ray kit includes very fine wire to use for the truss rods.  Kind of interesting to see how the two kits stack up next to each other.  Anyway, here are the pictures.  First is of the two kits side by side.  The Ray kit is on the left, AMB on the right:


And a close up of the end rails, again Ray on the left and AMB on the right:


Hope that helps.

-Brian.