I like the RC racks best. The panels have a realistic ripple effect when you look through the sides. I think MTL could also achive this if they used a see-through plastic core. That being said, the RC cars are slighly long, while the MTL cars are narrower and taller. I think the RC cars look the best. I am experimenting with NWSL 28" wheels to lower the MTL cars, but have not yet figured out how to raise the couplers back to the normal height.
I also looked at the RC since they are see through and MTL are not. I think MTL are just a step up from ConCor but not something I would pay almost $40. I purchase a large amount of ConCor cars when everybody got rid of them for $8 - 12, invested another $13 for Plano side panels and ended up with autoracks that cost around $25.
I really don't mind the differences in the height of the cars. Watch a real auto-rack train go by and you will see that there are slight differences in the heights of them too. Variety is the spice of life.
I have a load of CC racks, and a couple MT racks--but am afraid to buy the RC racks for I will want to replace the fleet.. Cannot afford that, especially at ~ $40/car....
I have the MT cars as well as some older CC cars and I am happy with my MT's and someday will try to upgrade the CC's if I can do them at a reasonable price. I like the RC racks but I just can not bring myself to pay 40 bucks for them. Sometimes it seems as that all the extra detailing these days is makeing parts of the hobby just to expensive. Kevin
You don't have to pay $40 for the Red Caboose autoracks, as most dealers sell them well below retail. Mine have always been regularly priced around $30-32 each, and if you buy 2 or more the shipping is free as well.
I have both RC and MT's also - I like them both. I agree w/ Jerry - I like the variety, and the different heights (just like the prototype). In my opinion, the RC cars are TOO see through. You can't really see through the protoypes very well, unless the light is right, so I kinda like the MTs better in that respect. But I like em both (and also ditched my ConCors awhile back....)
Hey guys I am thinking about ordering a couple of these, which ones MTL or RC are the easiest to fill up with actual automobiles or can it be done?
I believe the RC ones are, since they ome with "open door" versions that you can easily put cars on the racks inside. If I'm not mistaken the MT ones are completely hollow.
Collector vrs runner = different priorities. The hollow interior of the MT autoracks was a bit of a turn-off for me... I figured that someday I might want to put vehiciles in them and wouldn't be able to. If you're buying the MT version as a collectable... then obviously the need to put anything in them is a non-issue.
I didn't complain much since I came over from the HO world...Walthers was the sole maker of plastic auto carriers, and they were simply hollow boxes where you glued the panels on the sides and the top on.
I am hooked on the R/C autoracks...very nice. Right now I only own about five of these babies but I plan to purchase many many more.....just cant afford to right now. This hobby is like a crack addiction
I just got a couple Red Caboose autoracks at a train show for $30 each. They're very nice and light (lighter than the MTL version. However, they come with pizza cutters! They even make a little noise ratcheting over my Micro Engineering Code 55 track. I want to get some 28" metal wheelsets for the autoracks. Who makes them? NWSL supposedly makes them (they're in the Walthers catalog) but their website doesn't list any N scale wheelsets. Anyone else make em?
Call me a rebel but I still enjoy buying the ConCor racks. Once you replace the side panels with the etched panels from various manufatures, you have a decent looking car at a fair price. Not a hard project and something that can be done in an afternoon. Don't get me wrong, I really like the R/C and M/T cars and have a couple of each. Like JD said, Variety is the spice of life.
I have all three racks. The concor have adjusted truck height and location that cost me another $4 a car and some time. The RC are the best lookers for sure but if you have 30 of them the concor do seem ok. The other reason is the market went too soft on them. They retail for $34 up here and to selll them for $10 doesn't make sense when you can spend some time on them to make them better. All mine ride on large wheels as it is the best way to run long trains over steep grades. I am here to run trains, not rerail accidents.
LOL well that solves it....I am selling off my trains to start a drug addiction Ok maybe not such a good idea