Hello all, I found some Eastern Seaboard Models 40ft box cars I was thinking about buying. I can't find to much information about the quality of the n scale rolling stock from this manufacturer. I know that on there website they say that the "model is close but not an accurate representation of the prototype" I was also looking at some InterMountain boxcars of the same roadnames/era and size which cost quite a bit less than the Seaboard cars. Are the Seaboard models of better quality to justify the 50% higher cost than the Intermountain cars? Thanks!
For me it would take quite a lot for me to justify paying 40% more but then that's just me and my way of thinking. I am essentially a runner rather than a collector and not into body mounted couplers, correct ride height and all the other accoutrements that others may desire.
I acquired two of the LV cars as seen here and think they are extraordinary models. ESM's models are "N Scale Reproductions of Eastern Prototypes", so they go beyond paint to choose unique eastern prototypes like these X65 boxcars, PRR mill gons, boxcars and others like the neat PRR well flat you may be looking at. The other thing I like about their products is that, although they are well detailed, they're not museum pieces that will break if you handle them. I share your alarm on their cost, but if they produce a car that catches your fancy, it's unlikely anyone else will produce a similar model.
The newer ESM cars are prototype specific as Hardcoaler states, including the PRR X58 boxcar which was offered in different versions. If the 40' box car you're referring to is an XIH, then this is a prototype specific car that has never been done in N scale before. I own several ESM cars (65' mill gons, X58 box cars, XIH box cars and well flat cars and they are all well detailed and high quality. If you're looking for unique, prototype specific models, then these cars fit the bill. Bryan from ESM does a thorough job researching the prototypes to ensure accurate models and paint schemes. ESM also offers some holiday decorated cars. I have some older ESM cars that appear to be limited run special paint schemes of models produced by other manufacturers. I believe they did some UTLX decorated tank cars and I see some ESM special run MT tank cars on ebay.
ESM has a complete list of all of their products on their website. http://esmc.com/ Muktown, as you noted, ESM started with special run cars on existing bodies, mostly Roco if I recall correctly. (Actually, even before that they produced a set of decals for New York Central / NYMX mechanical refrigerator cars.) The XIH boxcar was their first foray into all new design and tooling cars. Can you be more specific on the car that ESM says "model is close but not an accurate representation of the prototype"? I can think of one but it's not a forty foot boxcar-- and it's still a lot closer than other brands would be able to achieve.
The box cars I'm referring to are the N scale 40 ft insulated/ heated Magor PC&F 2250 series of cars.
Trainguy64, All I can contribute is what Spookshow shows, that apparently they were Kato made Con-Cor imports from Japan, but not much in the way of specifics: Con-Cor/Kato (Japan) 40' Steel Box Car These models were originally manufactured in Japan by Kato (aka Sekisui Kinzoku). Production was later relocated to Chicago. Eastern Seaboard Models sells these cars in custom paint schemes not directly available from Con-Cor. The coventional wisdom seems to be that this isn't a particularly accurate model of any specific prototype. But if you had to pick one, I'm told that it's kinda/sorta close to being a 1944 AAR box car (just with a lot of incorrect details). Manufacturers Railway Company (MRS) also made a similar car (their 5500 series box car). Don
I was thrilled to find the ESM cars, much because of their beautifully executed LV paint, but in most cases I don't reject cars with imperfect details if I think they capture the look of the prototype. Case in point is Atlas' 50 FT Double Door Boxcar in EJ&E. The J is a favorite of mine. The prototypes were produced in the EJ&E's own Joliet Shops and as such were unique, and will likely never be produced in N Scale. The Atlas car looks great and I'm happy to have it in my collection, even though its not an exact reproduction.
ESM also had Rivarossi Tank cars in owners and paint schemes that were not available from Atlas. Perhaps somebody could post a list of ESM production….even I who has been in N back before cars had Rapido Couplers didn’t know about the Atlas EJ&E cars…. Charlie Vlk
These are prototype to the BAR cars, however they are very close to some of the other roadnames available. But the cars that ESMC has done as their own, are very very nice cars. I have a few of the X58s, including the CB&Q/BNs which are close, and if I wanted, I could update a few details to make it correct to the CB&Q/BN prototype.
The prototypes for these went to the New Haven and the Bangor and Aroostook in the "State of Maine" scheme and are correct for these. The later repaints are also be correct and prototypical. I did check and see Bryan's (ESM proprietor Bryan Bussey) disclaimer on the Canadian Pacific/CP Rail versions of this car. However, those are the only releases that has this disclaimer so it is not accurate to conclude that the entire set of all of these cars is not prototypical.
I forgot about the Rivarossi offerings... which is embarrassing because they are in my accumulation... ESM has a list of all of their production items as noted on their website: That includes the special runs on other companies' products. I didn't see the EJ&E boxcar in that list, though.
It seems that all 3 of the different CP cars in that series have the same note about not being accurate.
I should have been more clear. The EJ&E car was purely an Atlas effort. I posted it to make a point about uncommon prototypes like the J's 50' boxcars and the unlikelyhood of a manufacturer ever producing an exacting model. Though Atlas' model doesn't exactly reproduce the J's boxcars, it well captures the look of the prototype and gets a thumbs up from me. I'd rather own it than wait a lifetime for something better.
Thank you. My post has been fixed. Still not sure what the Con-Cor boxcar citation has to do with this?
