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About It: Arriving on track #7, hopefully the last of the combined Super Chief, El Capitan train. cars (I say hopefully just because I can't afford anymore!). In this batch are two 4-4-2 Regal Sleepers, the PS Pleasure dome with the turquoise room, two 10-6 Pine series Sleepers, and a 36 seat diner. The dome, diner, and one each of the sleepers are the deluxe #1 version that come with lighting and figures.
Reason: I really don't know why I bought this set. I already had more than two 1950s era SuperChiefs and a full El Capitan, so in a way it is redundant. The very first Super Chief was Walther's very first "Named Train". It was done with silver paint and the 4-4-2 sleepers were incorrect windows for a Regal. They were really an "Indian" series sleeper. Anyway they re-did the set later in chrome plating and a correct 4-4-2 sleeper. I started getting that set, when they came out with the third which was the "real metal" finish. I bought that whole set. These are also that same real metal finish. Supposedly there was some new tooling in this set, but I think it is mostly advertising. Maybe they changed 1 rivet. Whatever it is, it is not a major improvement over the old. I'm guessing I'll have to put them side by side and use a magnefiying class to find the differences.
Review: I will not go to all the trouble to open the boxes for picture or review. They are standard Walther's passenger cars. They will have the same need to have the trucks lubed and tuned. They will have Protomax couplers which are just as good as Kadee so no issues there. The lighting will be just OK, but the pickups will probably need a little work and maybe some "keep alive" to eliminate flicker. Back when Walthers started the passenger cars I was shocked at the $35-$40 price tags. But after considering all the work to bring a Rivarossi/AHM car up to the same standards I decided it was a bargain. True they have now starting including the installation of all the grab irons, but for the $95-$127 price tag I am looking for a bit more improvement in all these things and below....
Still disapointed with the Preiser figures as they use the same set in every car, painted the same in every car. I am getting sick of the fat woman wearhing a peach moomoo and the "twins" in their mustard yellow dresses. This is the same paint scheme they had on the original El Capaitan people 15? years ago. How hard can it be to change the paint color every year? Also the interiors are not painted. Just tan plastic. So going to have to open them anyway (and probably break a roof tab or two). Take OUT the people, repaint everything, put headrest covers on the chairs, pillows on the beds, table cloths, food on the tables, some clutter of newspapers and the like. Since I have the car open I'll rework the lighting so lights are actually in a rooms and hallways not just glowing in the whole car. Maybe make a room or two dark. Add window shades pulled down, etc. My heavens that is 40 hours worth of work. What did I PAY hundreds of dollars for???
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