Realistic people for a modern scene

[Nicole]

Hello! I'm new at all of this. We haven't even built our layout yet, but I'm already thinking about the little people.

Which brand makes the nicest little people? In the store I went to, the best ones were Woodland Scenics... would you say those are the nicest people?

Here's the problem... most of the people I've found are stuck in a time warp. They look like they are in the 50s, or even earlier. The only black people are bums or shoeshine boys.

Here's what I'm looking for:
1) An equal ratio of men and women... the kits I've seen seem to have a large surplus male population. Since I'm not building a scene in China, this is a problem. Where can I find some women and girl kits to balance out the genders?
2) Ethnic people. Since it's in Europe, it would be cool to have Arabs, including ladies in Abayas. Also Pakistanis, and Indians.
3) Modern rebels... homeboys, punks, goths, etc. Protesters would be cool, too. The only rebels I've seen are some greasers, which again, doesn't really work.
4) Modern clothes in general.
5) Swiss Uniforms - Army, gendarmes, etc.

Where can I get more people for a modern European street/train scene?

Thanks,
Nicole

 

[Shortliner2001]

Preiser, Merten, Busch, Noch - are your best bet - Preiser also do sets of unpainted figures
If you are in USA - this might be a good place to start http://www.reynaulds.com/preiser/preiser.html

 

[Nicole]

That's an awesome site, thanks. They've got punkers, homeboys, an african lady, an indian lady, and an arab family! She's wearing hijab, but not the full abaya. Maybe I'll get the nuns and paint them to look like they're in abayas...

 

[grande man]

Preiser makes my fav HO figures. Woodland Scenics is also turning out some nice figures lately.

 

[jbaakko]

I think most of the companies are covered. Preiser, Busch, Noch will be your best bet for European. WS has no European, and if I remember right, Merten was a US based affiliate of another company, and sold mostly US stuff.

Bachmann, & Life-like had figures, although not all the best, they have some cool ones. Micro Machines figures work as well.

 

[Nicole]

How do you put passengers in the trains, btw? I noticed lots of places sell passengers... but the roof of my passenger car doesn't snap off easily and I didn't want to break it, so I'm not sure it actually comes off. Would I need to develop soldering skills to put people in the car?

 

[mike8693]

How do you put passengers in the trains, btw? I noticed lots of places sell passengers... but the roof of my passenger car doesn't snap off easily and I didn't want to break it, so I'm not sure it actually comes off. Would I need to develop soldering skills to put people in the car?

Well IDK how to take the roof off but thew first q people who will know will want to know brand and model. You shouldnt need soldering skills to attach them you would just use model glue.

 

[Nicole]

It is a Marklin train, not sure about the model number. I can't find it on the car. It looks like it might screw off, but I'm a bit worried about attempting to unscrew it then breaking it. Do you all know if unscrewing is the typical way to get the roof off?

 

[Trucula]

Most cars are able to be entered thru the bottom...some have small tabs locking shell to base and some attach by screws. I have used rubber cement to add figures....You have to be careful not to knock them loose when re-assembling but if you want to move or change them they can be moved easily and the glue rubbed off with no damage or marks.

 

[OldGettysk]

Yep most passenger cars are entered through the bottom !

 

[HaggisKennedy]

There may be tabs that slip into slot in the floor of the car; they;ll be right at the edges of the body looking at it from the underside. These would be cars that have the window glass molded to the roof. If there's no glass, or the glass is separate, then the roof is a tight fit to the top of the body. Would be difficult to remove, and it's easy to dent the plastic if you try to pry it off.

But, presuming you get the roof off, you can put all kinds of people inside the passenger cars. You should know that the figures probably won't fit into the seats; you may have to cut off the legs, or the lower half of the body if you want to use a standing fig. But, it's OK since nobody will be able to see inside close up anyway.

Almost all of my passenger cars have people in them. SOme are standing in the aisles, some are walking, I have one going into the bathroom, I have a sailor looking at a woman standing by the buffet bar in the Observation car, I have two people talking, etc., etc. Most of my figs are Preiser, and I basically mix and match. No car is full, a few go a long way.

Kennedy