American Models Budd passenger car set

S GAUGE ENTHUSIASTS who have a fancy for passenger trains will want to take note of the release of Budd passenger cars by American Models.

The basic set has four cars: a baggage/coach combine, coach, diner, and observation car.

The car shells are made of plastic, and the tooling is terrific. The cars are smooth with a level of detail including rivets, ribbing, cast-in doors, and appropriate seams. The ends of the cars have add-on simulated diaphragms that include the ribbing for them to extend.

Other exterior add-ons include vents and grab irons. The undersides of the cars have cast-in pipes, compressors, tanks, and utility boxes. Each also has a metal weight. The die-cast metal trucks are fully sprung and roll quite nicely.

The car interiors include seats and tables, as applicable. The cars have all-wheel power pickup for interior illumination to minimize flickering on switches and crossovers.

The shells are 133/8 inches long (coupler-to-coupler 14 inches), 21/2 inches tall, and 13/4 inches wide.

The cars come undecorated (silver) and in Atlantic Coast Line, Baltimore & Ohio, Burlington, New York Central, Pennsylvania, Rock Island, Santa Fe, Southern, and Union Pacific road names.
Separate-sale coaches are also available from American Models.

Needless to say, if you don’t have a diesel that matches these road names, American Models can help you out there, too.

The American Models Budd cars are as spiffy as they come. They look good, have superb decoration, and roll well. Now may be the time to retire your postwar Flyer coaches to your layout’s “museum” and launch some premier passenger service on your railroad.