True, your decision. However...
As mentioned, the DPH box cars and hoppers will do R20 (see Ben's picture earlier.) How can DPH not be a major player when 85-90% of their line is Hirail equipped right out of the box???
Seems like you're dismissing the entire DPH line because of your experience with the Husky Stack.
Y'know, once on the scale Yahoo board, someone chortled on how Pacific Rail Shops cars (now owned by DPH) was scale only and couldn't be used for Hirail. I promptly posted pictures of two Hirail conversions I did: a 40' reefer and a 40' boxcar. It was an easy conversion and of course DPH now offers the same type cars (and more) with Hirail wheels and couplers.
Not a player indeed...
MTH doesn't have anything modern in S. Nobody in the real world runs piggy backs on 50' GSC flatcars anymore. Haven't since the late 1960's. Sure, MTH has some PS2 hoppers in contemporary paint, but these are also mid-1950's design cars.
Also, all of MTH's former S Helper Service cars just happen to be scale cars with Hirail wheels and couplers.
I'll grant AM is your best bet with the tank cars, covered hoppers, Railbox cars and maybe even the gondola's.
BTW: You do know that AM started out as a scale only manufacturer? What did they do to attract the Hirail/Flyer crowd? Change the wheels and couplers.
As for Lionel/Flyer... Contemporary graphics on some of the cylindrical hoppers, sorta OK as they they're the only game in town (better if the cars rode at the proper height.) The 40' waffle side boxcar is also sorta OK, but it still boarders on the edge of reality. These and other than the converted and oversized O27 spine car from a decade or so ago, they pretty much got nuthin'.
Rusty
