I just viewed the Atlas O announcement for January? They are rolling out box cars without opening doors. Is Atlas O ever going to make a box car with opening doors again? I won't buy them anymore if they don't have opening doors. Opening doors give you options when setting up dioramas around your layout. What do you guys think?
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Yes like opening doors they seem to look more realistic when running.
YES, ALWAYS! It was the way I was brought up! :-)
No brainer. I even run some of them with the doors open, as is prototypical, especially pre-70's.
However, I gladly buy fixed-door boxcars - usually already assembled and 3-rail-trucked kits - of the older All-Nation, Athearn O, etc., and the nice brass ones, when the prices are right.
So - a fixed-door box purchase is not out of the question. Like everything else, it depends.
I like both. The Lionel scale high cube box cars have non opening doors and that doesn't bother me.......Paul
Opening doors is an absolute necessity. How else is my 6 year old granddaughter and the rest of the little girls on this planet (maybe the universe) going to give their Shopkins long distance, high speed train rides in boxcars.
And if you don't know what a Shopkins is, then you are totally not hip!
LOL
Bob,
The Great thing is there are thousands of different Atlas Box Cars available that have doors that open, one of my Favorites is the WAG Box Car they made years ago. I have been purchasing them for my WAG Logging Train and they are quite nice, in fact better than the other custom made Cars. Wish they were Tin Plate darn it.
PCRR/Dave
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Non opening doors is not a deal breaker for me.
Maybe as I understand Atlas's logic. Opening doors are a HUGE cost. More tooling, more painting and pad printing, more assembly which translates to more labor and chance of parts being broken during assembly and shipping. From my hobby dealings in manufacturing I can see a saving of 25% or more.......and that makes it a go/no go deal.
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I definitely prefer non-opening doors. I like the slides and tracks to be scale size and painted body color. Opening doors always seem to lead to very oversize tracks and then many are just stamped black metal.
I have several Atlas O box cars with opening doors. I prefer being able to have the doors open as a choice, than fixed closed doors. At today’s prices, there should be no question, doors should be able to be opened or closed. Actually, I have some of both, Atlas box cars that have opening doors, and non opening doors. Never really questioned it. Good Question.
The cars are almost $100.00 per copy, they need to have operating doors at that price. No excuse. The less expensive MTH cars have them.
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Opening doors please.
To be realistic I think opening doors would be a good idea.
IMO, opening doors are not a necessity, but they should appear to be able to open and there should, at least, be an option for opening doors, even at an extra cost.
of course opening doors!!!!!
Yes, don't want them if the doors don't open.