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McKeen Car in O Scale

Madison KirkmanMadison KirkmanOGR Forum Member

If the McKeen Car were to be designed in O Scale in both 70' and 55' versions and built with a motor and lights, rivets (correctly placed and spaced, with the correct amount,) passenger interiors.  What else would you expect of it and what's the highest amount of money you would pay for it?  I know about all the disappointed fans of MTH not making the McKeens, but with my plans, I can now make the cars even more accurately then M.T.H., and I think you would like them more.  The cars would be 3-D printed, and have a motor on the front truck.  I am debating how I would do it, but I am also thinking about having the doors work, the cab door, baggage door, and the passenger door.  So let me know what you think, and maybe this could become a fund raiser for my project.  

 

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Madison KirkmanMadison KirkmanOGR Forum Member
I could make the trailer cars, I don't have nice design plans for the #499, the 68' U.P. trailer car, but that could be faked.  I am guessing a model 70' fully painted, motorized with all the simple electronics would cost me around $700-$1000.  The trailers might cost me about $300.  The end sale price may be around the $1500-$2200 range, but the proceeds would go to my project and would help pay for the designing of the other models.  If this really takes off, I might even do a McKeen Switcher Engine. 
 
 
Originally Posted by RoyBoy:

Even a simple one with fixed doors would be fine with me.

 

Would you make a trailer, too?

 

What kind of pricing are you projecting?

 

Last edited by Madison Kirkman
jd-trainjd-trainOGR Forum Member

Madison,

 

The McKeen car although very cool, does not fit into my roster, but I wanted to say that your attempt to save and restore the original car is very admirable.

 

I hope that I am wrong, but my opinion is that for 2k, folks would probably expect brass not plastic.

 

Having fixed doors might lower the price a bit.  Hopefully the price of 3D printing will come down in the near future., allowing the car to be sold at a lower price and still make sure money for your project.

 

Jim 

Madison KirkmanMadison KirkmanOGR Forum Member
Thank you for your thoughts, 2000K is pretty expensive, and I can 3-d print in brass, although it would cost a lot more.  I do hope the price goes down also, because at this point that is about the only way I can make a nice model.
 
 
Originally Posted by jd-train:

Madison,

 

The McKeen car although very cool, does not fit into my roster, but I wanted to say that your attempt to save and restore the original car is very admirable.

 

I hope that I am wrong, but my opinion is that for 2k, folks would probably expect brass not plastic.

 

Having fixed doors might lower the price a bit.  Hopefully the price of 3D printing will come down in the near future., allowing the car to be sold at a lower price and still make sure money for your project.

 

Jim 

 

Madison KirkmanMadison KirkmanOGR Forum Member
Originally Posted by Madison Kirkman:
Thank you for your thoughts, 2K is pretty expensive, and I can 3-d print in brass, although it would cost a lot more.  I do hope the price goes down also, because at this point that is about the only way I can make a nice model.
 
 
Originally Posted by jd-train:

Madison,

 

The McKeen car although very cool, does not fit into my roster, but I wanted to say that your attempt to save and restore the original car is very admirable.

 

I hope that I am wrong, but my opinion is that for 2k, folks would probably expect brass not plastic.

 

Having fixed doors might lower the price a bit.  Hopefully the price of 3D printing will come down in the near future., allowing the car to be sold at a lower price and still make sure money for your project.

 

Jim 

 

 

CH colorado hirailerOGR Forum Member

Overland or somebody made this in brass, 2 rail, with a shortie 20-30'? RPO/baggage

trailer which I think was used by the Southern Pacific.  I have not seen photos of a trailer as long as 68'.  What did it cost (selling price) per each for the 3rd Rail Budd cars, in brass and then again in plastic, and for the 3rd Rail Pa. gas electric?  Should be comparable to those costs/prices.  Wonder what the original "Overland" version,

not so long ago, sold for?  Lots of cost analysis required to see what is feasible: 

working doors, non-working, etc. etc., to make sure you don't take a bath, but that

is priced so you can actually sell out of a run of them.  I would demand commitments

and deposits, when you get that far.  (MTH did not get enough commitments)

Madison KirkmanMadison KirkmanOGR Forum Member
Those overland Models were HO, and were inaccurate, the trucks were wrong, the tanks were missized and placed, the windows were, in some cases the wrong size or place.  Some of the decals were way to large and incorrect rivets.   
 
The Precision S.P. Models, (H.O.) had incorrect trucks, missing radiators, and incorrect rivets. 
 
I want to make near perfect models, and I can design the models myself, but I want to make sure when I go to print, paint, power, decal, assemble and ship these models, that those costs don't exceed 70% that of the sale price.  
 
And is it known if MTH made a prototype (pre-production, not 1:1) model of there McKeen Car?  
 
Originally Posted by colorado hirailer:

Overland or somebody made this in brass, 2 rail, with a shortie 20-30'? RPO/baggage

trailer which I think was used by the Southern Pacific.  I have not seen photos of a trailer as long as 68'.  What did it cost (selling price) per each for the 3rd Rail Budd cars, in brass and then again in plastic, and for the 3rd Rail Pa. gas electric?  Should be comparable to those costs/prices.  Wonder what the original "Overland" version,

not so long ago, sold for?  Lots of cost analysis required to see what is feasible: 

working doors, non-working, etc. etc., to make sure you don't take a bath, but that

is priced so you can actually sell out of a run of them.  I would demand commitments

and deposits, when you get that far.  (MTH did not get enough commitments)

 

jd-trainjd-trainOGR Forum Member

Madison,

 

Perhaps HO is a better market for the McKeen car?

 

HO is a much larger segment of the hobby than O gauge.  And, if you are going to 3-D print the car, would only take 1/8 the material to print. I wonder if there would be the possibility to use an existing frame and motor from another HO model?

 

Jim

Madison KirkmanMadison KirkmanOGR Forum Member
Good point, I guess I am kind of bias for O scale, so if I did make them in Ho, I would offer it custom.  And I couldn't use a different truck and motor as the trucks were unique to the McKeen cars. 
 
I will design a Ho model, and have a test printed, I may try that since it wouldn't be as expensive. 
 
 
 
Originally Posted by jd-train:

Madison,

 

Perhaps HO is a better market for the McKeen car?

 

HO is a much larger segment of the hobby than O gauge.  And, if you are going to 3-D print the car, would only take 1/8 the material to print. I wonder if there would be the possibility to use an existing frame and motor from another HO model?

 

Jim

 

Madison KirkmanMadison KirkmanOGR Forum Member
I do, as a 16 year old I do, I have about 90 O scale models, and I am building a model McKeen Car, which I may never finish.  It's really hard to finish the roof off, and I can't print the roof to my car very easily.
 
I don't have a layout, only about 100' of fastrack which makes for a nice Christmas Layout, which I just pulled up today.  My dad collected mostly Ho when he was younger, and he has about 200 cars stashed in the garage, each with it's box.  I haven't spent any money on models in the past 2 years, it's all gone towards papers and such, including a letter from Mr. McKeen himself, but now it's all going towards the project.  
 
And about the groups, I visited the PSRM on November 9th, and I've personally talked with Mrs. Hyatt and Mr. Pennick, who has told me he's been interested in the McKeen Cars for quite a while.  A friend of mine, Mr. Tomeraasen is a member of the Balboa Park model train group, so I have ties all over. 
 
 
Originally Posted by bigdodgetrain:

I know are have a lot invested in the McKeen car.

 

do you have any O gauge trains?

 

 

please consider joining one or more of the clubs listed below.

 

feel free to show up and check us out.

 

B bigdodgetrainOGR Forum Member
Originally Posted by Madison Kirkman:
I do, as a 16 year old I do, I have about 90 O scale models, and I am building a model McKeen Car, which I may never finish.  It's really hard to finish the roof off, and I can't print the roof to my car very easily.
 
I don't have a layout, only about 100' of fastrack which makes for a nice Christmas Layout, which I just pulled up today.  My dad collected mostly Ho when he was younger, and he has about 200 cars stashed in the garage, each with it's box.  I haven't spent any money on models in the past 2 years, it's all gone towards papers and such, including a letter from Mr. McKeen himself, but now it's all going towards the project.  
 
And about the groups, I visited the PSRM on November 9th, and I've personally talked with Mrs. Hyatt and Mr. Pennick, who has told me he's been interested in the McKeen Cars for quite a while.  A friend of mine, Mr. Tomeraasen is a member of the Balboa Park model train group, so I have ties all over. 
 
 
Originally Posted by bigdodgetrain:

I know are have a lot invested in the McKeen car.

 

do you have any O gauge trains?

 

 

please consider joining one or more of the clubs listed below.

 

feel free to show up and check us out.

 

when you turn 18 if you join the san digeo 3 railers you can  run what you own on our layout.  lots of fun for low cost.

 

when you turn 18 if you join the all gauge toy train association when we put up the modular layout you can run what you own.  lots of fun for even lower cost but less time as the modular layout only gets put up a few times a year.

 

in the mean time you are welcome to be my guest at the san digeo 3-railers any Tuesday except free Tuesday.  I or someone will share a line with you.

Last edited by bigdodgetrain
CH colorado hirailerOGR Forum Member

Well, in addition to Ken Kidder, there was an expensive brass O scale, two rail Mckeen

car imported.  I will have to look for the ad tomorrow, but there are O scalers on this

forum that are aware of that, and probably own one.  It could be bought, as I remember, with and without that shortie trailer, and lettered for the SP.  With the

price and a needed machine shop conversion to three rail, not much hope in it.

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