Welcome to the N-scale Varnish Passenger Car User's Guide, a comprehensive listing of accurately detailed passenger car models and passenger car sides that can be used to model a large number of streamline (and some heavyweight) passenger cars that once were apart of railroading in North America.
This is not a listing of all passenger car models available in N-scale. What is presented here are what can be considered the Best of the Best, with a wide variety of manufacturers being represented. While most of what is listed are car sides intended for use on the American Limited Models core kit or existing models, some ready-to-run (R-T-R) models are also included where they are of use.
The passenger car models, sides, and kits, that are listed represent a variety of methods that manufacturers are now using to create accurate, well-detailed models and car sides, which include plastic kits, cast resin kits, etched brass car sides and lazer cut plastic sides, all of which have recently been discussed in a variety of publications such as Model Railroader, Railroad Model Craftsman, N-scale, N-scale Railroading and others. From these various sources it is now possible to model a wide variety of cars, examples of which can be seen by visiting the N-scale Varnish List homepage and in the N-scale Varnish Files-section at Yahoo! Groups. (Because of changes at Yahoo! it will be necessary for you to join in order to view the files section. Unfortunately I have no control over this and I do apologize in advance for this.)
I highly recommend the following websites that deal with passenger cars (additional modeling and prototype links can be found on the Varnish Links page):
Below are a list of railroads that are now being represented by passenger car models, kits and car sides. Those roads listed in blue have finished pages while those listed in gray are still being worked on and should be posted soon.
Looking for specific cars or railroads that are not currently being produced? Consider contacting N-scale passenger car manufacturers with your request. Companies that manufacture car sides are especially looking for additional side sets to offer and your choice might just be what they are looking to make. Just use the links below to visit their website.
Below you will find a list links to all of the manufacturers* that are mentioned within this site. By clicking on the name you can visit their homepage (where possible) so as to see more about their product lines. In some cases not all of their products are listed within this site and I highly recommend that you take the time to visit their website to see all that they have to offer. (Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with any of these manufacturers and the listing of their products is without any consideration or compensation, financial or otherwise. The sole purpose of these listings is to promote the possibilities of modeling passenger trains that can now be done in N-scale.)
*Intermountain Railway Co. is offering DPH passenger cars assembled and painted for a variety of lines, just Click Here to visit their homepage for more information.
Not included in the listings are a line of etched brass car sides and cast resin kits available from J-n-J Trains, which could be suitable for use as stand-ins for a number of lines' cars. Some of the Harriman heavyweight sides are very nice. To visit their homepage just Click Here. Links to additional manufacturers can be found at the N-scale Varnish Links page.
If you know of additions or corrections that need to be made please email me at jmlaboda2ATyahoo.com. Please note: You must change "AT" to "@" for the address to work.
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