Model Railroading > Union Station Products

Just curious if anyone has used this company before? They have some, what appear to be, nice car sides. Especially their Theatre car kits.

Obviously it peaked my interest because they have KCS OCS sides, as I plan to build a 90’s version of their train.

Any info? Reviews?

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A number of my friends have used USP car sides and kits to make superb models.  I found the one I tried to be tricky, taking a lot of finishing work to make the car sides fit properly to the core kit, but that's probably more due to my iffy modeling skills than the quality of the model. Based on my friends' work, I'd highly recommend them.

Art House

I have used some of their products.
All were OK.

Uncle Joe

I recently picked up 3 of their cars, 3 cars I was facing scratch building if these kits didn’t exist. So right from the start I’m trilled to have them!
All 3 are smooth side, so I can’t speak as to how the fluting works out. My cars are SP types and are not 85’. The base body kits ARE 85’, so I’ve had to cut them down. (not really a problem, just a heads up).
The kits are just the basic car bodies. So adding all the detail (roof vents, underbody, trucks, couplers, diaphragms, interiors, grabs, etc, etc ) becomes the adventure, combing through various parts sources. I’m enjoying the heck out of it!
SR

They talk about using Walthers cars and putting the sides on the exsisting car. I wonder how that ends up. Do you try to find a car with similar window patterns?

WAF Wrote:
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> They talk about using Walthers cars and putting
> the sides on the exsisting car. I wonder how that
> ends up. Do you try to find a car with similar
> window patterns?

No, I think the idea is that you’d completely cut out the donor car’s side and replace it with theirs. But you’d end up dealing with moving roof vents and who knows what else, so I just went with their core kits- a clean slate, so to speak.
SR

When you order a car side from them you can tell them what car kit you are using for the "core", and tell them how long that kit is and they will cut the sides to fit that core.    It is by far and away most cost effective to use a cheap to buy Walthers passenger car as your core.     Just buy a Walthers car that is as close as possible, plus you get nice trucks and an interior.     Look on Youtube for VDO's to get the Walthers car apart.    They come apart very easily with the righ technique.   I use the twisting each end in opposite directions.      Then the sides can be carefully pried off at the snap in pins.    The USP car side can be glued directly to the Walthers space frame, it works perfectly.   One warning, do NOT try to use a Walthers Mainline series car as the sides do not come off.

I called and asked about cutting down the core kit, but was told no- the customers have to cut them to fit.  They did, however, remove the car's skirts as needed.  They even left the 3" skirt on one of the cars for me (an interim phase on some SP cars).
SR

I understand they cannot cut down a core kit, but they will cut the sides to length to fit the core kit you are using.     Just send them the needed length in inches, millimeters, or HO scale feet and inches.    I have a number of side sets that are all cut to fit on a Walthers car that I am using for a core.    For instance, as you might have noticed I model Santa Fe.    I have three Santa Fe Pullman Standard 44 seat coach side sets, they are cut to fit on a Walthers 64 seat PS coach.    After fixing the interior to match 44 seats I have 20 extra seats for other projects.     That car also comes with Commonwealth trucks which are more or less correct for the Santa Fe car.     I have two cars painted super shiny black ready for Allclad II "Polished Aluminum", that gives a finish close to the Walthers so called plated finish.