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jocoyn		#1 Posted : 09 December 2004 12:31:12(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 08/01/2004(UTC) Posts: 363 Location: , SC		Any insights on the relative quality of kits produced by the various manufactureres of buildings? Since everything locally available to me is American, I don't really know what Faller vs. Vollmer vs Heljan vs Kibri vs whatever else looks like in terms of actual quality. I know there is another manufacture starting with "A" but I don't see those in the American market.
		Nancy - slowly Building Southern Appalachians USA mountain layout
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Guus		#2 Posted : 09 December 2004 13:17:00(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 13/10/2004(UTC) Posts: 2,616		Hi Nancy, This is probably a matter of taste,nevertheless here's my personal preference: -1 Vollmer -2 Kibri -3 Faller The manufacturer starting with an "A" might that be Auhagen? I'm curious to find out what the preferences of other Forum members are. Best Regards Guus
		Kind regards, Guus
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jaques		#3 Posted : 09 December 2004 13:43:25(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 24/10/2004(UTC) Posts: 66 Location: Turnhout, Antwerp, Belgium,		1) scratch build stuff 2) kibri; rock solid stuff 3) don't know... Jonas
		Modespoor en Modelbouw (Dutch) http://users.telenet.be/herman.lauvrys/MMhome.html
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verheyen		#4 Posted : 09 December 2004 13:46:57(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 25/01/2004(UTC) Posts: 639 Location: ,		My favorites are: Auhagen Kibri Vollmer Faller The Auhagen kits, especially the newer 1:87 ones, have a very high level of detail, go together beautifully, and are a great value. Their prototypes tend to be of the eastern/middle German style, but will fit in anywhere. I HIGHLY recommend them. Auhagen has a website at http://www.auhagen.deand their distributer in the US is Euro Train Hobby in Livingston, NJ. George Sherbin is the owner. Website at http://www.eurotrainhobby.com/. For details (like scale...) look at the Auhagen site. Many of the kits made from older moulds are in the 1:100 range, well like all the Faller kits. Peter Quote: [size=1" face="Verdana" id="quote]quote:Originally posted by Guus <br />Hi Nancy, This is probably a matter of taste,nevertheless here's my personal preference: -1 Vollmer -2 Kibri -3 Faller The manufacturer starting with an "A" might that be Auhagen? I'm curious to find out what the preferences of other Forum members are. Best Regards Guus
		Peter D. Verheyen http://www.philobiblon.com/eisenbahn http://papphausen.blogspot.com/ https://www.youtube.com/user/papphausen2
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john black		#5 Posted : 09 December 2004 13:52:27(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 22/04/2004(UTC) Posts: 12,139 Location: New York, NY		Just happy with "BACHMANN" - easy to build, perfect fit and always nice to look at, even some time later ... [:p] John
		I hope no one visits a poor Southener's layout in Brooklyn. Intruders beware of Gators. AT&SF, D&RGW, T&P, SP, WP, UP, BN, NYC, ARR, epI-III - analog & digital Marklin Classics only. CU#6021 FX-MOTOROLA DIGITAL SYSTEM. Fast as lightning and no trouble. What else ... Outlaw Member of BIG JUHAN's OUTSIDER CLUB. With the most members, worldwide
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rschaffr		#6 Posted : 09 December 2004 14:59:11(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 03/01/2003(UTC) Posts: 5,181 Location: Southern New Jersey, USA		As Guus said, it is really a matter of taste. I buy kits not for their manufacturer but for the look of the item and how it fits in my plans. However, in having built many Kibri, Vollmer and Faller kits, I prefer Faller for fit and buildabiltiy, but the margin is almost nonexistent, They are all well made. Haven't built any Auhagen kits, however. In recent Faller kits, they have changed their windows from the preformed plastic windows to a flat sheet of clear material you have to cut to size. I do prefer the preformed windows in the older Faller kits and still in the other kits.
		-Ron Digital, Epoch IV-V(K-track/CS3/6021Connect/60216051), Epoch III(C-track/6021/6036/6051) http://www.sem-co.com/~rschaffr/trains/trains.html
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perz		#7 Posted : 09 December 2004 15:33:25(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 12/01/2002(UTC) Posts: 2,578 Location: Sweden		The mentioned, i.e. Auhagen, Kibri, Faller, Vollmer all have generally good quality. Pola (which is now a part of Faller) could also be mentioned. However the spread in quality between different models from the same manufacturer is much wider than between the different manufacturers. I have little experience with Heljan but the little I have seen I'm not as satisfied with them as with the other brands (but still OK). A brand I would not recommend is VauPe. The few things I have seen from them have been really low quality.
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Bill		#8 Posted : 09 December 2004 16:59:19(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 07/11/2001(UTC) Posts: 256 Location: ,		I like Auhagen too because of the quality you receive for the reaosnable price. I have bought a few kits from George for my small TT layout (the kits I bought are a mix between HO and TT, I think 1:100).
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dampf		#9 Posted : 09 December 2004 21:42:55(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 06/11/2002(UTC) Posts: 92 Location: ,		Here's my two cents worth... 1) Kibri 2) Kibri 3) Kibri 4) Faller/Vollmer/Auhagen all tie... some of the newer Auhagens are remarkably well done... Faller suffers from two many molds from acquired companies (Pola, Wiad, etc.)... Vollmer tends to be to "standardized"... 5) For fun, try a few of the Wills Kits from the UK... rarely are they "in square," but offer items not found elsewhere... 6) Pola/Heljan tie... often inspired and cheap, but not "finished" enough...
		jay kempen
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stenscience		#10 Posted : 10 December 2004 00:43:16(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 18/09/2004(UTC) Posts: 789 Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico		I will put in a plug for Heljan here, mainly because I have been building them since I was a kid and they have the look (Scandinavia) that I want. They are easy to build and inexpensive, but in all honesty, I do admit that they are not as detailed as some of the brands mentioned. They and others are available through Walthers (the website pics are not great but once you get on their mailing list you get lots of little catalogs). A lot depends on the look you want-if you are looking for European scenery, then Kibri, Vollmer, Pola, etc. are the way to go. If you are looking for US, then maybe Walthers or Grandt Line, although I have little experience there. Don't forget the Preisers...
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David Dewar		#11 Posted : 10 December 2004 00:54:01(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 01/02/2004(UTC) Posts: 7,459 Location: Scotland		You wont go wrong with Faller. They have the largest range and are more interesting to build. Vollmer are good but requires more care when choosing a kit. Kibri are the easiest to build but some extra painting can be required. Auhagen are different to the others but are worth looking at although some of their colours are not to my taste. I would try a Faller kit along with their expert cement and side cutters as a start. David
		Take care I like Marklin and will defend the worlds greatest model rail manufacturer.
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Thanos		#12 Posted : 10 December 2004 14:01:56(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 19/03/2002(UTC) Posts: 1,088 Location: Athens,		I always paint the models again and weather them accordingly. I have both faller and kibri on my layout. No Auhagen or vollmer. I don't prefer one of them more than the other. I just choose what I want for my layout!
		Thanos
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Tony		#13 Posted : 12 December 2004 08:53:44(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 18/09/2004(UTC) Posts: 726 Location: Cape Town		Hi Nancy Sorry I am only picking up on this thread now, but it is a good question - I have always been Faller-loyal, largely since the other makes were somewhat limited in the old South African days. Now that I have access to everything, I have been very impressed with the Vollmer kits - high quality plastics and excellent fittings. I also like their interesting variety/range of items. I think one must also be aware of the different levels of quality within the manufactures - you can get a starter set from Faller and the models are of a poor quality - so you get what you pay for I guess.
		Regards Tony
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Tamrac		#14 Posted : 14 December 2004 21:46:40(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 08/11/2003(UTC) Posts: 197 Location: Frenchtown, New Jersey USA		I prefer Faller and Vollmer. Quality wise, they are almost a tie. I mix-and-match based on the style. Faller also will replace any missing or broken parts free of charge. I have built some nice Kibri but they seem to be consentrating more on vehicles now that buildings. I've never built an Auhagen, or seen one in person, but they do have a nice style. Since Pola was taken over by Faller, I think they only make G-Scale now under the Pola name. Peter thanks for the hint on Auhagen distributor. I have not been able to find the brand anywhere, and I live in New Jersey.
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jocoyn		#15 Posted : 03 February 2005 13:42:55(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 08/01/2004(UTC) Posts: 363 Location: , SC		Quote: [size=1" face="Verdana" id="quote]quote:Originally posted by David Dewar <br />You wont go wrong with Faller. They have the largest range and are more interesting to build. Vollmer are good but requires more care when choosing a kit. Kibri are the easiest to build but some extra painting can be required. ..... David I have now completed a Kibri and a Vollmer kit and find the Kibri kit was extremely easy to put together. But, yes, I did find myself painting as several peices that would have been multiple different colored components in the Vollmer kit were one peice castings in the Kibri kit. And that took time as it took several thin coats of acrylic paint to get the look I wanted. The Vollmer kit took much longer to put together, but in all fairness it was the confectionary and the kibri kit was a simple 4-walled farm house. This IS addictive :) Now to get a Faller kit.
		Nancy - slowly Building Southern Appalachians USA mountain layout
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David Dewar		#16 Posted : 04 February 2005 00:55:55(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 01/02/2004(UTC) Posts: 7,459 Location: Scotland		Thats the stuff Nanacy glad to see you are hooked on building. You will find Faller very good. Some of the older kits are better as they provide proper glazing for the windows. Let us know how you get on....in no time you will be into the Faller fairground!!!! David
		Take care I like Marklin and will defend the worlds greatest model rail manufacturer.
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rschaffr		#17 Posted : 04 February 2005 03:04:11(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 03/01/2003(UTC) Posts: 5,181 Location: Southern New Jersey, USA		Nancy: It sure is addictive. I have completed buildings all over the house, many more than I can ever use. I really enjoy building them.
		-Ron Digital, Epoch IV-V(K-track/CS3/6021Connect/60216051), Epoch III(C-track/6021/6036/6051) http://www.sem-co.com/~rschaffr/trains/trains.html
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bmcrae		#18 Posted : 05 February 2005 08:26:21(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 17/12/2004(UTC) Posts: 970 Location: Okanagan Valley, BC		Hi Nancy, My choices would be: 1. Faller 2. Kibri 3. Vollmer I don't have so many kits now, but as a teen I built many for the layout my father and I worked on. I mostly picked kits I liked visually as opposed to quality of manufacturer.....in my mind they were all fairly close.
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Davy		#19 Posted : 05 February 2005 17:59:11(UTC) Retweet
Joined: 29/08/2003(UTC) Posts: 1,915 Location: Netherlands		My choice would be 1/2 Faller and Vollmer nr3 Kibri. It is also hard to get where I live.
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