Accurail has new boxes

[lvrr325]

I picked up a new Accurail kit for inventory and it came in an all new box.  It opens from the top and looks like it's made from one piece of cardboard like a cereal box. Probably less expensive for them, but the material is thinner. 

The only thing I wish they'd do to it is stamp it so I can pull out part of the top and put a window in it.  I've been wrapping the bottom half of the old style boxes and putting the top on upside down so people can see the cars, if you don't wrap them people dig in there and act like it's going to be missing parts or something even though all the Accurail kits I have are new.  


I think Accurail was the last one using the style of box that model train kits have come in since the 1950s, with a plain cardboard base.  A number of folks still give us a 2 piece box but the materials are fancier.   

[wagnersteve]

9/25/2024, a little after 3:30 p.m., EDT

lvrr3235, thanks for starting this thread.

This may be what is in German is called eine Verschlimmbesserung (a supposed improvment that actually makes things worse).

I'm satisfied with the traditional cardboard boxes for cars, though sometimes not for locos. I do add some informal padding once the cars are assembled. When I buy assembled models I do like to see them. If parfs for kits come in sealed small envelopes or are wrapped together another way I don't open those, trusting that all will be present.

[hudsonyard]

Accurail boxes were a great general use box for stored cars, or projects without a box. Wonder if this is one of the first post-Dennis changes.

[mvlandsw]

Are the new boxes long enough to hold a model with the couplers installed?

[riogrande]

Sept 26, 2024 13:28:01 GMT -8 mvlandsw said:

Are the new boxes long enough to hold a model with the couplers installed?

Now that is something if they do. I have always had to remove a coupler to get many of my kit built models back in the box.

[Mr. Trainiac]

The best kit boxes on the market right now are the Scaletrains Kit Classics boxes. The biggest weakness of the top-opening boxes like Accurail and Athearn Blue Box is the fact that there's no padding. Grab irons (or whatever is the widest part of the car) end up supporting the weight of the car, and if you painted the model, they always end up chipped and scuffed. The Scaletrains box can store the kit parts as well as the assembled model in the same cradle.

However, if this change can help reduce cost I'd support it. The cheaper they can make these kits the better, because once they start approaching Walthers Mainline prices, there really isn't much reason to buy a kit unless it's for kitbashing or superdetailing purposes. A lot of Accurail models have RTR counterparts from other brands, so they have to compete on cost to keep their models a viable alternative.

[wagnersteve]

9/26/2024, starting about 7:31 p.m., EDT

For me, one reason for preferring a decorated kit to some makes of assembled models, notably InterMountain, is that I think I can do a better job of assembling it than is sometimes done in assembling RTR cars. I've been unhappy with the assembly of several cars, and repairing a badly done job of cementing a model, such as a bulkhead flatcar of a cylindrical tank-type covered hopper is something I'd rather not have to do.

I agree that the packaging of the ScaleTrains Kit Classics modles is very good indeed.

[bdhicks]

I had bought spare boxes from Accurail before to hold projects that didn't have their own boxes. I see they've got the updated boxes on their online store already, though it looks like the long boxes haven't changed yet.

accurailinc.com/collections/kit-boxes-1

[lvrr325]

These boxes are approximately the same size as the previous boxes, just made differently. I only have this one, but the top on it has a slight arch rather than wanting to stay flat.

Accurail kits have come with tissue or other cheap paper padding for some time now.

[Colin 't Hart]

I'm sad. I love a nice box. So does sd40dash2. He uses them for a lot of his builds. He'll be sad too.

[markfj]

I was never a fan of using simple boxes for kits in model railroading or regular plastic models. Parts and painted surfaces inevitably get damaged, which causes frustration and makes for a much less enjoyable model-building experience. Bowser also recently redesigned the packaging for their kits, and they really jam the parts in there. Athearn does this too with their undecorated cars. They will shove all the parts into the top or bottom of the plastic clamshell insert. I got two undecorated airslide hopper kits a while ago that had damaged and severely bent end cage parts. For kits, I think it’s worth the extra effort and cost to the manufacturer to have separate packaging designed. It just makes for a better product and a happier customer.

Just my two cents!

Mark J.
Reading, PA

[lvrr325]

The last Bowser kits I got came in more or less a Stewart box but green. I haven't seen a new kit from them in several years

[packer]

I kinda liked the accurail box. I add bits of foam to them to carry cars that don't have boxes and make a label for them