FAQs 

There are some very common questions people have about Reading Car Company. Here are some answers. If your question isn’t here, feel free to contact us!

What do you build?

We have our own line of freight cars which we sell as kits or as ready to run models. We also assemble other manufacturer’s kits for you. Finally, we can paint and decal the cars for you if you would like.

I see lots of pictures of hopper cars. Where can I get one?

The cars you are probably referring to are produced by Sprayberry Hopper. There are 2 different versions, both rounded end and standard end. Both are models of the Offset Hopper style which was common from the early 40s through the late 70s. We work closely with Sprayberry Hopper and you can contact them to discuss pricing.

How long does it take to produce a car?

That depends on the car. More simple cars are quicker to produce. More complicated cars can take months to complete.

What is your lead time?

That varies wildly depending on demand. The demand for ready to run cars is quite strong in the hobby, so our lead times may be up to 6 months or more. Contact us to find out what our current lead time is.

What is your payment policy?

For most of our products, we require a 50% down payment to guarantee you a kit. The remaining 50% is due when the kit is ready to be shipped and must be paid before shipping or delivery in person. (Shipping is additional and quoted for each order) For fully assembled cars, 50% of the kit price is due when you order, the other 50% is due when the cars are delivered to us from the metal shop, and the assembly cost (including trucks, couplers, paint and decal cost, if applicable) is due when the car is ready for delivery to you.

How does delivery work?

We’re based near Reading, PA. If you are local (or willing to drive) you can pick your project right here for no cost. We often go to the Mill Creek Central Railroad in Coshocton, OH and are happy to deliver your cars there at no additional cost. We are happy to consider invites to other railroads in the eastern US as well. If you would like to have your car shipped to you, we can also do that to anywhere in the world at your cost plus a crate fee. If you’d like to suggest alternate arrangements, we’re happy to discuss that with you also.

I need something in 1” scale. Do you build them?

Generally no, but as with anything else, we’d be happy to discuss the project with you.

What materials do you build cars out of?

The most common material is steel, but we also build or assemble cars from wood and aluminum, or any combination thereof. Cars may be assembled using screws, bolts, rivets, or welds depending on what type of car it is.

What schedule does production of a new car follow?

Designing and building a new car from scratch isn’t quick, easy or cheap. From the time a prototype is chosen, our CAD designer works to create the drawings for the sheet metal parts. Meanwhile our fabricators order frame steel and other components. (2-3 weeks). Once the drawings are approved, they’re sent to our metal shop for review and quoting. (2 weeks). From that point, we commission production of a set of parts for prototyping. This allows us to discover any fitment or design issues before running the model. (4-6 weeks).

Once the steel parts arrive at our shop, we begin assembly. Depending on the car, this can take anywhere from 2-3 weeks for a simple car to 4-5 weeks for a more complicated car. The next step is the review process in which we send feedback to the shop and our CAD designer to make any changes to the model.(1-2 weeks) Next, if no changes are needed, we open a “pre-order” window where you can order the car and make a deposit. (4-6 weeks). At the closure of the pre-order window, we order all the car parts from our steel shop. Production usually takes from 5-8 weeks, depending on their queue of projects. In the meantime, we acquire all the other parts necessary to fulfill your order. This includes packaging (if being shipped), screws, bolts, rivets, etc along with trucks, couplers, airbrakes, other details, and decals.

When the parts come in from our steel shop, the customer is notified and the cars are packed into boxes for pickup or delivery. As soon as the remaining balance is paid, the car is shipped out.

I want a custom car. What does that cost?

Short answer… It depends. Long answer…. It still depends. We are happy to discuss building you a car that doesn’t yet exist in the live steam hobby. That said, it can be quite expensive. Ordering a single car kit for you can run you between $3,000 - $5,000 depending on the amount of work to be done and what type of car it is. Single cars like this come not only with the car itself, but you also own the drawings. If you’d prefer to save some money, we may (at our option) retain ownership of the drawings and produce the car commercially, at which point you’d be able to purchase the car from us at regular prices.