Resin Car Works is sponsoring the upcoming RPM Conference in Naperville, IL. Several new RCW HO scale kits will debut at the event.

One of the new kits follows a never modeled before prototype; a late 1920’s offset side hopper with Enterprise side sheets. These cars are similar to the post war Illinois Central twin hoppers, but one-foot, nine-inches longer than the later standard 33-foot interior length cars.

Seven roads had these cars. We have decals ready for five of them; IC, C&IM, GN, SOO, and NP. The earliest IC ones were built in 1927. Dave Campbell created artwork for the IC and C&IM decals while Ken Soroos produced the GN, SOO, and NP art. Tom Madden is doing the casting work.

The kit consists of a one-piece body resin hopper with sides and ends, a resin parts sheet, Accurail brake parts, Tichy hopper weights and AB brake parts, and decals. The modeler is to supply all the stirrups, eyebolts, small wire and styrene bits, trucks, couplers, and any small screws needed to complete the model. The kit price is $40 each. The lack of the small parts helps us keep the kit costs reasonable, as many modelers will need more than one of these hoppers.

But wait, that’s not all! Two other kits will be released. These are upgrades of older Sunshine Models kits from masters that RCW honcho Frank Hodina had created.

The short UTLX Class X-3 8000 gallon tank car is one of the refreshed kits.

The other kit is a Central of New Jersey, 40-foot, steel-sheathed automobile box car. Each of these new kits will have limited quantities available at the RPM event.

A pair of popular mini-kits will also be available at the RPM Conference. These are also in limited numbers, mainly because the decals sets are in short supply.

Resin detail parts for an Illinois Central, 40-foot single-sheathed box car can be installed on an HO scale Accurail model. Ed Rethwisch did a fine job on the model above. This mini-kit is a reissue of the 2019 RPM Chicagoland gift, which was later reissued in the RCW product line.

Another mini-kit will be available to detail an IC 1946 AAR steel-sheathed boxcar. The model above is also the work of Ed Rethwisch.

Not all of these kits and mini-kits will be available after the RPM.

Resin Car Works won’t be the only resin freight car kit producer at the event. Funaro & Camerlengo, Rocket Express, Speedwitch Media, and Yarmouth Model Works will be there with an array of kits. Rails Unlimited often has several O scale resin freight car kits, too. I hear there will be someone selling a table full of Sunshine Models kits.

We have less than a month before the doors open on October 27 for the RPM Conference in Naperville, IL. The registration is $50 for both days. A Friday Night Social is offered for an extra $43. We are accepting PayPal for registrations, or you can print off and complete a PDF file to mail in with a check. If you choose to print out the PDF registration and mail it in with a check, please have these postmarked by October 7.

We must close registration for the Friday Night Social on October 14 as the event center needs a head count for the food and drink. The advance registration via PayPal will also end on that day. The University facility needs a to know the RPM attendance in advance, so we must close the registration early. After October 14, registration can be done at the door at a $60 cost. Single-day registration of $30 will also be available.

The RPM Conference crew has been busy planning a great event as we relaunch this Chicago area classic in a new facility. If you are looking for a hotel, here’s a link to a Google Map showing the nearby options that are easy walking distance to the Northern Illinois University Conference Center.

We are looking forward to seeing you at the RPM!

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