The Cars (Not the Band!)

I compared the cars from the fifty-year-old Revell (Arnold) trainset with the cars from the fifty-year-old Aurora (Trix) trainset.

At fist glance, they seem very similar indeed.

Very similar. But the Revell/ Arnold cars had plenty of frisky lettering and big, bold images. The Aurora/Trix cars, not so much. So I guess Revell gets a point for “finish.” Especially with this little beauty on display:

But there was a problem. Surprisingly (considering the Arnold invented the Rapido Coupler) the couplers on the Revell cars were inferior to the Aurora cars. The Aurora cars had an easy-to-replace installation where a cover was snapped into place to hold the coupler together. The Revell coupler had to be smashed into position, and then the spring be all hanging out and sh*t. Not good. Both Revell cars, veterans of many long play sessions, had “sprung” springs on the couplers.

So Aurora wins a point on the coupler issue.

So, do we have another tie? No. Not quite.

Because cabooses.

I’m not going to judge the caboose separately. It’s a “car” as far as I’m concerned– and the Revell/Arnold caboose is just crap. Not pretty and not fancy.

Score one for Aurora/Trix.

And on such things are hockey dynasties built. A chance banging of a caboose and waa-laa, Lord Stanley’s Cup is engraved with your name.

The winner of this round is Aurora/Trix. By a caboose.