upgrading handrails

[guilford681]

So I am sick of handrails breaking (Especially on Athearn units). I know smokey valley and other companies make handrails or stanchions, but they are usually kinda pricey and are hard to come by. I was wondering if the old Athearn Blue box metal handrails are close enough to scale/acceptable? Or if anyone knows any tricks about handrails. I know I can make my own with stanchions and brass which I may start doing.

Thanks

[iomalley]

The athearn handrail stanchions are just fine, especially (I find) when the railings are a darker colour.

I would suggest using 0.015" wire instead of the athearn-supplied railings, it makes it look much more realistic.

These units all have athearn stanchions...

[mkl194]

I know I've shown this before, but take a look at this PDF from the Chicago & Northwestern Historical Society about a custom RS36....there is a section showing a super easy way of doing the handrails. I use this method almost exclusively now because it takes almost no time at all to do nice handrails.

I've done piano wire and brass wire, and have to say that the brass wire is so much easier and faster it's worth the extra dollar or 2 over piano wire...

www.cnwhs.org/articles/1121826596.pdf