Jim Betz wrote:

Tony,
===> THANKS !!! <===
So even in the transition era tank cars that required placarding were, more or less and mostly more, in captive service ... in that they tended to be hauled either loaded (or empty) over and over for the same 'family' of products
===> correct?

Yes, that was very common.

The placard you picked up at WinteRail was "produced by the SLSF". Was that 'the practice' for placards in the steam era? I'm asking "were the placards in the steam era usually printed by/for the RRs and therefore would normally have a logo on them?".

I have seen them with and without railroad emblems. I suspect there were commercial producers of placards, just as there are today, and many users may have opted for the commercial (no emblem) placards.

Has anyone ever seen any kind of "post it note material" for consumer use that can be run thru a printer? . . . would be ideal for model use since you could even change out the placards on your cars between/during ops . . . it would be nice to have placards and other such items (waybills, etc.) that could be 'attached' to the model but also be able to change them out!

Jim, I tried this with SP train indicators using Post-It material--it only remains sticky for a few uses. But the basic idea is nice -- if rather fiddly in practice. I don't really have a desire to fuss with little bits of Post-It which are losing their grip, especially with tank cars with vulnerable placard holders. But of course YMMV.

Tony Thompson Editor, Signature Press, Berkeley, CA
2906 Forest Ave., Berkeley, CA 94705 www.signaturepress.com
(510) 540-6538; fax, (510) 540-1937; e-mail, thompson@...
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