On Thu, Sep 22, 2022 at 11:01 AM, Tim O'Connor wrote:

I have a nice shot of an ASF cast truck (with the ASF letters and also a foundry stamp) but in the
center of the truck at the top is spelled out "BARBER S-2"

Truck makers liked to put their name on their product (it's good advertising) unless there was some patented feature that needed calling attention to. ANDREWS, BARBER S2, and RIDE CONTROL all fall into this later category. In which case, the actual manufacturer would include their foundry mark somewhere on the casting.

This little lettering can be put in the mold cavity by EDM, laser engraving, acid etching, or direct mechanical engraving. In the case of the Accurail truck that started this discussion, the lettering was acid etched into the EDM electrode used to sink the cavity.

Dennis Storzek