On Wed, Jan 4, 2023 at 12:22 PM, Tim O'Connor wrote:

Didn't Mr. Gould also produce the 120 ton Brownhoist crane ? That's one of the finest kit
models out there.

He may have been 'limited' but the engineering of the kits was fabulous...

Yes, but let me explain. Gould was very skilled at engraving cavities, as was Cliff Grandt, but both pretty much limited themselves to simple 'open and close' tooling that could be done by engraving flat plates, rather than more complicated tooling that requires side actions that must fit together and fit the wedges that lock them closed. This is specifically what is needed to do bodies that incorporate sides, ends, and roof, or sides, ends, and floor into one part, which eases the assembly and decorating of a model. Sometimes the simplest part requires a really complex tool. Case in point is the running board that Kadee designed for their PS-1. A simple enough part, until you notice the free standing grab irons are molded integral with the open grid walkway. That requires side actions that slide over part of the open grid. Look closely at that part and note that the direction of the draft on the grid is reversed on the portion of the grid under the slide, yet the openings are all the same size. That mold took not only skill to make, but also skill to design, and balls to approve, since if it didn't work a LOT of money would be down the drain. Ask the old Branchline Trains crew just how easy it is to tool an open grid running board.

Anyway, I've been told that the wrecker was directly responsible for Bill Gould leaving the model railroad industry. After it was released he started the PFE reefer, the watched the sales of the wrecker wither, became disenchanted, and put the line up for sale.

Dennis Storzek