On Jan 19, 2012, at 2:46 PM, Bill Welch wrote:

I am building one of the IC's single door single sheathed 40-ft
boxcars, Sunshine #57.2. These cars were originally numbered
176000-176999 and renumbered 16000-16975 after WWII. I have several
photos but none give me a clear view of the ends. I am especially
interested seeing the location of the lower grabs on the ends and the
brake wheel layout if possible. Does anyone know of a source of a
photo with a good view of the end, "B" end prefered?

Bill,
When I built Sunshine 57.2, I went through the same thought process you
are going through. This won't answer your question conclusively but
might be of limited help. The cars were built in 1927 by Pullman
(176000-176499) and Mount Vernon (176500-176999). A builder's photo of
176399, built 10-27, is shown on page 385 of the 1928 Car Builders'
Cyclopedia. The "B" end is barely visible and does not provide a good
view of what you are looking for. A 3/4 "B" end builder's photo of
176999 is available from the National Archives of Canada. Perhaps
someone on the STMFC has this image that may have the car turned more
towards the end.

IC 176999
CLASS/TYPE: B SS 40'
PH. DESCRIPTION: 3/4 B;BP
NOTES: blt. Mt.VC 9/27
PA NEG. NO.:
ACC#/LOC.: Merr/1980-149;D/6855

As built the cars had Jemco vertical-staff hand brakes and KC brakes.
Photos of renumbered cars 16066 (W. C. Whittaker, 1954, left side view)
and 16704 (Paul Dunn, 1959, right side view from R. Burg) show
broadside views in which the ends cannot be seen. The cars received AB
brakes by these dates, however, I cannot determine if the
vertical-staff hand brakes were replaced with power hand brakes. The
1954 IC diagram isn't of help, except that it does not list any type of
power hand brake. I got my model about 98% built when I stopped in
hopes that other photos might surface. Let's hope that more photos are
out there.
Regards,
Ed Hawkins

I am building one of the IC's single door single sheathed 40-ft
boxcars, Sunshine #57.2. These cars were originally numbered
176000-176999 and renumbered 16000-16975 after WWII. I have several
photos but none give me a clear view of the ends. I am especially
interested seeing the location of the lower grabs on the ends and the
brake wheel layout if possible. Does anyone know of a source of a
photo with a good view of the end, "B" end prefered?

Thank you!
Bill Welch
2225 Nursery Road; #20-104
Clearwater, FL 33764-7622
727.470.9930
fgexbill@tampabay.rr.com

It is nice to see the ladies getting more involved in the hobby.If my wife was still alive she would be excited,for the longest time she felt like the elephant in the room.All the meets and hobby shop we went to, she was usually the only woman there that wasn't "dragged there by the hubby".Glad you are here.Mark McCoy tavwot@yahoo.com


________________________________
From: Ashley Pollard <ashley@apnix.demon.co.uk>
To: STMFC@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2012 3:17 AM
Subject: [STMFC] Re-Introducing Myself


 
On 19/01/2012 01:42, Tim O'Connor wrote:

Bill, one of the best Southern Pacific modelers around is
Elizabeth Allen... She's not on this list but is an active
and knowledgeable contributor on the Espee and Modern Freight
Cars mailing lists. Ashley is welcome here because she likes
freight cars and the steam era. That's good enough for me.

I have a friend who has a whole photo album of P&SR rolling
stock! I've begged him to get those photos published or just
scanned but no luck, he won't budge.

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the warm welcome. Now just don't geek out on me, okay.

Tim,

That is just so annoying. The one thing I need for my manuscript is
about another 250 photographs, as I have about 50, but would probably
need 300 (on the assumption that each double page spread would have
three photographs).

Such is the life of anyone researching anything to do with historical
railways I guess.

--
Ashley Pollard
Ashley@apnix.demon.co.uk

---------------------------------------

http://no-two-alike.blogspot.com/

Fred,
There is a Historical Society for the A&D. That's according to James
King of Lynchburg, Virginia.
James was an employee and last I know of was working for the local
Kabota dealer as a mechanic. He also models the A&D and there is also a book
out.
I know of no contact info for Mr. King, so you are on your own. If you
find a contact, you can tell him that I gave his name. He'll know me from
the old hobby shop in town, Trains Unlimited (closed).
Good luck,
Chuck Hladik

And, indeed, Al's photo has been approved.

Mike Brock

Folks,
I'm interested anything from the Atlantic & Danville(A&D) Rwy or the later Norfolk Franklin & Danville(NF&D). Looking for photos(b&w/color), slides, timetables, employee mag(chatterbox) ETC.
If you have anything and would be willing to let go of it/sell, contact me offlist
thanks
Fred Mullins

One of the cherished principles of the STMFC, and Prototype Rails, is to "check your ego at the door". (A search of the group archives suggests that this quote is due to Greg Martin.)

Last year I asked for help with some details of a Southern War Emergency hopper and its Enterprise Type D door locks. Several list members were most generous with photos and data. I posted the results in a folder called "Southern War Emergency Hopper".

One of the photos shared with me (by Bob Karig) showed the older Type C gear, and appeared to indicate that the shaft goes only halfway across the car. This design seemed so un-ergonomic I had trouble believing it, and I didn't have a comparable photo of the Type D; so I modelled the Type D with the shaft going all the way across.

At Prototype Rails earlier this month, Bill Darnaby and Mont Switzer authoritatively (yet tactfully) convinced me that the Type D gear *is* on only one side of the car, namely the right. I've modified my model accordingly, and have up-loaded a photo (pending approval) to the folder named above.

Care to see for yourself? Some right-side photos: RMJ 4/01 p 23; Reid, "Rails through Dixie" pp 88 and 102; Ferrell, "Slow Trains Down South" v 1, p 209. The shaft end bearings (terminology?) are the doo-hickeys partway up the slope sheets on the back side of each hopper.

A left-side photo: MM 12/89 p 35. There's also a left-side photo of SOUTHERN 104840 on the RPI site, and Bob's Photos has one of SOUTHERN 105788. No end bearings.

I'm grateful to Bill and Mont for straightening me out, and I would extend Greg's precept as follows: Check your ego at the door. If you do, you'll learn things.

Al Brown, Melbourne, Fla.

On 19/01/2012 01:42, Tim O'Connor wrote:

Bill, one of the best Southern Pacific modelers around is
Elizabeth Allen... She's not on this list but is an active
and knowledgeable contributor on the Espee and Modern Freight
Cars mailing lists. Ashley is welcome here because she likes
freight cars and the steam era. That's good enough for me.

I have a friend who has a whole photo album of P&SR rolling
stock! I've begged him to get those photos published or just
scanned but no luck, he won't budge.

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the warm welcome. Now just don't geek out on me, okay.

Tim,

That is just so annoying. The one thing I need for my manuscript is about another 250 photographs, as I have about 50, but would probably need 300 (on the assumption that each double page spread would have three photographs).

Such is the life of anyone researching anything to do with historical railways I guess.

--
Ashley Pollard
Ashley@apnix.demon.co.uk

---------------------------------------

http://no-two-alike.blogspot.com/

At 06:58 AM 1/17/2012 -0800, you wrote:

I replaced the Broadway couplers with Kadee 153 couplers in their own

boxes, which are a drop-in replacement if you trim the top lip off the
Kadee box.

I used some conventional 58s with the spring plate, and I used the old
style box with the "ears". Strangely enough this car has slots in the sill
for the Kadee ears. The height is almost perfect... maybe .010 or less too
low. The truck mount precludes adding any kind of shim there unfortunately.

Andy

At 07:20 AM 1/17/2012 -0500, you wrote:

I have seven of the cars in different variations and the roofwalks on
virtually all of them fell off while in the process of changing out the
couplers. They must have used sticky-note glue to hold them on! What
type of glue are the rest of you using to refasten them? I know CA is
not the answer, but what is a good glue to use that won't creep up
through the fine grates?

My roofwalk fell off just taking it out of the box. I just re-attached it
with Cyanopoxy. Probably not the best but I got lucky. It's just as well
that it falls off, since the supports on the crossovers have to be cut down
a bit.

Andy

At 11:12 PM 1/16/2012 -0000, you wrote:

The new NYC steel boxcars are looking great but has anybody already tried

to operate them on a layout? I took a close look at the trucks and the
couplers of my cars and I am wondering how they will perform. The centering
springs of the Kadee clones are much thicker and stiffer than genuine Kadee
springs and the couplers do not move as easily as real Kadees.

Apparently after using both McHenrys and real Kadees intermittently, BLI
has now made their own weird Kadee clone. I was able to replace these with
Kadees and they ended up at the right height - a lot less trouble than
putting Kadees on the first batch of H2a hoppers. The truck mounting is
just downright strange. I have operated my car a few hours without any
problems, but out of the box it would have been problematic.

Andy

At 04:59 PM 1/14/2012 +0000, you wrote:

I don't see any "showstopper" problems in any of the above. Items 3 & 4

have to be worked out, to mutual satisfaction, by the Craftsman, and each
Craftsman will choose differently. The fact that "this can work" is
clearly evidenced by the flat cars recently advertized by Clark Propst, or
by the decals advertized by Jerry Glow. I doubt anybody's getting rich,
but it will might allow you to buy a few more Reboxx wheelsets.

The whole "net" world makes direct sales practical, and spreading the word
costs little or nothing as you say. And if you target skilled modelers
that know what they're buying, there's not a lot of overhead for packaging,
instruction sheets, etc. This is where I feel a bit out of my element with
freight cars. I have the modeling skills but lack experience with the
terminology. I've been building diesels for almost 40 years, but only
really trying to build accurate freight cars for 3-4 years, and I haven't
gotten too far out on a limb yet. I have learned a lot, but I don't have
the entire parts catalog memorized. This can cause me to miss out on
something I could really use (like some of Ted Culotta's products), or get
halfway into something before I realize there's a better starting point.
That's an amateur mistake... the diesel equivalent of investing 20 hours
detailing a widebody Athearn diesel without knowing there are at least
three better alternatives.

I'm quite sure I have some freight car kits and parts that I just don't
know what to do with. I have a resin 2-bay hopper bottom casting on my
bench that was given to me last year - I think by Brian Everett - and I
have completely forgotten what it's for... LOL.

Since turning 50, I have begun to realize the importance of writing things
down, and remembering where I put the piece of paper. Not just in the
hobby but in my day job. I got rung into a conference call at work today,
that I knew about a week ago, and I totally drew a blank as to the topic.
On top of that, the boss who arranged it wasn't able to join in, so I ended
up having to lead the discussion myself. I think I did a nice recovery and
did ok under the circumstances but... I've always relied on committing
things to memory, and that sharpness is leaving me minute by minute.

Oh well, more 2 am rambling...

Andy

At 02:16 PM 1/14/2012 -0000, you wrote:

The "problem" is that Tom is exceptional at both aspects. Few do or are

willing to do the quality of the castings he produces.

Well at the risk of buttering up too much, Tom is also an excellent
presenter. I don't go to a lot of clinics but I always try to make it to
Tom's no matter the subject. His intro clinic on rapid prototyping a few
years ago gave me 90% of what I know about the subject. And in the
intervening years, the technology has improved and at the same time become
affordable for those crazy 2 am pipe dreams, even if I probably won't do
any parts myself, I have a much better awareness of what can be done (and
what can't).

Andy

At 06:09 PM 1/13/2012 -0600, you wrote:

The post gave the impression, at least to me, that model makers do not
want to be bothered by beginners and limited production seem to be the
norm now, rather than the exception, for many model suppliers.

I feel the pain. I recently had some parts made. It was my idea, but
other than that I had nothing to do with actually creating the part. I now
own the entire production run, which will last me a little while, but
enough people have seen them to create a demand for maybe 100 more. The
guy who did them is looking for a way to do them in larger quantities with
3d printing - mine were done that way, all hand cleaned, etc. But no real
time frame. I feel a bit selfish in that I got what I wanted, and showed
it off, but I'm not in a position to help the production situation at the
moment. Like anything else, I have to anticipate my future needs and get
stuff while I can. This results in an enormous stockpile of odd items that
I certainly won't live long enough to utilize. But it's part of the fun
too. I must admit, this last project went from looking at photos at 2 am,
sending an email to a list, to having 5 sets of the parts in hand in 5
weeks.

I wish I had the skill to create things out of thin air, but as someone
once said you gotta know your limitations. Hopefully I can contribute
something as an instigator or facillitator, if not a manufacturer.

Andy

At 08:51 PM 1/13/2012 -0000, you wrote:

Indeed Tony, I was having difficulty figuring out the spelling, a common

problem I have. I should have gone with the easier to spell underground"
which was the other term people seemed to like IIRC.

In addition we have some no-so-small up-and-comers like Fox Valley,
Tangent, and Exactrail. The latter has been all over the map in the
prototypes offered, from steam era to 21st century to bo-ho-gus, but hard
not to like a company that is that prolific and enthusiastic. And willing
to listen, and maybe not repeat mistakes. Still, I see a lot more resin in
my future. Of course we all know the best way to get a top notch styrene
kit of something we want... spend 6 months building a fleet of them in
resin :-)

Andy

At 02:07 PM 1/13/2012 -0600, you wrote:

nature. If we do not help new modelers become skilled modelers, we will
not have any new 'skilled modelers' who will get the manufactures to do
quality work.

Like most of us, I've gone from having time and desire but no money, money
and desire but no time, or money and desire and time but not enough
knowledge or available material. I'm not surprised any more, in spite of
the unprecedented selection we have today (in HO scale at least) to pick up
a photo of a freight yard and see a dozen cars there are no models of, or
even anything close.

I've found that turning RTR guys into modelers is a hard sell. Even the
young guys (anyone younger than me) are aging and while there is a strong
group of local modelers here in Cincinnati that are 30s and under, very few
of them are model builders. I think at that age, life just has too many
other demands. I stayed very active in the hobby in my 20s and 30s, but it
was lonely out there. Model railroading is, and always has been, my
primary hobby but it's not my only hobby. #2 seems to be always changing -
photography, music, cars... at times these take some priority over model
building (or heaven forbid, layout building) but it's a temporary
condition. We've got a 6 month old Airedale who thinks he's a wolf or a
chihuahua on alternating minutes, and he's going to need some quality time
to become a good Airedale... I just bought a Hammond organ (unlike a
one-time local HO bigwig, I didn't sell my train stuff to pay for it).

I hang around with the young-uns here, we talk about all the latest and
greatest models, but their interest is in modular layouts, electronics, and
above all RTR stuff. Their demands for accuracy and detail may be as high
as mine, but they really want it off the shelf. At least right now.

But the only constant is change. I do hope to see some resurgence in
craftsmanship, or just seeing people under 40 play with something that
doesn't have a touch screen. I got my grandson a train set - he just
turned 6. He loves it, but I suspect it's in the back of the bus already,
while his Xbox and Wii stay in the driver's seat.

Andy

At 03:03 PM 1/13/2012 -0500, you wrote:

The statement I do not understand is that the MR population would not support
what the MM population does. I thought the MM population was much smaller in
the U.S., than the MR, but you know better.

I was thinking the same thing, but I don't run in the Military circles at
all, so I really don't have a feel for how many "serious" modelers there
are, as compared to those of us in the market for high end RR detail parts.
I'm sure that the hardware and era interests are at least as diverse as
ours if not more so. Well they almost have to be, railroads have been
around only 150 years or so, but humans have been making war as long as
there have been humans. Still, I imagine the majority of interest is in
WWII and later, which parallels most model RR interest. At least when it
comes to scale modeling of the hardware.

Andy

At 09:39 AM 1/11/2012 -0800, you wrote:

ooked forward to this meet". After some years of so-so food (at best),

which too often was also overpriced, the food this year was excellent
(excellent!) IMHO.

I had kind of given up on the hotel food, so we didnt eat there at all,
maybe next year I'll give it a try. Missing breakfast hours is pretty much
a tradition when on vacation, so that's ok. All of the places we ate this
trip - not just in Cocoa but in Kissimmee during the week prior. were good.
Last year we got something like three free meals and at least three free
desserts just from screw ups at restaurants.

I was surprised that Silvestro's was open for business. They won't be
getting any of mine however...

6) The Door Prize drawing Saturday night was again seriously flawed.

Despite holding an unprecedented number of tickets - including Mont
Switzer's who had to make an "exit of necessity"- before it was over, none
of my numbers were called, i.e. zero, nada, nein, non, zip, nothing.

We didn't win anything either, but that's ok. We cleaned up at Lisle.

I too have been to all 12 Cocoa Beech events. This one was certainly one
of the best, if not THE best weather wise. It was even reasonable enough
to smoke a cigar outside after dark. Twice.

This was the first year I actually brought more freight cars than diesels.
Many of them OT for this list, but at least I got my feet wet over the past
year and got some done. I didn't spend as much as I have in the past - a
couple of the BLI NYC box cars, a small number of photos.

My own clinic went surprisingly well, in spite of last minute subject
matter. Both sessions were well attended - for me anyway. I think I had
15 on Friday and 18 on Saturday. I even got to attend two other clinics -
Bill Schaumburg's and Tom Madden's. No equipment issues at all. My 5 year
old laptop is still going strong and this year it accompanied me on two
hospital stays, and didn't catch any diseases. Normal lifespan of a laptop
for me is 2-3 years, with light usage.

Next time will be Lucky 13. If the world doesn't end in December, of
course...

Andy

On Jan 18, 2012, at 10:00 AM, Ashley Pollard <ashley@apnix.demon.co.uk> wrote:

Hi Everybody,

I'm back after a hiatus, which meant I was away.

----------------
Ashley may have thought someone on the list would think "hiatus" is some kind of surgery.
(that's the sort of vaudeville that deserves a salvo of Petaluma eggs)
Scott Pitzer

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Bob, you beat me to it. I received my vents a couple days ago and planned
to extol their merits here too. They are very, very nice.

Jim


On Wed, Jan 18, 2012 at 6:58 PM, gn3397 <heninger@medicine.nodak.edu> wrote:

**


Group,
I thought I would post a quick note here about this new company. Jason
Hill posted a note on the list during all the Cocoa Beach hullabaloo, so it
went rather unheralded. He was advertising a new detail part, specifically
HO scale single and twin safety vents for older tank car domes (think
Sunshine's GATC type 17, or F&C's type 11). The name of his company is Owl
Mountain Models.

I ordered examples of each, mailing off my check and received the parts
yesterday within the span of a week. They are EXQUISITE! The parts are cast
brass, with a very thin separate ring of etched metal to represent the
mounting flange. You simply drill a hole in the side of the dome and CA the
parts in place.

The URL is www.owlmtmodels.com, and I encourage you to check it out and
place an order. The parts are well worth the money, in my opinion. Mr. Hill
has an ambitious list of projects listed on the site, and it is well worth
a few minutes of your time to see what he has planned.

I have no commercial interest in Owl Mountain Models, but I am a satisfied
customer who would like to see a new "boutique" manufacturer get off the
ground.

Regards,
Bob Heninger
Iowa City, Iowa

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]