The Fleischmann models pictured on page 41 were created by the US military after World War Two when the planners "knew" the next big war would be in Europe.  There were 5 kit cars in the series.  In addition to the low- and high-side gondolas and box car shown there was a flat car and a tank car.  The flat car was merely the floor of the gondolas or box car without any sides, ends, etc.  The design was such that the cars could be assembled in-theater with troop or indigenous (unskilled) labor.  The expectation was that trucks and couplers would be scrounged in-theater.   I have an Army manual with plans and assembly instructions.

I submitted an article to RMC on the tank car kit but it was never published.  My material is being returned to me.  The point of the article was mainly that flat cars (the P2K model) were loaded in 1953, moved hither, thither and yon but not unloaded until the early 1980s.  Sort of solves the empty/load in open top cars conundrum in at least one instance.

I was stationed in Germany for 3 tours and spent every off-duty chance I could photographing railroad subjects.  I came across former US freight cars occasionally but never any of the kit cars nor the 2-dome tank car to the best of my recollection.

Gene Green

Out in the Badlands of New Mexico

Tim O'Connor wrote:
"3/4" plate steel??? REALLY? What is this, armor plate? That'll stop a torpedo!"

3/4" is kind of thin for a warship. It definitely will not stop a torpedo, as the guys on the BISMARCK will tell you. Here's a comparative diagram showing armor protection for TIRPITZ and KING GEORGE V.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/KGV_Tirpitz_armour_and_underwater_protection.png


Ben Hom

Here's a link to a photo of another NYC car with 5 containers. Notice how
they are orientated in the car in this photo. Todd Horton

https://www.google.com/search?q=lehigh+valley+cement+gondolas&rlz=1T4ADRA_en
US398US398&tbm=isch&imgil=xRc-9yG_Az7YYM%253A%253BnKwPE6HnO24INM%253Bhttp%25
253A%25252F%25252Fwww.readingmodeler.com%25252Findex.php%25252Fforum%25252Ft
he-caboose%25252F153-cement-container-gondolas&source=iu&pf=m&fir=xRc-9yG_Az
7YYM%253A%252CnKwPE6HnO24INM%252C_&usg=__l-V9mu7DghtJ_fRtuXQBQbCo6uo%3D&biw=
1563&bih=798&ved=0CDgQyjc&ei=ify4VLbAKIznsAT-_4D4Cw#imgdii=7j9fQMvi2ZGiDM%3A
%3BxRc-9yG_Az7YYM%3B7j9fQMvi2ZGiDM%3A&imgrc=7j9fQMvi2ZGiDM%253A%3BSora6tB12T
iYLM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fi114.photobucket.com%252Falbums%252Fn255%252FChris
333_33%252FDLW1.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fforum.atlasrr.com%252Fforum%252Fpop
_printer_friendly.asp%253FARCHIVE%253Dtrue%2526TOPIC_ID%253D55643%3B800%3B51
3

I uploaded a photo to the files section under my name. The picture shows an

Is it safe to assume these didn't venture far from home rails, and would be of little or no interest to a modeler of Southern Pacfiic's Coast Line? Or might an express car have ended up on the Coast Mail in anything resembling a regular basis?

       I would say both assumptions are wrong. They went everywhere. I have memories of seeing PRR express box cars at the Postal Annex in Los Angeles when I was a teenager, and they made an impression because they were so INCREDIBLY dirty, far more than other head end cars spotted there. There were not express boxes (SP or otherwise) in every Coast Mail, but certainly in some. I would doubt, though, that the PRR express boxes went up or down the Coast much, because they were usually east-west travels, but there are always exceptions -- just never seen a photo of one on the Coast. I haven't modeled one.

Tony Thompson    

 

Where is a source for Black cat Decals in the US?  I have 3 eight hatch reefers from F&C that I would like to use the Black cats for CPR an CN steam era decals.

Thanks,
Scott McDonald

I uploaded a photo to the files section under my name. The picture shows an NYC and a D&H gon with cement containers. The NYC carried 20,000 lb containers and the D&H carried 22,000 lbs ones. The containers are listed as being 7� 6� in diameter so I assume the ones the D&H used were taller than the NYC version. Both of these are lettered � The LCL Corporation� Todd Horton