A list of Jerry Hamsmith’s current kit and decal offerings is linked to the Helpful Links page on the Resin Car Works blog. 

http://blog.resincarworks.com/helpful-links/

Eric Hansmann

Murfreesboro, TN

On Apr 18, 2020, at 1:31 PM, Nelson Moyer <npmoyer@...> wrote:

Doug provided the history for the WCFN, but if you’re interested in the flat car, it’s very similar to the CB&Q FM-11/11A flat cars built between 1928 and 1930, and they too rode on Andrews trucks. The major difference is length, as the WCFN car is probably 40 ft. or 42 ft. and the CB&Q car was 45 ft. The only visible difference other than length is the FM-11 has 13 stake pockets per side and the WCFN car has 12 stake pockets. The Q cars ran into the 1970s with many converted to TOFC service. A few FM-11As were converted to push plow service by installing a wedge blade on one end and building a box on the deck to hold boulders for ballast. A resin kit is available from Jerry Hamsmith with CB&Q decals. It’s a very well designed kit and relatively easy to build.

 

Nelson Moyer                                                                                           

 

From: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io [mailto:main@RealSTMFC.groups.io] On Behalf Of Lloyd Keyser
Sent: Saturday, April 18, 2020 11:23 AM
To: main@realstmfc.groups.io
Subject: Re: [RealSTMFC] FARMALL TRACTOR DECALS

 

I would like to know more about that flat car. It appears to be on Andrews trucks

Lloyd Keyser

 

On Sat, Apr 18, 2020 at 7:57 AM Nelson Moyer <npmoyer@...> wrote:

Sounds like the best way to way to go is to check the business listings in phone books for the year you model in the towns you model and see what you find. Another resource here in Iowa is centennial books – many towns and counties issued them in conjunction with their centennial.  While finding centennial books in public libraries has been easy, finding period phone books has been challenging.

 

Nelson Moyer

 

From: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io [mailto:main@RealSTMFC.groups.io] On Behalf Of Dennis Storzek
Sent: Friday, April 17, 2020 11:41 PM
To: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io
Subject: Re: [RealSTMFC] FARMALL TRACTOR DECALS

 

On Fri, Apr 17, 2020 at 11:58 AM, Nelson Moyer wrote:

With all this talk of tractor loads, I'm wondering if there were regional followings for either Farmall red or John Deere green. I remember seeing mostly red in Indiana in the 1940 and 1950 on visits to the grandparent's farm. With plants in Moline and Waterloo, would John Deere be more prevalent in Iowa than Farmall?

Jim Ogden touched on this but let me add, it's more granular than that. It didn't really matter where the factory was - the factory could ship nationwide - that's why we see photos of tractors on flatcars. What really mattered is where their distributors were. You're not going to see a flatcar load of green tractors spotted at the team track ramp of a town with only an IH distributorship. That would be red tractor territory. Farmers tended to buy what they could easily get serviced. No sense buying a tractor from a dealer two towns over unless the price was really good. The overlap between territories has of course expanded as highways have gotten better, but that regionallity does still exist. Case in point, when I used to drive US 20 out to Freeport every six weeks or so, I'd pass a New Holland dealer about halfway between Rockford and Freeport. That area is the only place I ever recall seeing New Holland equipment working the fields.

Dennis Storzek

 

The whole Letter series of Farmall tractors were lettered A - M by size, with not all letters used.  The larger ones, the M's and H's were built in Rock Island at the Farmall plant.  Some of the smaller tractors, the A's B's and C's etc.were built in Louisville.

 

Steve Hile

---

From: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io [mailto:main@RealSTMFC.groups.io] On Behalf Of Douglas Harding
Sent: Saturday, April 18, 2020 1:46 AM
To: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io
Subject: Re: [RealSTMFC] FARMALL TRACTOR DECALS

The Lifelike (now Walthers) tractor is a Farmall Super M-TA, first offered in 1954. The TA stood for Torque Amplifier, which had a two speed power shift, doubling the number of forward and reverse gears. It was a row crop tractor, ie had the narrow front end. But was also offered with the wide front end, sometimes called an orchard or vegetable tractor. The M was first offered in 1939, the Super M (more horsepower) in 1952. The M was slightly larger than the H. Attached is a photo of a load of Ms on a Waterloo Cedar Falls and Northern flatcar. The photo at Alton is a load of Hs. Note the difference in the loading positions, and the seat positions. The Alton photo also shows how the exhaust stacks were covered to prevent water from entering while in transit. Almost every farmer placed an empty tin can on the stack when they shut off the tractor. Notice the Ms have a hinged stack cover eliminating the need for the tin can.

 

Some Farmall tractors were also built at the IH plant in Louisville Kentucky. Farmall was a brand name of McCormick Deering, which was part of International Harvester.

 

The Walthers green version is foobie. Regular production Farmalls were never painted green. Nor did they look like John Deeres or Olivers (the other green tractor)

 

Oddballs at one time offered decals for the Lifelike tractor. But have been long out of production. I found a few sets last summer at a hobby shop that buys estates. Owner did not even know she had them.

 

Here are a few other Tractors I recall seeing often in Iowa:

John Deere, tractor works at Waterloo IA. Largest tractor factory in the world. Painted Green. This factory was the home of the Waterloo Boy, which John Deere purchased because their own tractor design was not working. That is how John Deere acquired the Waterloo location.

Oliver, built in Charles City, Iowa and painted green and white (a different green)

White, purchased Oliver, Cockshutt and Minneapolis-Moline and built at the Charles City IA plant

Minneapolis-Moline, built in Hopkins MN and painted yellow

Massey-Harris, made in Canada, painted red & yellow

Massey –Ferguson

Case made in Racine WI, cream and red colored.

Fords, grey or blue

Allis Chalmers, West Allis WI, an orange red color. Though some early tractors were green.

 

For more information on farm tractors go to https://www.tractordata.com/farm-tractors/index.html

 

 

Doug  Harding

www.iowacentralrr.org