Why is it that manufacturers of Freight Cars continue to produce otherwise excellent models with a "New date" instead of a realistic reweigh date ? Armand Premo

Great job Eric. Could you explain what you use for route tags? Do you just make them yourself? Thanks Chuck Cover Santa Fe, NM

Andy, Jack, Steve, and others, I’d like complete details of how to sand the back of the Westerfield stock cars. I’ve ended up damaging the bracing when sanding the back thin. Do you glue

Bob Chaparro said: >Apparently this is one person's approach to avoiding switching charges: More likely, it's a staged photo session to advertise the pulling power of the '34 Hudson. Jack Mullen

Sorry the screw size is .080. Bill Pardie

I have exhausted my modeling time for the morning and now it is back to the real world. I have one item that I want to share first. About a year ago there was a discussion on this list concerning

This is another photo from the USC Digital Library (http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/ ). Apparently this is one person's approach to avoidingswitching charges:

Charles Peck wrote: Excellent philosophy, and entirely describes my own approach, too. Not all my freight cars are remotely equally fine models, nor do they need to be. Tony Thompson

After reading your post I Competely scanned the bottom of the tank car looking for any identifying marks. I found on the coupler shank the name GLOBE so this most be an old Globe model. Al

Coarse dry brushes over a recent wash or wet brushes, both with pigments, dry sponges, micro brushes (wet or dry), and sometimes just my finger... whatever it takes. I like to mix it up. Also I find

Below is a link to two photos from the USC Digital Archives,titled "Suicide on Super Chief, 1958":

Bill, I'm sorry to disappoint you but no airbrushes were used to weather these models. I can't recall how broad or long the brushes were for the wash applications. I'm away from home for a few days

Outstanding weathering work, Eric! For those of us interested, could you elaborate on how you do a “wash”? Your weathering uses several washes, and it would be very useful to know how you do it.

Eric, are your "washes" applied with a brush or an airbrush? I really appreciate the variations, well done! Bill Welch

A few more sources for smaller files, diamond files, and handles. Someone sent me a link to a file handle on the Gesswein that appears to have a collet nut so should tighten nicely around the smooth

Weathering tips have returned to the DesignBuildOp blog. Seven box cars have rolled out of the weathering factory and are ready for service. Check it out!

My favorite tool for this flash removal is the DuoSharp diamond bench stone that Jack Burgess mentioned (I think, I give him credit for many high quality tool recommendations due to his MRH column). I

This is a request for help, has anyone added wire corner grabs to the lateral steel Tichy roof walks? I would love to know how you did it. I have an idea but am willing to learn from the

In such times I remind myself that perfection is the enemy of progress. I think of my operating roster like a Cecil B. DeMille production. A few stars and a supporting cast of thousands. Not every

This beginning to sound like the Varney tank car. Varney did have a solid one piece underframe. However, to the best of my knowledge all Varney underframes were clearly marked as such with the name