Reading through this discussion, I'm surprised no one has suggested photo etching. The bands of mesh could be done, complete with the frames, and depending on how the junction with the end and center

The big problem with the MILW roofs is the rib side cars don't have Z bar eaves, so the roof is the full width of the body, wider than on a typical car. Dennis Storzek

Thanks everybody I will get some ordered up. Scott McDonald

As Ben Hom mentioned, Branchline made a Despatch roof in its undecorated boxcar kits that is similar to, if not indistinguishable from, the Murphy welded roof. Others have suggested a roof from a

Just as a side note my wife gave me some sizing material that is used inside garments to stiffen things like lapels and shoulders. I used it with good success with vent car models. Also some floral

Just confirmed Murphy Welded Roof on SOU drawing SF-5210. Thx for the replies. Now to try and find an HO roof of this flavor. Mike Turner MP-Z35

I have photos of poultry cars on the Santa Fe in Dodge City, KS; Ft. Madison, IA, and Winslow, AZ. I have seen photos of poultry cars in CA, but the photos did not indicate the railroads on which

So does gold, for that matter. Use that or platinum and you can have "investment grade" cars. Carl Gustafson >

Murphy Welded Roof, as shown on pp. 411-412 of the 1940 CBC. The panels were welded together, but the roof as a whole was riveted to the carbody. Milwaukee did use it on their ribside boxes. David

Southern Railway  caboose X3115 built Jan 23, 1947, from SOU 38' ventilated boxcar 122483 at Hayne Shops and currently located at the Hub City Museum at Magnolia Station in Spartanburg, SC. Mike

I've used the journal repack data set for years, still not through all of it. Ron Merrick

Hi Jim, All good points for closed cars and hoppers. Most flat cars and some gondolas pose interesting challenges where “more is more” instead of “less is more” J Peter Ness

HI Andy, I had “forgotten” building a pine wood derby racer with my grandson 3-4 years ago…didn’t forget building the racer, but didn’t recall the Tungsten weights. Truth be told, we

Jake wrote: “W is often the cheapest you can get per meter, as it pulls very fine without breaking. (For $170, you can get 0.0005" electropolished wire in 500m spools) ” Which is true, but

Isn't this a Milwaukee Road caboose? Ron Merrick

One of my interests in kit building is representing car designs that were historically important and/or numerous in their production numbers. Something I try to do when building is have photos to

I would guess the mention of Titanium was a mistake, the intended metal perhaps Platinum, which is as heavy (Or heavier) than Tungsten. Platinum, though, is incredably expensive, though its weigh

While tungsten is more expensive than lead, and may be harder to work with, it is definitely heavier for any given volume … nearly twice as heavy. I thus disagree with you that "If you have enough

Dan/all, If you have enough space for 1 oz of tungsten or titanium you will almost always have enough room for 1 oz of lead ... think about it. How much weight do we -add- to a freight car? Two

There is a commercially available Tungsten alloy shot, formed to have similar density as lead... without the lead.... for lead free states. Hevi-Shot Tungsten Alloy Shot 3 lb $80 / 3lbs. Also