Jeff, Stake pockets on the ends of flat cars are common. This looks like it might be a 70-ton car due to the exposed bolster top. Regards, Bruce Smith Auburn, AL

Hi, Jeffrey. Almost all flatcars had them. Models, for some reason, usually don't, although sometimes the rivets are there in the end sills. You can model them easily enough by mounting a Tichy or Red

I cam across this photo of IC flats being assembled at the IC's Centralia car shops from frames bought from General Steel Castings. I've never seen these holes in the steel at each end

Thanks to everyone who replied to my dilemma. I have the solution now best regards, Gary McMills

Over some thirty years of building resin and encountering all manner of warped sides, ends and roofs and I have found the best remedy is to have on hand a flat piece of steel with enough mass to be a

Here is an IC ice service reefer: Jeff White Alma IL

Thanks Tony! That makes sense. CRZ

Hello Steam Era Modelers: WESTERFIELD MODELS is pleased to announce the release of our newest Kit Series: #13200 Series Kits: 1921 ARA 40 Foot Single Sheathed Boxcars built for C&NW Ry and its

Just a factoid...PFE ice service reefers serviced PFE facilities. Southern Pacific had their own fleet of ice service reefers (ex-PFE cars as I recall) to service SP facilities. Bob

The Details West shows that its AB air brake set has been discontinued. I have used Cal-Scale AB brake sets for years- part 190-283 - and an ABD set (now discontinued).

I just learned that GRANDT LINE owned the molds for the AB brake set (I have found some GL AB brake sets and they're exactly the same, but are gray plastic). The GL property was

Gary Most floor castings are easy to fix, because they have a FLAT side. Put casting flat side down on sheet of 1/4" or 3/8" tempered glass* in an oven

Gary McMills wrote: "I recently bought a Funaro & Camerlengo USRA double sheath Boxcar kit at a show and I have noticed that both ends of the car floor are bent about 0.125" down out of the plane.

That'd be Zayante and Olympia to be specific -- The thong is ended but the malady lingers on

Yes, the Trout Creek ladders are the old Taurus ladders. They also make an O scale version, although I can't find it on the new web page. If you have questions, you should be able to reach them by

Charles, Taurus Products was taken over by Trout Creek Engineering. Website is hard to find and their former website is defunct, but here it is:

Red Caboose made an "Ice Service" PFE reefer -kit no. 4114f (PFE orange). Westerfield made (1) a B&O (ex-FGE, ex-PRR) R-7 Ice Service reefer, kit no. 11664; (2) an AT&SF BX-3/6

Great idea, Andy. I will have to dig around my old kitchen stuff I had when I lived in Cali for a skillet. If I try and use one of my wife's, I will be moving into that apartment on your property,

I have found 2 additional Intermountain undecorated war emergency box car kits. One Intermountain Kit #41070 with rectangular panel roof. In the box there are decals for NKP, GM&O and Alton asking

Rarely were any of the commercial resin kit's castings heat cured. A heat cured resin casting gains strength, and its memory is solidified. A partial correction of a thicker warped casting may make it