Well, Ray, with all due respect, I wouldn't call this a definitive study; not even close. I'll grant that I overlooked a couple of groups of USRA cars that survived into the 1950s, but what

Sic transit gloria mundi. The blue box bow-wows should have been discontinued twenty years ago or more, as vastly better products came on the market to replace them. Their only virtue was that

As Brian Carlson notes: Yep. Brion's...no last name...message violated about 5 STMFC rules. Oh, heck...guess I'll have to go down to Moderate Jail again. I hate to have to go down there. Never seem

Thanks for the information Tim. I'll pull them off my list. I knew that the Wabash had WE gons, but wasn't sure of the numbers. I have a photo of one of those cars, and didn't include that series in

Ray Breyer wrote Ray those Wabash cars were World War II War Emergency gondolas. Wabash did own some near copies of USRA gondolas but they had fishbelly underframes: 7000-9049, 10000-10124 and

The good thing about these kits and the inexpensive Athearn locos was they allowed newcomers to get into the scale hobby at an affordable price, comparable to a "train set" from a company like Model

This new tribute web site has color photos from the early '50s. One nice photo of a gondola. Ed

Rich- This was an old post. The same book (or one that's similar) is online somewhere (I think it's from the man with the CASO web site). I have that reprint, sans cover and the first few pages.

I recently bought 7 for the price of 3 from them through the mail. Ed

Ignoring the first parts of the message about business practice which are out of line here. I like many others started with Athearn Blue box kits as well as MDC, Front range, etc. In Buffalo we have

--- In STMFC@..., "Brion" <BrionBoyles@...> wrote: <big snip> > Enough. Time to start hoarding. > > Brion > Interesting rant, but I don't think you'll get much sympathy on this list. I

Hi everyone, With all of the work that people have put into tracking down various odd, obscure, and single-road freight cars with limited appeal (to the "great unwashed", anyway) I'm frankly stunned

At the Worlds Greatest Hobby Tour here in the DC area a couple of years back (3?, 4?) I spoke with the Athearn Rep about the future of the Blue Box and why they were important (I am a professional

Orowheat did. I gew up across the street from their Bakery on the SP Burbank (Van Nuys) Branch and they did get  covered hoppers of rye. Paul Catapano

Thank You, Bob!Mark Morgan

WE sure hope to. DB

You bringin' any SP cabooses? :-)

On a prefab underframe found in most plastic kits (where the crossbearers are part of the casting) if I really want to run an airline I just flip it over and cut U-shape chunks out of the crossbearers

I have posted a copy of that photo, which I "ripped" from the internet, in the Photos Section in a folder titled "USRA". I recall, I posted it the last time we had this discussion in the STMFPH·

Well guys, we are just a couple of weeks away from the Naperville Show. WrightTRAK will be attending for the 3rd year. Please visit our website at www.wrighttrak.com and if there is anything that