Rob was definitely the first person and he continues with his PP tips on Facebook. Bill Welch

Rob Manley is the name I remember from Naperville. Thank You all for your help. Lester Breuer

Gary I think it is steel "mesh" - commonly used to reinforce cast concrete. The material is steel wire laid out in a grid, so the pieces are very flexible even when

It looks like panels of woven reinforcing wire, used for pavement. Ron Merrick

Link? Elden Gatwood

What is the very unusual load in the gondola in the picture? Think rolled steel? Gary Laakso Northwest of Mike Brock

Nice job Doug Pillow

Thanks for the comprehensive info, Shay. Since Utah Railway ran on trackage rights on D&RGW from Utah Railway Jct. to Thistle -- the majority of the main line movement for most of their tonnage

Bravo, Lester, and an excellent explanation of the process. Michael Gross Pasadena, CA

The first PanPastel clinic I attended was by Rob Manley at the Burlington Route Historical Society Spring Meet in Streator, IL on April 10, 2010. PanPastels were fairly new for weathering back then,

First one I remember was Rob Manley. Brian J. Carlson

Lester, Do you recall what year that was presented? Eric Hansmann Murfreesboro, TN

I would like to know who gave the first Pan Pastel presentation in that small overcrowded an very warm room in Naperville? Thank You for your time and effort to refresh my memory in advance. Lester

Steve, I eventually figured this out. At least, going with the probabilities, I'm putting the vertical shaft brake gear on the one I'm building. There is a nice photo of one, or a very similar car,

Lester, Those two cars turned out very nice. Thanks for such a complete write up on how you built these George Toman

largest image I could find - https://www.rapidotrains.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Rapido-102061.jpg -- Tim O'Connor Sterling, Massachusetts

Bill as far as I know, the cars had rectangular panel roofs. This one does. Tim -- Tim O'Connor Sterling, Massachusetts

My not so secret weapon/tool for removing things is the Single Edge Razor Blade hled a very shallow angle. Because these are so wide, they do not gig into the surface. Bill Welch

Does everyone realize that "Flat" black was not a color used by railroads... it is a color used by modelers... Linseed oil paints were naturally semigloss to glossy... but weathered to flat...

To be clear, the wheels noted by Ray are horizontal (vertical shaft.) There is no evidence that these cars ever got vertical wheel brake gear. Steve Hile