Dennis S. wrote: This is the Linotype one, obviously not the FGE lettering; neither is "refrigerator." Both are sans-serif faces, and the FGE lettering is very clearly slab-serif, quite a

Very true, and the problem gets worse as time goes on, because you no longer need a type foundry and a set of hand crafted master patterns to offer a typeface for sale; all you need is a copy of

Dennis Storzek wrote: Entirely true, and a point worth making (it's been made on this list numerous times already, of course). And I'd add a third category to Dennis's two, somewhere between

Bill Welch wrote: Bill, I have a modest collection of type catalogs, including the Solo catalog of 19th century metal types, and none of them mentions Optic. But the Clover House dry transfers

Bill, Several years ago I sent Ben Coifman of Rail Fonts a package of materials so he could do a font for his line. He showed no interest in it, though. Maybe with your materials he would have

Al Kresse wrote: Not exactly the "latest," Al. Paul Renner designed Futura in 1927 and it was an immediate success. C&O was a few decades late on that one <g>. Now if they had gone for, say,

For those who might be curious, here is a photo of the finished kit: http://www.nasg.org/databases/freight-cars.php?hd=y Pieter Roos Connecticut (and S scale modeler). <SNIP>

This make total sense to me Dennis. None of the many lettering diagrams I have managed to now corral for FGE/WFE/BRE have any names for things. Bill Welch

In the early 1950s Allan Cripe, from the post-WW2 C&O Office of Research and Design in Cleveland, then under Ken Browne, an aeronautical engineer, and Allan an Industrial Design graduate from U of

We are having a debate this morning. Looking of the photo of a triple hopper in the 1953 CBC, Southern 70080, and can't find confirmation of what color it should be. I know, I know, it's graytone,

Bill, the problem is that today people think of "fonts" as a commodity item... run down to the store and pick up a sack of Helvetica for me, will ya? Back in the days before desktop publishing,

Tim, Anyone would be a fool to invest time and effort in a product line, then not save the materials that ensure production. Printing plates are consumable. Most plates used for printing graphics (as

I was afraid to ask that same question myself.  You can find  Futura in all its variances with no problem . . . but Optic or Optik ?  Was it used by a specific eye machine manufacturer (prob

All of the decal talk reminds me of a question I have had for awhile: Was the type style used by the FGE/WFE/BRE System truly known as "Optic?" I think my knowledge of this font comes from a

Paul Lyons wrote: But sadly, probably not the name of the business. Would have had to call it "gold-plated decals." <g> Tony Thompson Editor, Signature Press, Berkeley, CA 2906

Dennis Storzek wrote Dennis, are you sure that is why? From what I've seen of decal manufacture using silkscreens, the artwork is only the first step in the process. I thought Champ used a "letter

Signature Press and Decals---it has a nice ring Tony (G) Paul Lyons

Dennis S. wrote: And because Connie was asking an IMMENSE price, far beyond any possible sale revenue of reprinted decals. Ask me how I know <g>. Tony Thompson Editor, Signature

Very likely Clarendon, or perhaps Craw Modern, both of which were very useful substitutes for "Railroad Roman" back in the day. Therein lies the problem... All the lettering had to be hand drawn, to

Ah, now I know that what you're talking about is an Fe-P class car originally built with 1-1/2 steel plate doors. Many of these cars were rebuilt in the early 1930s as Fe-T class with 12' double