Good eye, Ben. There are actually two trains at the end of the book from 1936, which this car was from, and I failed to note that previously. My apologies. Earl Tuson

Was this the famous "Grapevine Hill" of "Hot Rod Lincoln" fame? NOTE: Lincolns used gasoline that was shipped by FREIGHT CARS in the STEAM ERA. KL

Yeah, I know, we're way off topic here, but I can't resist adding to Lindsay's account that I well remember driving up the Grapevine in the summer with my family in the years before and during WW II

All true as far as it goes, but Ben's perspective here is that of a historian and modeler whose primary interest is eastern RRs. Ten foot high automobile cars, many of the 50'6" in length, were

The car number cited by Earl, NYC 56331, must be in error since there were no 56000-series numbers assigned before the Lot 633-B cars Ben cites below. Earl, could it be other than 56? Jeff

Ben, The same applies to Tony's response. I had a 1937 CBC that had references back to December 1928 and then later showed a Plate B clearance diagram. I was not careful about what had transpired

Tom, try: www.oscalemag.com This may be the magazine you are hunting. Later, Bill Kelly Thomas Baker wrote:

Is the magazine called "O Scale Railroading" or "O Scale Modeling" still being published. It used to have a website, but recently I have been unable to find the site. Tom

Dennis, In the 1940s loads were smaller and even tough I was yet to be a teenager, I have used hand carts to load and unload trucks. During WWII they used whatever was available. I once drove a

Guys - I have to use double insulated wheelsets on metal trucks because I have many brass/metal cars. I also use only brass couplers, and it is possible to have a short from the tender back through

Al Kresse wrote: "By 1928 the standard AAR auto-boxes had changed the clearance envelope and auto-boxes were starting to get bigger . . . but the smaller ones would still be around." Al, do you have

Tony, You are correct. I was looking at a 1937 CBC and they (AAR) were making historical references to post-USRA structural problems. You are also correct that I wasn't able to find a standard

You mean, of course, the ARA, since the AAR came along in 1934; and there really wasn't a "standard" ARA automobile car that I know of. The AAR adopted such a standard in 1942. Tony Thompson

Earl, Thanks for the insite. By 1928 the standard AAR auto-boxes had changed the clearance envelop and auto-boxes were starting to get bigger . . . but the smaller ones would still be around.

These illustrate some of the pre-Evans auto loader era automobile cars of the NYCS: CCC&StL 91672 - Lot 585-B, steel, built 1929: http://www.canadasouthern.com/caso/images/lot-585.jpg MC 89468 - Lot

Most, but not all. It was the Army's goal to be 100% gasoline engines but they never got there. The notable exceptions were M10 Gun Motor Carriages ("tank destroyers", but to most people they are

Obviously, the stuff you use to keep the kid's hamster from squeaking :-) Most likely short for petroleum oil, to differentiate it from vegetable oil. Dennis

wrote: Indeed. Pre WWII diesel engines tended to be massive, heavy, and low RPM machines, not at all suitable for applications where excessive weight was detrimental, such as highway vehicles or off

Again, this does not answer your question directly, either, but here are the cars hauling automobile or auto parts traffic in a 1929-30 B&M Wheel

Oh, I thought maybe it was what you got when you squeezed your wiener dog too tightly. immerse