​Mike,

Nope.  Absolutely not the case here.  The star for messenger equipped cars was adopted in 1948.  The photo was taken in 1936 of an AUTOMOBILE boxcar.  I am not aware of any boxcar, ever, equipped with auto loaders (the horizontal white stripe on the door) and messenger service (desk and toilet).

Regards

Bruce Smith
Auburn, AL

In looking through my photo collection I have identified two 1/87 models so far I want to build using Dan Hall's very fine doors:

—A 1947 Blt. 40-ft. Monon Welded car with a 7-panel Superior door—this is actually fairly far along using a C&BT body sanded down. I am almost ready to apply Archer model aircraft panel line decals to replicate the weld lines.

—A 1942 Blt. Southern 40-ft 10'6" high riveted car using the InterMountain kit and Red Caboose roof with DH's 5-panel Superior doors.

I am aware of the DH door usage for ATSF and SP models. This leaves me wondering what the other possibilities are? Is there a database somewhere specifically for using Mr. Halls doors?

Alternatively are there individuals here that have identified a model or models they plan to build with these doors that they would like to tell us about?

Thank you!

BIll Welch

Smokebox Graphics has brought another steam-era decal set to the HO Scale market. Ann Arbor Railroad boxcars can be lettered with this new set, DF0487, which will complete up to four cars and sells for $10.

This set is primarily targeted at the 40’ steel boxcars built by ACF, Pullman Standard, and Wabash, and contains extensive data, two sizes of roadnames, and four different types of pennant heralds. A data sheet with sheet layout is included. These decals have been printed by Cartograf and have very fine detail.

Further information is available on our website at smokeboxgraphics.com.

Comments, questions, critiques, and complaints are welcome, but MUST be sent to me OFF LIST at smokeboxgraphics AT gmail.com.

Thank you,

Stephen Wilder

Smokebox Graphics

Pardon the “shameless self-promotion” but I want to make sure there is no misunderstanding about what I am calling the “Live Fire” Airbrushing Event that is now scheduled for Saturday, August 13 from 1 PM to 3:30 PM. My concern is that the wording in the event’s flier (http://home.mindspring.com/~icg/rpm/stlrpm.pdf) says, “No reservations are necessary.” That is technically accurate. Attendees do need to make sure that they SIGN-UP for this opportunity however.

Here is the Drill: There will be a large Sign-Up Board near the Registration Desk. There are 48 slots and each person will have ten minutes with a two-minute transition time between slots. Please make a note of your time. It is important to be punctual.

Each Airbrusher will have an experienced Coach to offer advice and assistance as they paint. Four people will be painting at any one time. If there are slots open when we begin, feel free to sign up in one of the open slots. We will be using Badger Airbrushes and their Modelflex Acrylic paint.

If you missed the information I put out previously here is the link with all the skinny. The PDF does say “40” painters. That is an error because I cannot count:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/69pw9e8gt1lohhz/Airbrushes%20101%20clinic%20.pdf?dl=0

See you there I hope!

Bill Welch

Been looking for a photo of this series with no luck. I'm building a Third Rail Graphics model for a friend. This is a Front Range double-door 40-footer, but based on the data printed on the model I seriously doubt the prototype is a match for it. I'm curious what doors, roof, and ends this series had. I've looked on line, in the Morning Sun color guide, and so on.


The N&W listing in the October 1965 ORER (I know, after this list's cutoff) says the series are "all steel, Z-bar" 40-foot boxcars with 10'0" inside height and 12'0" door openings. Not sure what is so special about Z-bar that it needs to be called out in the listing. Are these rebuilds of single-sheath boxcars?

thanks
Scott Chatfield