Has anyone tried Microscale's product Micro Bond? I have used the Loctite "Plastic Bonder" in the past, which kind of works. I did find that a brief exposure to flame of the Delrin surface to be bonde

Don Valentine wrote: Microscale set 87-414, though designed for R-40-23 cars, can do the double-medallion scheme with color UP emblems for other classes. If you have a fairly old one, however, I recom

Bruce Smith wrote: The older Microscale 414 set gives you good color UP medallions of the 1942 or 1946 paint schemes. Both it and the new 501 set give you lots of data blocks for the different classes

gary laakso wrote: It was certainly a difference from the safety appliance standards. For example, the 1919 Cyc, page 1039, shows the MCB standard placement of safety appliances, and as Gary says, inc

I'm completing Westerfield kit 1901, a MP 81000-series auto car, but have lost the prototype info. Can someone tell me what kind of trucks these cars had in the 1950s? I model 1953. TIA Tony Thompson

Ken Montero wrote: The PDF arrived fine, thanks, Ken. I appreciate it. You are right about the instructions, which say "use the trucks of your choice." I will use the Tahoe trucks suggested by Richard

Rich Townsendt wrote: Rich, most AAR truck sideframes were pretty similar, though not identical, from manufacturer to manufacturer. Moreover, each particular brand, such as Scullin, varied frequently

Marty McGuirk wrote: Not necessarily. Grab irons and other hardware on the outside of the car can account for such dimensions. Morevoer, the rib depth on a conventional ribbed hopper would probably ju

Richard Hendrickson wrote: One is in the email to you. Tony

John Sykes wrote: Might be worth pointing out that these images are of OSHA-standard signs, long postdating this list. Before 1960, signs were different -- and not standard. Tony Thompson Editor, Sign

Walt Cox wrote: Whether this change was intended to model some specific prototype, I don't know. But if a PFE car is the goal, don't bother. The PFE class with that end was R-40-10, and InterMountain

Dave Snyder wrote: This is kind of my fault, because my upload to Google Drive did not quite work right. However, Richard Hendrickson has again updated and made minor changes to his article on HO scal

Walt Cox wrote: The dual emblem scheme with color UP medallion was instituted in 1946, and the R-40-23 cars were so delivered. The black and white UP emblem was introduced in 1950, and "gothic" in 196

Brian Chapman wrote: Only large-format mag I can recall is Modern Railroads. Tony Thompson Editor, Signature Press, Berkeley, CA 2906 Forest Ave., Berkeley, CA 94705 www.signaturepress.com (510) 540-6

Photos show by the mid-1950s that a large majority of PFE cars had the black-white scheme. The shops must have been very focussed in the early 1950s on updating the paint schemes. But of course some c

Keith Kempster wrote: Keith, there is really no permissible droop. The Kadee height gage shows you the required position of the knuckles and the trip pin. Do not accept droop beyond that. Kadees are l

Andy Carlson wrote: Yes, the SP order summaries for ALL the cars of B-50-25 and -26 show they had ASF A3 trucks. The relevant table in my book on SP box cars says the same. Tony Thompson Editor, Signa

Mal Houck wrote: Obviously it depends on the sharpness of the curves. I assume you are comparing #5 with #58 couplers, and yes of course, the smaller heads have less gathering range. And you know what

Keith Kempster wrote: My answer: Yes. That is to say, I do both, according to need. Tony Thompson Editor, Signature Press, Berkeley, CA 2906 Forest Ave., Berkeley, CA 94705 www.signaturepress.com (510

I have posted a discussion of ways to model open ice hatches on refrigerator cars, for example for ventilation service, to my blog, and showed photos of several models prepared in different ways. If y