Bob Chaparrowrote: Of course most of them are having fun sitting on the car roofs, not helping with the unloading. Tony Thompson tony@...

Brian Shumaker wrote: Not really. The AAR did drop, about 1955, its "standard" nomenclature that any double-door box car was classified as "automobile" regardless of cargoes carried, but a number of r

Tim O'Connor wrote: Um, my comment was about pre-1960. Tony Thompson tony@...

Ken Montero wrote: True, but this changed greatly in 1948, when the IRS considerably tightened the rules on rebuilding. You will notice that those giant rebuild and refurbish programs on most railroad

David Thompson wrote: The main reason, of course, was World War I. Many roads said so explicitly, in comments that can be found in_Railway Age_ and other industry publications. Tony Thompson tony@sign

Brian Carlson wrote: It's a ventilated refrigerator car, not a ventilated box. This was a common designation before 1950. It refers to ventilation with hatches open, not with ventilation through the d

Bruce Griffin wrote: Both Tru-Color and Star Brand make excellent SP paint matches. I have been following the efforts on-line to come up with blends of Vallejo colors for freight cars, but am not awar

Allen Cain wrote: Yes. Tony Thompson tony@...

Claus Schlund wrote: The SP car number begins with 537, which makes it a Class G-50-3 car, built by Pressed Steel Car in the fall of 1913. It's a drop-bottom car, and no longer has the T-section truck

On the Mac, press Shift, Command, and 4 keys together, drag the crosshair to select the desired area, and release. The image is saved on the desktop. Tony Thompson tony@...

Actually the car number is 60610. Excellent collection of chalk marks! Tony Thompson tony@...

Dave Lawler wrote: Well, hey, it's a LYE-ma bean, after all. <g> Tony Thompson tony@...

Philip Dove wrote: Bruce Smith is right, pallets and lift trucks considerably pre-date WW II, but it was the experience of so many military folks with that system that hugely expanded its use after th

Andy Miller wrote: Western Pennsylvania has the same town and the same pronunciation. But I doubt it's aimed at the French. In Pittsburgh is the neighborhood of Duquesne, and it's rightly pronounced "

Chris Barkan wrote: Of course, the B&O and Western Maryland near Pittsburgh (Bowest). Tony Thompson

I think the one in Virginia is locally MON-roe. Tony Thompson tony@...

On many cars with no brake step, the wheel had a taller shaft and the brakeman stood on the roof. You are right that operating it from the ladder is pretty unsafe. Tony Thompson tony@...

Bob Chaparro wrote: You can also double-click on the photo to enlarge. The end view (above) not only shows the 3008 gallon capacity, but as you enlarge you can clearly see the side and end jacket shee

Bob Chaparro wrote: Note the manway cover (attached by a chain) hanging over the side of the dome. Tony Thompson tony@...

George Eichelberger wrote: Do you mean beyond what is listed in the Lane article? He gives quite complete-looking tables of “allocated” vs. “received” USRA cars. Do you have info beyond what he presen