I will echo Tony's comments on the computer/internet and the sprue cutter. Many of the other tools we have discovered in Model Railroading have been used in other venues for some time. Think of Jewele

Clark, the sprue cutters you described came from P-B-L http://www.p-b-l.com/index.html They are not available from PBL anymore. The cheap knock-offs from Micro Mark and others do not cut as well becau

Bob, in conversations with Bill Schneider of Rapido, I learned you should place your order through your local hobby shop or hobby dealer. I don't believe Rapido is set up as a retailer. Doug Harding w

Nelson I suspect you are responding to a posting I did on another list. For those confused, here is the message: Group, found a new stash of stockyard photos. http://www.kansasmemory.org/category/8448

Stuart the M&StL cars were originally built in 1931, 100 cars total. They were modified with AB brakes in the late 40's & 50's. 51 of the cars were modified with wider wood decks beginning in the late

Does anyone know the prototype for the InterMountain HO 1958 cu ft covered Hopper? Is if ACF, GA or P-S? I ask because they offered it in a M&StL paint scheme that is accurate for a series of cars the

My Thanks to Ed and Richard for their quick response. Confirms the cars are extremely close, with just one minor detail. Doug Harding www.iowacentralrr.org

Clark, saw the photos when posted, been waiting for commentary, but no message came forth about the photo or what you did. I doubt many knew it was there. Your notes on the photo indicate removal of r

Group, SPF needed! I recently acquired a Pennsylvania Railroad "Daily Check of Cars and Record of Seals" book. The book was used in Queen Anne, MD, Jan-May 1949. I have transcribed the book to an Exce

Thank you Bruce. Note the book is from 1949, not 1948. Appreciate the information that passenger service ended prior to this date. Someone on the OpSig list speculated that B&E stood for Baggage and E

I just received an email from IMSI Design, advertising their new low cost 3D Printers. A single head is available for $1699, for printing ABS or PLA. If you don't like the current offering of rivets,

Clark, looking at the documents you transcribed into the spreadsheet, I see one error in your question. The LV car was hauling lumber to Hoover Lumber, not limestone to Hallet Construction. Which expl

Here are coal deliveries to two small towns in central Iowa in 1949, and where the car came from. Dallas Center and Minburn are on the line between Des Moines and Fort Dodge. Note a variety of cars ha

Let me try this again without the table formatting: Year is 1949, towns are Dallas Center and Minburn Iowa, on the M&StL Town, date, Rpt Mrks, #, load, originating location, receiver DC 08/16 C&EI 970

Tony, yes gons were used by roads traversing the mid-west, to haul coal. The CB&Q is one road that liked gons for this service. While I have not checked the list I posted, I suspect one would find gon

Steve, that in general is correct. Railroads and Livestock Shipping Associations have published such data for many years. Here is a chart showing how many animals of a given size will fit in a stockca

Tony glad I could help. Now to further your wealth of knowledge and enable you to fill those stockpens and stockcars. Weight of animals: we will talk about market ready, ie ready for slaughter, as wel

Steve, Tony, and others: the chart I tried to send did not come through Yahoo very well. I have a copy of AAR Pamphlet NO 19 "Methods for Loading and Handling Live Stock" issued April 1925, revised Ja

Rob, stock cars never reached weight capacity when filled with livestock. A 40' stock car could hold 23, 1200lb steers, that is only 27600lbs or 13,8 tons, well below the capacity of the car. The only

Ben, stock cars were supposed to be cleaned and disinfected each time after being used to transport livestock. Steam cleaning was the accepted means, after one finished with the pitchfork and shovel.