Yes. Although when running with ice they use a standard hatch plug to seal the bunker. The idea behind the big boxy ventilator was to make a place for that plug to be raised while still providing secu

Well, we try. The real problem, as I see it, is the disappearance of $40 locomotives to pull those cars. Dennis Storzek Accurail, Inc.

The same problem existed on the Colorado narrow gauge, where a normal hand brake rod would run just behind the backs of the wheels, and the solution was the same, chain and rollers to route it out aro

Some of the early UTLX three compartment cars were built with three separate tanks, lined up like little sausages on the frame. The later cars were the same except the tank shell was made continuous,

These are both technically passenger cars, same as express reefers are. Note the photo of the second car shows the end, which has a buffer and steam and signal lines, and marker brackets on the corner

Richard, Can we assume that "RD" in the three character initial column is short for SFRD? Dennis Storzek

Keep in mind that William J. Clouser was not exactly a prototype modeler as we understand the term today. True, he built very exacting models, both for himself, and for paid commissions. His personal

Well, I don't know anything about Crown trucks, and don't claim to, but my impression is: The caption of the 5'-6" wheelbase truck is in error, and it's really a fifty ton truck. As to the 5'-10" whee

Can't stop beating this horse while it's still twitching :-) I was curious what my source material for our Andrews truck was, and since the Hathi Trust now has the 1919 CBC on line, I found the drawin

Dave is correct, the Accurail Andrews truck is the 70 ton version, as our basic truck mold has the scale 5'-8" axle spacing. I just looked through our files this morning but couldn't find any referenc

The Frisco had them too, and one ended up at the Illinois Railway Museum, where it runs on weekends during the summer. I was well acquainted with the gentleman, Dave Shore, who was the "messenger" (at

David, It's my understanding that the railroads tended to only use them on trackage not rated for "high speed", that of course being solely each railroad's decision to make in our era. Yes, the are a

Look Ma, no guardrails. Obviously low speed secondary track as every turnout in the image has a self guarding frog. Dennis Storzek

I bet they also show the original roof with round seam caps held on with cast fittings screwed to the fascia, same as what shows on the Pullman and Haskell & Barker drawings of similar cars. I briefly

This is essentially the Accurail 1700 series boxcar showing the extra straps the NYC added to reinforce the ends. Dennis Storzek

I donno, Tony. I've never tooled a flatcar deck, but Accurail's wood running boards model them as smooth round flat spots, about .002" deep, so they'll catch any weathering wash. When these flat head

The ends were a proprietary product (also patented) so when the Standard Railway Equipment Co. changed the way the ends were to attach, everybody else, railroad and carbuilder alike, had to modify the

These cars had clasp brakes, that is, brake shoes on both sides of the wheel, similar to passenger cars. The big B&LE hoppers built about fifteen years later had them also. Clasp brakes, which pinch t

But, keep in mind the purpose for which they were drawn; to allow someone in a distant office to assess the risk of fire spreading to a particular building. Since railroad tracks were both potential f

There was a mix... for a long time. Both valves are compatible, but the AB equipment has more features; a separate supply of air for an emergency brake application, for one. This was not a government