Frank Hodina wrote: That's a nice kit. I have the completed car on my layout, too. I would recommend it. Tony Thompson tony@...

I'm personally not enamored with FB, but more importantly, my wife, a computer professional, distrusts it mightily. If I were to want to join any FB groups. I would have to begin by having a "discussi

Elden Gatwood wrote: Exactly right! I happen to have that F&C kit on my workbench as I type. Tony Thompson tony@...

Thomas Birkett wrote: Sugar beets were partially steam cooked and shredded, and the pulp was the source of sugar. (Done all at one plant.) I would think that "beet juice" would be a vegetable juice, n

Ray Hutchison wrote: Ray, you must be forgetting that stock cars were thoroughly cleaned after every trip, often steam cleaned. The purpose was to prevent any disease or little critters from infecting

You’re welcome, David. It’s an impressive book and I’m enjoying it a lot. Tony Thompson

David J. Leider's new book on the B&OCT, mentioned here earlier this month, is a new acquisition of mine, and I've reviewed the book in my blog. If you're interested, a link to this post is below. htt

Nelson Moyer wrote: It's quite true that freshly painted prototype freight cars were glossy. But within a month on the road, that shine had become dull, as numerous photos of very recently built but n

Bob Chaparro wrote: I love the trucks you can see in the photo! Tony Thompson tony@...

Bob Chaparro wrote: The rather miscellaneous fleet of cars acquired by the "new PE" from the "old PE" and elsewhere are quite a complex story, well covered in several PE books, notably _Interurbans Sp

Jon Miller wrote: And plenty of Zamac is fine too, if it was made properly. I have a Varney box car from before World War II, with a Zamac frame, and it's fine. And I had a few Zamac trucks that swell

Well, he just meant "get into the plastics industry," which of course hopes not to ever have to face up to the trash problem. Tony Thompson tony@...

Hugh Guillaume wrote: Hugh, here is a photo of a Varney underframe on a metal flat car. Is your B&LE car like this? Tony Thompson tony@...

Ken Adams wrote: The movie, of course, was somewhat prior to there being millions of tons of plastic trash in the ocean. Tony Thompson tony@...

Hugh Guillaume wrote: It was Zamac, NOT "pot metal," but it does fall apart if the alloy was a little contaminated. I'm sure in those days a manufacturer would have goggled at you if you wanted him to

All the SC&F tank cars are terrific models. I have four built, one to go. Tony Thompson tony@...

Well, if you know the 3-4-5 rule . . . Tony Thompson tony@...

Brian Carlsonwrote: I agree, and used an upgraded Walthers body to do a Santa Fe car. Tony Thompson tony@...

Thanks, Fenton. Tony Thompson tony@...

Over the weekend, I posted a description to my blog of PFE ice service practices, including the borrowing (occasionally) of ice from Santa Fe's SFRD. I included a photo of a model Santa Fe ice car, bu