Andy Carlson wrote: Ah, yes, memories of my childhood, the swallows coming home to Capistrano . . . Oh, sorry, the RATIOS coming home. My mistake. Tony Thompson tony@signaturepress.com

Dennis Storzek wrote: Yes, that is what was recommended. Some shippers wanted salt in pre-icing as well, to get even colder air in the car, but the car standing for perhaps two hours with doors wide o

Alex Huff wrote: If you want to use the tariff language, common to railroaders and shippers alike, the reefers would be pre-iced and the LOAD could be pre-cooled, not vice versa. Tony Thompson tony@si

Richard Townsend wrote: Right you are, Richard, and thanks. Obviously I didn't notice. Usually I watch more carefully for that stuff!! Tony Thompson tony@signaturepress.com

Dennis Storzek wrote: Certainly not brine (unless the veggies were frozen), but 3 to 5 percent salt would really hasten cooling, a good idea for a warm load. Once most produce shippers had their own p

mike turner wrote: All the ore cars on the Minnesota Iron Range once had these platforms, too. Workmen could poke the sticky ore and get it to fall through the bottom doors. Tony Thompson tony@signatu

Achleigh Mike wrote: In April 1950, the ORER shows all 25 cars but has the same note about interchange that Mike quotes. In a 1940 ORER, the P&N listings says "Freight Cars Owned: None." Tony Thompson

Al Brown wrote: As you can tell from acetone's chemical name: dimethylketone. Tony Thompson tony@signaturepress.com

Isn’t that the end on the IM 12-panel box car? Tony Thompson

Tim O'Connor wrote: I don't see this as a reverse end at all. I think people are being confused by the two wider ribs, probably located at seams where pieces of the end are joined together. It might b

Mark Landgraf wrote: Mark misstates what is in the Cyc definitions. The term "stirrup" is included, but only for things like coupler carry irons, NOT applied to steps. The defined term "sill step" doe

Bob Chaparro wrote: I agree with Bill Welch, who points out that the industry did have a standard set of definitions, set forth in each issue of the Car Builders' Cyclopedia. There you will find both

Ha, ha. Tony

Paul Woods wrote: Please stop these uninformed and foolish remarks. The issues with a number of solvents in California are about air pollution, not cancer per se. California's Proposition 65 does requ

It's super good news that NWSL will continue. Maybe they could buy up Reboxx <g>. Tony Thompson tony@signaturepress.com

We have discussed on this list before, the issues around changing environmental regulations. Most of things we THINK are banned, aren't. But there is a lot more paperwork for handling some of it, and

Tim O'Connor wrote: Indeed. Or as Tim has phrased it in the past, any ONE of the oddball reporting marks ought to be quite rare, but the group of ALL oddballs is not small, so needs to be represented.

Hugh Guillaume wrote: If you can scan the pages, or get them scanned, you can post the document as a PDF on Google Drive for free. Tony Thompson 2906 Forest Ave., Berkeley, CA 94705e-mail: tony@signat

Personally, I use the Hendrickson method: place model in plastic sandwich bag, wrap loosely with paper towel, about two layers or so. No abrasion and minimal mechanical damage. Tony Thompson

Dave Parker wrote:Thanks, Dave. I appreciate the additional details. The side-mount safety valves, though ordinarily performing exactly the same as dome-top valves (and both being 5-inch diameter), ha