One should keep in mind that it is not only the chuck that may or may not run true. The bearings on the spindle may have sloppy clearances. Further, the chuck mount may not be perfectly true to the ro

My view might be a minority but I see the layout like a staged show. There are the few star performers, specially detailed engines or such. Then a lot more supporting players, perhaps a named passenge

A shock indeed. So glad I had a chance to chat with him last year. I appreciate the memories of him. Chuck Peck

I can't speak for the west but the L&N moved a lot of coal in gondolas. When coal was a common home heating fuel, there were many local retail coal yards. Many smaller yards were not equipped to dump

Thinkabout adding leverage between cylinder and brakeshoe. Chuck Peck

Hirsch Brothers in Louisville KY had tub type pickle cars. They made the now defunct Paramount Pickles brand. One of their cars was donated to the Kentucky Railway Museum. After a life of hauling brin

As a kid, I remember going with grandmother to a poultry market. They had live and dressed, and not just chickens. She usually bought live birds, which may have been cheaper than dressed. At any rate,

And no dust mask of course. Chuck Peck

Late 1940's, the L&N was burning wooden cars nightly. They had been tipped over sideways off the trucks and set ablaze. We would sometimes drive over in the evening to watch the fires. By morning, I w

With at least some types of injectors, it would be possible to blow steam back into a tender cistern. Also possible that engines normally operating in extreme cold regions may have had heating coils i

"Wonder why it was sprayed? If for any other reason than what Philip mentioned. " Back when many homes were heated with coal, coal was a consumer commodity. This was advertising. They used claims like

It seems though, when I take those unbuilt kits to a show, very few get bought. Maybe those of us who do or have built kits haven't inspired but few younger hobbyists. Between failing eyesight and sha

Considering that the roof was covered as well, My guess is that it was for waterproofing. Perhaps straight grain millwork grade lumber, high value? Chuck Peck

With the L&N, one cannot go wrong having too many hopper cars. Chuck Peck

As a follow up to Bob's remarks on L&N boxcar red, it varied. L&N would ask paint suppliers to bid on paint. There was a sample provided, I was told. L&N was a frugal railroad. A better price meant mo

Andy, It appears that at some near future time there will be rail commuter service between Orlando International and somewhere near Cocoa Beach. Cocoa, (as not Cocoa Beach), is supposed to become a st

We still have Accurail. Yep, everything costs more now. I started out buying flextrack at 75 US cents for a three foot piece. That was brass rail on fiber ties. Sounds cheap but minimum wage was $1.25

I do not know much about CGW but I do know that some boxcars have worn more than one color over their lifetime. Both colors could be correct in different years. Chuck Peck

So much difference is there between old yellow Barge and Weldwood contact cement? Don't they work in a similar way? Chuck Peck

I have forgotten which color is the new Barge cement and which is the old. Chuck Peck