I built 4 of the ore car kits, they fit together so precisely that I almost thought they could be snap-together kits. I was thoroughly impressed with the precision of the fit, they were a joy to build

The depot in the first picture is on the Erie, in Kent, Ohio. Built in 1875, it is still there, being used as a restaurant, and the tracks below are still in regular use. I think the tracks next to th

Des Plaines Hobbies also made some double sill steps, of the side-mount design (I already had bottom-mount design, from... Tichy or DA).They were out of stock for years, so I bought enough for my need

I ordered two frames, they both came warped too badly to use. I heard that you can straighten them by heating them up in very hot water, then bending them (carefully) and letting them cool. Evidently,

Fenton, I had been considering doing this car using the Tichy with an Accurail underframe, but couldn't figure out how to do the roof. I have a weakness for these quirky rebuilds, and have a W&LE doub

Tichy has TWO flat cars, IIRC. You want the 4021 model, which is 40' long.

Hmm... this discussion got me to wondering if Archer Surface Details would help me scratch build a roof on a DT&I rebuild from 1936. I don't think that the half-round styrene shapes are available smal

"The F&C kit is a disappointment after building a slew of Sunshine and Westerfield kits." Ha!! Ya think?? Actually, F&C is actually better for those who have built resin before, so you've gone about t

RJ, I built one of these kits years ago, perhaps my 3rd resin kit? I liked the complex underframe detail, but I'm not sure it's 100% justifiable, knowing what I now know. You could build it without th

Having purchased a set of Yarmouth ladders for one car, I am distressed at the suggestions to buy a $40 jig to bend them! This is going to push the cost of this one kitbash to the cost of a loco! (I a

Joe, My Shapeways frames (two) came warped. I put them in some hot water for a while, then tried to straighten them. SNAP! Broke one of them! Either I needed hotter water (how hot?) or maybe I needed

I built one of these years ago, but I remember thinking that the decals were either poor quality, not appropriate for my late 30's era, or both. Are there better decals available for the F&C kit? (Spe

I note that the build date of this particular car is 1937, barely in my era... But, those ice hatch covers look odd to me. Is that Diamond plate? Was that around in 1937? Or, was that added at a later

I know we've gone over stripping umpteen times... but I need some specific advice: I painted a Sylvan resin kit with some Testors enamel, but the application was too thick.  How do I strip it

The Wheeling and Lake Erie has the following to recommend it: TWO books, written by John B. Corns, with photos etc., for your research pleasure. Also, the Nickel Plate Historical and Technical Society

I don't own a media blaster, only an air brush. I expect the media blaster would be more expensive than a big can of Bestine... I've found a store (Dick Blick) that probably carried 4 oz cans of Besti

I don't have an ultrasonic cleaner... and I suspect getting one would cost more than a can of Bestine! I had no idea it was going to be such an issue to get these cleaned. If so, I wonder why they don

I have two of the underframes, and I've heard that Bestine rubber cement thinner is the best way to clean the waxy residue off. I've been trying to think of other ways to clean them... and finally bro

The Pere Marquette also had some DS cars with a Vulcan end, although the rib count was different than on the W&LE cars. Still, very rare. Too bad, because I would dearly love to model the W&LE SS car!

Tony Thompson has an interesting article in July's RMC for swapping the tanks and frames on two cars, to yield a 8,000 gallon General American car, and an ACF 8,000 gallon insulated ICC Clas 104 car.