All- Signode was one of the major suppliers of the strap systems IIRC. Charlie Vlk

How about stuffing in a block cut to size to fit the inside. Another way would be to use mastic like is used for lining fuel tanks or truck beds but I don't think it would be more effective than the s

Jack and All- Some retouched photos from “back in the day” are obvious but some were so skillfully done they are hard to detect. I have a couple that I actually thought about destroying because if the

Perhaps I misread that somebody was making a distinction between a flat with a well with a permanent floor and one with a well hole without a floor which inferred special sides that could support a lo

All- According to the Westerfield 1955 ORER disc, there are two such cars, GN 60013 and 60031 (must have run out of decal numbers!!). Note N states “Dimensions of well in cars numbered 60013 and 60031

All- Note that the car appears to be all-steel. Likely not a circus car. It looks like there are two sets of doors above the mid-height of the car between the 2nd and 3rd and 6th and 7th vertical stru

Doug and All- The image is too dark to see for sure, but is that a six-wheel truck under the close end? Charlie Vlk The M&StL converted a gas electric, GE-25, to weed spray duty in the late 50s. They

I suspected that it was a PRR car….funny that it doesn’t have any reporting marks other than the number, at least that I noticed on the photo. This may be the “car” used to haul the Krupp Gun barrel t

Seems to me I recall that Swift also got some CB&Q SM-?? Stock cars. I recall seeing a photo of one lettered for Swift, don’t recall the reporting mark. Charlie Vlk

Enzo- It is a little confusing…. By “new” my guess is that it has a unique part number. The screening, structural vertical and diagonal members, and chickens all seem to be printed on a standard 40’ r

Actually, it turns out that Lionel had TWO versions in HO…. Inspired by their O gauge one…that had interior lighting… Eric- I doubt that any manufacturer thinking of doing a poultry car is going to be

Rob- I don’t think this is a rebuilding any of a CB&Q USRA GS gondola. While it is true that their own 40’ composite gondolas were similar and may have been inspired by some of the features of the USR

All- I don’t know if they made it into the 1950s, but here’s one to add to the list of California manufacturers: Pomona Valley Model Supply, Inc. 107 East Main Street Puente, California They were make

All- Not freight car related but the shot at 17-31-08 of the City of Los Angeles with an E-2 leading a Red White and Blue E6B was also interesting!!! Charlie Vlk

As in later periods, one must not be misled by early “Builders Photos”…. They would often have detail work done that is not present in regular delivery cars….wheel tire faces painted, raised lettering

All- Since Rapido is still in the early design phases they could add the X31b and gain a couple more road names and additional paint schemes. Perhaps the PRR people can chime in on any more secondhand

All- Scratch that answer….my answer applies to double doors and very wide singles, not offset doors per se. Some single door cars had offset doors as well, likely to accommodate threading long items i

All- Also to facilitate the use of forklift trucks. Charlie Vlk

Eric and all- It would be interesting if this was an item of discussion for standardization amongst master mechanics; either across railroads or internally. Of course there were and are plenty of sini

All of them wrong way, left hand, southpaw doors!!! Charlie Vlk