Look at the Rock Island boxcar - those rippled sides would be right up Pierre @ Yarmouth's alley... I don't think I've seen a prototype shot with such clear ripples, actually, not at a distance anyway

I've used a similar technique on a resin deck, except starting with a light grey base. Weathered wood often appears grey or silverish. I used browns and tans over it, then a unifying wash of black. As

I suppose one could etch a simple L with the holes. Design it for one peaked roof, file it to match the radial roof if needed. Then use a short stub of styrene to support the center of the L, under th

That looks like one of the Soos centered door boxcars - which I thought were used almost entirely for loading huge rolls of paper. ( The doors weren't offset to the left like most double door cars. )

Fair point Tony. We are likely straying off topic, so I'll be brief - there are shades of grey. Known was perhaps not fair for that particular case, "suspect" perhaps. We aero guts usually view it as

I guess I'd take a bit of the other view. Truss rods worked just fine for decades, so I don't see a well maintained truss rod car as putting workers at risk, especially in limited service as Larry poi

Smokebox did decals for the orange one. http://smokeboxgraphics.com/decalspre2k.html The instructions cover some of that info I think. Stephan

It's not ideal, but the conversions 3.5 mm =12 inch and .011 = 1 inch are carried around in my head, for use with my various digital and dial calipers.

Loudspeakers are often stuffed with fibrous batting. Crutchfield, for one, sells it. I'm sure others do too. I'd expect cotton or wool to serve, cheaply, and not degrade for a few decades. Steve

I should Google more and spout off less. https://www.micromark.com/High-Precision-Micro-Pin-Vise That's the one. Steve

I bought several over the years. Eventually I gave up and dropped the cash for the Starretts. And they are fantastic. I do have one other that is great, a very small one that only open up to about .02

I'm pretty confident McMaster Carr has what you want, for a reasonable price.

Oh, interesting. The ones I have aren't a loop. The are an open end, more like your needle. Allows me to reach in and drop a dot of CA right around the grab wire just above where it enters the hole. T

They offer a number of different tools for folding and forming photoetched parts. I think the also offer etched tools for applying CA, which are well worth the money. Steve

Bruce, elaborate please. I assume this the USRA single sheathed car?

I've always assumed keeping it in the fridge was an attempt to keep it in a lower absolute humidity environment, though it may also be about lowering reaction rate. Dessicant should help too.

Gents, this is all very useful and well timed for my use. I always like a light grey, dead flat primer to be able to really see the surface and make sure it's clean, putty is smoothly sanded, etc. I h

High quality castings for aircraft engines are usually "investment cast" which is pretty much lost wax by another name. A variety of materials can be used - wax, plastic, stereo lithography or other 3

Nice thing about those trucks is the styrene sideframe. Easily modified. (Delrin bearings, styrene sideframe)

Based on Sunshine's instructions for their 6100 series, I believe both schemes are 1952+. REX 6275 looks like it may be in the scheme introduced in 1952.