The plans for this car are also in the 1895 & 1898 Car Builders Dictionary along with a photo of an apparently identical LS&MS car. These were reproduced in Newton Gregg's Train Shed Cyclopedia #55 (f

The drawing in ARRFC isn't quite as detailed, but at least it's all there. (The end & x-section drawings are the same, so I won't repeat them.) Tom

I forgot to mention that the Pennsy had some similar cars in that period that also show up in LofC photos. You'll want to download the highest resolution scan of the first photo here to see detail. (I

Yes Mel, John White's American Railroad Freight Car has an excellent detailed plan of this car on pp354-355. It's reproduced from Engineering News of April 19, 1890 (so a bit outside the time frame of

As usual, you should be able to get a higher resolution scan of this photo from the Library of Congress site. I've not tried with this one, but the information needed to find it should be in the Shorp

An oyster car would have a roof, which this one doesn't. There were coal hoppers built to a similar design, although the ones I've seen were much smaller. These had the dump doors tucked way up under

I've used the various Zap varieties for years. The caps never stick, but I sometimes have to ream out the spout - no big deal. Tom E.

Some great stuff here, but everything is all mushed together in this collection. Does anyone know if there is a way to search or limit by type, railroad, year or anything? Tom E.

I used to pack a Sandvik Brush Axe for clearing photo lines. They can cut up to ~1" diameter & are (were) used by land surveyors. I used it only occasionally, so it now resides in my coat closet. Tom

Beautiful work, Jack Thanks for the photos Tom

It seems to me that Utah Pacific once made these in brass, but not cored. - Tom

Here is a link to the photo as posted over on the Early Rail site: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/331880/394918.jpg The one at the dealer is the same although somewhat cropped. Tom

Some of the guys over on the Early Rail site identified it as being at the Trafford Park works in Manchester, England in 1916. I'll go tell the Ford dealer that they messed up their caption! Tom

Our local Ford dealer has a photo on their wall of the Highland Park, Michigan assembly plant taken in 1913 showing Model-T's being loaded into freight cars that look very European. They are short all

Why do they feel they have to put those very annoying time stamps on these things! - Tom

Notice that the lettering is completely invisible - no doubt obliterated by dirt & grime - Tom

Ice harvesting & ice houses were also common on western lines before mechanical ice-making became common, especially with all the fruits & vegetables being shipped east from California. The Santa Fe h

Nobody has yet mentioned the Chief Wawatam. Unfortunately, I understand that she was scrapped 10 years ago. Tom

I had the great good fortune to sail on the City Of Milwaukee across Lake Michigan late in her carrier when she was the Ann Arbor spare boat - filled with freight cars & a few large trucks with my lit

Larry - You might have to steal some lettering from early (1880's-1890's) standard-gauge sets. Clover House (dry transfers) & the new k4_pacific decal line on ebay come to mind. Unfortunately, I don't