Given that a journal is clearly missing its lid, I’d say he’s tacking a Bad Order card to get that fixed. David Soderblom Baltimore MD USA drs@...

I’d say Crown Flour is in an industrial area and that track has empties from several industries we can’t see. No profund answer is required. David Soderblom Baltimore MD USA drs@...

A double-ended business car! David Soderblom Baltimore MD USA drs@...

The car is clearly stenciled: “Bad order Do not load” and is a G27. Guess somebody was functionally illiterate? David Soderblom Baltimore MD USA david.soderblom@...

A lot of coal was shipped fairly finely divided, in small pieces, large chunks with air gaps less so. A reference book I have quotes the density of coal as 75 to 94 lbs/ft^3, so you could use the lowe

A lovely image with so much going on: - Such skinny logs for that long ago; not old-growth at all, and with tangled branches. Not worth harvesting for many outfits at that time. - A recently construct

I knew, absolutely KNEW, somebody would nit me on that. About as life-threatening as getting the journal box cover misidentified. Let’s just agree on Eastern something, with the onion domes. David Sod

Thanks so much; there are so many scenes that beg to be simulated in scale. I wouldn’t care to do the Russian Orthodox church, but there are all those lovely details: the combination of concrete and s

I note that the gondola to the left has the pole holders on the car’s outside. I had thought they were inside so the pole would rest against the car’s floor. David Soderblom Baltimore MD USA drs@stsci

An interesting aspect of this photo is the rust on both trucks. Maybe it’s “boxcar red” overspray, but I personally don’t recall seeing rust on freight car trucks because they always have so much oil

A lovely scene. The car is on blocks, yet retains all its fittings (brake hose, coupler, …). And then there’s the siding. I would love to see someone reproduce that sketchy track, with its odd angles

I’m inclined to agree with your comment about griminess, but bear in mind that the photographic emulsions a century ago were primarily blue sensitive rather than panchromatic as they were later. That

A very modelable scene, with the tight curve and the curved add-on to the loading platform, all bounded by buildings. David Soderblom Baltimore MD USA drs@..., 410-338-4543

Exquisite, isn’t it? All those directions in the boards and even different textures. That’s why we model those freight cars, so that even a fairly casual viewer can see distinctive differences. It rea

Look, it’s your own, individual layout and scenario you are creating. There is no such thing as absolute fidelity to a “truth,” because that apparent truth involved lots and lots of variation. It’s al

Ben: Please say more so I can understand your point... David Soderblom Baltimore MD USA drs@...

I strongly agree that powdered Teflon is an outstanding lubricant. Much cleaner than graphite in all applications.

This is outside of this group’s realm, I admit, but, as an astronomer, the 200-inch (5-meter) was an amazing instrument that never really realized its potential. It’s mostly the site, Mount Palomar, w

It says it’s an ingot, but it looks rough, like concrete. And why the asymmetric shape? David Soderblom Baltimore MD USA drs@...

Would a large load like this have been included in a regular train, or would it have required it’s own engine and caboose? David Soderblom Baltimore MD USA drs@...