Noble Friends, Today the History Blog feature discusses two 15th century axe heads found at the site of the 1410 Battle of Grunwald. This is said to have been one of the largest middle ages European b

Photo: Boxcar Load Restraining System (Circa 1940s) A photo from the Virginia Tech University Library: https://imagebase.lib.vt.edu/image_viewer.php?q=ns1128 This photo can be enlarged. Can anyone ide

Good point, Tony! That is one curious car. Are those tie-downs on the side sill? Elden Gatwood

In December 1959, PFE compiled two listings of their Wood ice reefers - one for cars still in service, and one for cars out of service. Copies of those listings were obtained from the California State

Photo: Case Cub Tractor Emerging From An End Door Boxcar (Undated) https://tinyurl.com/y3qxb85r A comment by Charlie Vlk: "I’d bet that the car has been repainted for publicity purposes….I haven’t blo

Question for the group on this photo cited by Bob Chaparro back on the 17th: https://californiarevealed.org/islandora/object/cavpp%3A112263 The brake wheel arrangement (vertical staff or horizontal mo

Friends, Can anyone point me to a hobby dealer who still might have IM PS-1 40' roofs for sale? I've done several useless searches on the web (and got the expired IM page offering them for sale!), but

A new resource file on truss rod end freight cars is available on my DesignBuildOp blog. This was a detail found on many freight cars in the first couple decades of the 20th Century. Many thanks to Ra

Photo: PRR X31A Boxcar 77556 A photo by D. W. Davidson on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dwdavidson/3993462291/in/album-72157713215510277/ Yes, taken past this group's era, but a survivor. Take

Hello All, Do any of the tank car fanatics on this list have a photo they can share of these cars circa ‘30’s or ‘40’s? I am looking for the “as built” lettering. In particular I want to know if the r

The Alphabet Route Website This site was announced here in 2008 and has been discussed just a few times since, mainly on the topic of freight car diagrams The website ( http://alphabetroute.com/ ) has

Will someone please address the question? Yes, I have replaced the trucks, as stated in the original question. I want to quiet down the tin sound of brass cars. Any suggestions on making them quiet? J

Friends, I am hoping someone experienced with boxcar ladder sizes could help me estimate the rung width and separation height on the ladder in the attached photo? For size reference the "B&O" in the r

I have a number of brass freight cars that make "brass" noise. I have replaced the trucks on virtually all so they roll well. What is the best way to quiet them down?

Photo: Shoveling Ears Of Corn Into A Boxcar (Circa 1910) A photo from the Nebraska State Historical Society: https://nebraskahistory.pastperfectonline.com/photo/EB2906D4-A317-4423-9489-033893331726 Cl

Friends, As I was wandering through the N&W photos on the Virginia Tech web site ( https://imagebase.lib.vt.edu/browse.php?folio_ID=/trans ), I stumbled upon the attached photo of an N&W tank car. It

We discussed this unusual car about two weeks ago. A photo of the O scale, scratch-built model I did 33 years ago was shown. Then a prototype photo showing the left side having "The Super Chief to Cal

Photo: PRR Gondola 296954 With Export Log Load (Circa 1930s) A photo from the Artstor website: https://library.artstor.org/#/asset/SS7729601_7729601_641419;prevRouteTS=1597971625034 Scroll on the phot

I picked up an Intermountain kit lettered for Illinois Central lease, with the reporting marks NRC 16337, being fully aware that I would have to change something. The MDT book shows these cars as lot

Wabash #8188 is a member of the 300-car DD boxcars series #8000-8299 of 1950. The carbodies featured 12-foot door openings, R-3-4 early improved dreadnaught ends, riveted panels, and a diagonal panel