I recently pulled my 1926 era freight car fleet out of moving boxes and onto the layout. My latest blog post features some of the excitement. http://designbuildop.hansmanns.org/2023/05/25/unboxing/ Er

I am building an AMB laser kit FEC caboose. I asked a former FEC employee which end platform had the hand brake lever (these cabs had a lever until early 60s when Ajax brake wheels installed). His rep

Chicago Freight Yard Photo courtesy of University Of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Libraries: https://collections.lib.uwm.edu/digital/collection/agsnorth/id/10374/rec/456 Click on the arrows and scroll to enlar

Photo: ARLX 10045 Armour Meat Reefer A photo from the Georgia State University Library Digital Collections: https://digitalcollections.library.gsu.edu/digital/collection/ajc/id/11674/rec/305 Use link

Railroad Distance Map Of The United States, Mexico & Canada Map courtesy of University Of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Libraries: https://collections.lib.uwm.edu/digital/collection/agdm/id/6525/rec/1423 Click

FGEX 7063 Double-Deck Refrigerator Car Photo courtesy of University Of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Libraries: https://collections.lib.uwm.edu/digital/collection/agsnorth/id/8054/rec/1404 Click on the arrows a

This was ‘the kit from hell’ and spent much of its time sitting on the shelf of doom. The underframe was undersized and I had to splice 6” in the middle to get the cross members to line up with the Z

I recently scanned a James Burke photo from March 18,1951, El Dorado, KS, which showed a Pennsy gondola 741886 with Carmer cut levers delivering coal to the coaling tower. I did not expect to see them

Union Pacific Freight Rate Map (1952) Map courtesy of University Of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Libraries: https://collections.lib.uwm.edu/digital/collection/agdm/id/33217/rec/122 Click on the arrows and scro

GATX Tank Car 75091 & NATX Tank Car 25017 (Dow) Photo courtesy of University Of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Libraries: https://collections.lib.uwm.edu/digital/collection/agsnorth/id/9415/rec/305 Circa 1958 or

ITC Boxcar 6728 Photo courtesy of University Of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Libraries: https://collections.lib.uwm.edu/digital/collection/agsnorth/id/11492/rec/1371 Click on the arrows and scroll to enlarge t

Since Canada is a large producer of Mustard seeds I was wondering how they where shipped in the 40's and 50's. Did they need temperature protection so the seeds shipped in a reefer or bags and barrels

Hello- I have 24 pairs of KATO #31601 A3 Ride Conrol 50-ton plain journal trucks. Released by ASF around 1944 and quickly jumped to over 50% market share for more than a decade. HO freight car trucks.

Hello- I have 30 pairs of Proto 2000 (LifeLike) # 21254 National B-1 HO freight car trucks. These all have ribbed back wheelsts and are in mint new original packaging. Please noe; these trucks have be

CN Boxcar Photo courtesy of University Of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Libraries: https://collections.lib.uwm.edu/digital/collection/agsnorth/id/2330/rec/504 Click on the arrows and scroll to enlarge the photo

Bachmann Trains, A Brief History A post from History and Culture by Bicycle blog: http://historyculturebybicycle.blogspot.com/2020/12/bachmann-trains-brief-history.html An uncritical narrative. Some m

NYC Boxcar 170338 Photo courtesy of University Of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Libraries: https://collections.lib.uwm.edu/digital/collection/agsnorth/id/8203/rec/813 Click on the arrows and scroll to enlarge t

Straddle Carrier & CP Boxcar Photo courtesy of University Of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Libraries: https://collections.lib.uwm.edu/digital/collection/agsnorth/id/6854/rec/2934 Click on the arrows and scroll

For sale: Sunshine Kit #31.3 U.P. B-50-32/33 - 1942 10'6" ACR Boxcar - All Yellow "Be Specific" Unassembled resin kit with no trucks or couplers. $50 plus $8 for 1st class USPS shipping. Please contac

NC&StL Boxcar 20480 (1949) Photo courtesy of University Of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Libraries: https://collections.lib.uwm.edu/digital/collection/agsnorth/id/4344/rec/251 Click on the arrows and scroll to