freight cars – Page 9 – Notes on Designing, Building, and Operating Model Railroads

Tangent Scale Models General American 1917-Design Tank Cars

Dave Parker sent a summary of this fine new HO scale plastic tank car model. Here’s Dave with his impressions of the model.

For about a decade, Tangent Scale Models has developed a reputation for exquisitely detailed and meticulously lettered ready-to-run (RTR) freight cars (and kits) – at reasonable prices. Heretofore, Tangent’s models have largely appealed to transition- and modern-era modelers. The only offerings that (barely) made the cut for 1920s modelers were the 1930 STCX and 1929 COSX three-dome tank cars. A brief review can be found in the guide to 1920s HO scale plastic freight cars.

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Scrap Steel Loads

One of the Wheeling Freight Terminal crew members has a neat method of creating scrap steel loads for gondolas. Here’s Mike Weiss with some ideas you can use on your layout.

Articles in model railroad magazines about making scrap steel loads for gondolas have often not considered industry standards for scrap composition and size. Additionally they usually don’t provide an easy way to remove a load without a wire loop or hidden magnet. We will address both issues in this blog post.

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What’s in the Yard? – 2

The DL&W Freight House in Orange, NJ, December 1920

DL&W company photo, Steamtown NPS, Image #X1689.

Ray Breyer is back with another detailed look at the freight cars in a period image. This time, Ray has three images to use from the same facility and were taken on the same day. Click on any image here to view a larger size.

As an early rail modeler I’m constantly on the lookout for high-quality photos of period railroading, whether it’s my favorite prototype’s infrastructure, rolling stock or engines. I’m also looking for good images in context, showing why things may look the way they do, especially the area surrounding a given image’s viewpoint. Finally, just about any halfway decent period is fair game, since it can highlight rare freight equipment or ‘general atmosphere’ which may prove to be useful when working on my owl layout’s scenery.

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Pre-Depression Era Models at the RPM

20161109_dick_scott_01 — Dick Scott’s O scale L&N 36-foot box car model.

I had a moment recently to take my time and review model images from the recent RPM Chicagoland meet. I found there were quite a few models representing prototypes built in the Teens and Twenties, but wearing later era paint and lettering. One of the prime examples leads off this blog post.

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Transporting Models

I recently attending the RPM Chicagoland prototype modeler meet in Lisle, IL. I had a great time attending presentations, meeting old friends, meeting people from email correspondence, and looking over the fine models on display. Several models traveled with me from El Paso and were on display at the event. Several people asked how I packed them away for air travel so here’s a look at what has worked for my travels.

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