Boxcars and books

Hi Everybody,

The B&O wagon-top boxcar arrived Friday. Take a look.

Looks real nice. You can't tell very good but I've swapped out the Weaver trucks for a set of Rich Yoders P48 Bettendorf trucks. The couplers will be replaced soon with Protocrafts couplers.

In the November 1982 issue of Mainline Modeler (sad day when Bob ended publication) is an article on the M-53 along with a set of plans. As Gene Deimling has said that as good as this car is, there are still items that need corrections or addition to. One item is the lower door guide. It is not correct for the Youngstown door. Because of the factory paint I'm thinking of just leaving them as is. However, one item that is missing and creates a hole in the looks of the car just above the couplers. In the latest issue of O Scale Trains is a review of the car. One of the accompanying photos is of the Duryea center sill at the end of the car. Clearly in the photo are two guide plates that are riveted to the bottom of the end over the outside edges of the center sill where there are two rails that these guides have passing threw them. It's an easy add-on.

I hit the jackpot last night. Nooo, not that one. I won on eBay a pristine January 1959 Equipment Register. 59 is a hard year to find equipment registers for. Hope none of you folks were bidding on it. These books are really great for assembling your freight roster. If you have never seen one or doesn't think it'll help you. Well think again grasshopper. At the time of date the register lists every operating railroad in the country with every car in that railroads roster. It won't tell you weather a 40ft boxcar is an ACF or a Pullman-Standard but does give basic dimensions. The register also include interchange points on the railroad and with who the interchange is with. If for nothing else, you can look to see if that certain car was on the railroad at that time or not. And even though I'm modeling the fall, January is close enough.

Went and got the eyes checked yesterday. Now to find the glasses I want. I'm now getting antsy to get laying rail. Would also like to start building some rolling stock too.

See ya next time.