In our last blog post, I used the term tack boards to describe a detail that I added to a model. Guy Wilber sent a note correcting my terminology. These are placard boards. Guy sent the following prototype documentation.
Placard boards first became a necessity for applying placards on freight cars transporting explosives or other dangerous commodities as required by regulations first issued by the American Railway Association (A. R. A.) in 1905.
Continue reading Railroad Placard Boards
I bought an HO scale 3D printed model of a Chesapeake & Ohio ventilated box car last year. While prepping for a recent operating session, something seemed off about the model as it sat with other box cars. It took me awhile, but I noticed the tack boards on the car end were missing.
Continue reading Tack boards
Ed Rethwisch shared his methods of bending wire to make grab irons. Here he is with some great tips.
I have found over the years that many modeling projects require odd shaped or odd length grab irons. The lead photo shows a portion of an HO scale RTR Intermountain CB&Q covered hopper model that I want to upgrade.
Continue reading Bending your own grab irons
Here’s a June 2015 email from Bill Welch. We were discussing blog posts and he sent this along. It wasn’t published because he wanted to finish the tank car.
I will start out with a digression. Apparently, I am becoming a Tool Guy as I seem obsessed with airbrushes. I now own six of them including the Binks Wren I purchased over 50 years ago and the Harbor Freight airbrush I purchased recently with a 20% coupon for $16.49.
Continue reading Notes from Bill – 2