We have restocked Volume Two and Volume Three of the reference manuals and still have some copies of various volumes of Focus on Freight Cars (1,2,4,5,7,9 as I type this.) Links to all the books

I am also getting closer on the resin front. I have two parts sets that I fully expect to have released this year and early next year, I hope to begin offering full kits (again, except cast by yours truly, this time!)

The reprints of Volume Four and Volume Five are in and shipping out Tuesday. I have submitted the next reprints to the printer to have available for shipping the first week of October. They are Volume Seven: Rebuilt Box & Automobile Cars and Volume Nine: Single Sheathed Box & Automobile Cars 2. As with the previous, this is likely the last run of these. Again, shipping in early October.

There is also one K125 – SP A-50-11 Auto Car kit, as I type this

The people have spoken (and emailed.) Many of you have reached out about the Focus on Freight Cars series. I am listening and am starting a small run of reprints, beginning with Volume Four: Steel Box Cars and Volume Five: Steel Automobile Cars. This may be the last time for these. The cost remains the same. They will ship in early September.

Steam Era Freight Cars Reference Manual, Volume Three is being reprinted with some very minor revisions. Details may be found via this link.

Registration for Hindsight 17.0 on March 16, 2024 is live. To see a list of clinics/clinicians and details, click this link

Kits

• CNW PS-1 Auto Car (K124) This is the last group of these cars. As soon as this supply is exhausted, I will retire this kit
• SP A-50-11 (K125) – there will be more of these available in mid-January. Stay tuned
• Milwaukee 50’ single sheathed Auto Car (K126) – board-by-board construction of the pattern… the launch of these will be soon… I will post that news in the usual places
• CG Emergency Box Car (K129) – board-by-board construction of the pattern… this is progressing with an expected release some time in February
• ATSF Bx-34 (P126) – this is also expected some time in February; it is not a full kit, but rather includes detailed Duryea underframe with side sill support tabs, placard and route card boards, ladders, and other details unique to these cars plus decals (decals will letter one Bx-34 as well as a “bonus” Bx-37). It will be offered in two versions: as-built (incl. curved map) and postwar repaints with ’ship and travel’ scheme

Other kits are in the works and details will be provided as they near release

Books

• UTLX Steam Era Tank Cars – this has been reprinted and is available now. This is likely the last printing for the foreseeable future. (note: I have updated the inventory level since I posted this… sorry for the goof!)
• Steam Era Freight Cars Reference Manual, Volume One: Box & Automobile Cars (Revised) – there are a few copies of this currently available
• Steam Era Freight Cars Reference Manual, Volume Two: Tank Cars (Revised) – this is being printed now and will be released in early January
• Prototype Railroad Modeling, Volume Six is in development and the expected release is by mid-to-late March. Volumes One through Four are still available (Five will be reprinted in future)

I will ship all orders for the week of Jan 1 during the week of Jan 8, so if you place more than one order during that period, I will combine them and refund the shipping balance

Our latest offering is the Southern Pacific A-50-11 auto car. More details can be found at the link

The registration for Hindsight 20/20 16.0 on December 02, 2023 from 11:30 AM – 6:00 PM Eastern Standard Time is live. Details can be found via this link

With the announcement of the revised version of Vol. One (see next post below) I received some questions about the other volumes. Vol. Two (Tank Cars) will be updated and reprinted in the new, perfect bound (softcover) format. There are copies of Vol. Three (Refrigerator Cars) already available in that format.

I am disappointed that I missed the new new new Naperville this past weekend (can’t believe it’s on its fourth incarnation… I remember attending my first ca. 1997!) I had an unexpected death in my family that hit hard. I know that many of you had reached out in advance of the meet and were expecting to see me. Next year if not sooner! Here are a few updates in no particular order…

Revised SFCRM 1 – preorders are open for a revised version of Steam Era Freight Cars Reference Manual, Volume One: Box and Automobile Cars with shipping scheduled for the third week of November (week of Nov. 16). I have added additional content (with the page count now over 230 pages,) primarily to the late 40s and early 50s era although there are updates sprinkled throughout. These are now being printed as a perfect-bound (softcover) book. If you missed the original version, this is highly recommended as a “top of the workbench” reference to answer many basic questions about significant prototypes. Best news: the price remains unchanged at $60!!!

Other books of note in stock (note that if you click and the quantity shows as out of stock, that has happened since this posting… apologies!):

• Focus on Freight Cars, Volume One: Single Sheathed Box & Automobile Cars
• Focus on Freight Cars, Volume Two: Double Sheathed Box & Automobile Cars
• Focus on Freight Cars, Volume Three: Refrigerator Cars
• Focus on Freight Cars, Volume Six: Refrigerator Cars 2
• Focus on Freight Cars, Volume Eleven: Express and Head-End Cars
• Freight Cars in Context, Volume One
• Prototype Railroad Modeling Volume One
• Prototype Railroad Modeling Volume Two
• Prototype Railroad Modeling Volume Three
• Prototype Railroad Modeling, Volume Four
• Prototype Railroad Modeling, Volume Five

Parts – in reorganizing things, I came across a few odds and ends of parts that I have in small quantities. They are listed below. If you click and inventory is zero, then it has sold out since I posted this message

• P100 – Seaboard Air Line Class AF-3 Auto Car Doors
• P101 – Soo Line 75800-series Auto Car Doors
• P104 – Youngstown doors for Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Rebuilt USRA Box Car

K124 CNW PS-1 40’ Riveted Auto Car – there are a couple of these left. There will be one more “drop” of approximately 25 kits in the next month or so and then that’s it…. the kit will be retired by me. If you click and inventory is zero, then it has sold out since I posted this message and the next and last batch will be updated in late Nov or early Dec

The next kit info can be found here – it’s the Southern Pacific A-50-11 Auto Car 

The details about the subscription plan for kits can be found via this link

Thank you for all the support! Stay well and enjoy the end of year and holidays