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

It’s been awhile, but Prototype Railroad Modeling has been reprinted and is in stock. Details may be found via this link

General Electric’s U25B: A Bold Opening with Hunter Hughson. Details and registration via this link

We are happy to announce the release of our first new kit in many years. The subject is the Chicago and North Western’s 40′ PS-1 Auto Cars. Details may be found via the link

Two more of the Focus on Freight Cars series have been reprinted:

• Volume Seven: Rebuilt Box & Automobile Cars
• Volume Eight: Refrigerator Cars 3

There are also limited copies available of some other titles in the series. Check on the Books & Journals page to see what is available

The next batch of Focus on Freight Cars reprints are available.

This group of reprinted titles includes:

• Volume Three: Refrigerator Cars
• Volume Six: Refrigerator Cars 2
• Volume Ten: Other Freight Car Types

As I type this, Volume One, Volume Two, Volume Nine and Volume Eleven are also still available. Given that they sold out quickly (except for a few of Vol. Nine,) the first batch of reprints (Vols. Four, Five, and Nine) will be reprinted yet again at some future point

The first batch of Focus on Freight Cars reprints are available. Should these prove to be successful, I will continue with three more from the series. The reprinted titles are:

• Volume Four: Steel Box Cars
• Volume Five: Steel Automobile Cars
• Volume Nine: Single Sheathed Box & Automobile Cars 2

Volume One, Volume Two, and Volume Eleven are also still available

The reprint of Prototype Railroad Modeling, Volume Five has arrived. Details about the topics covered can be found via the link.

I received a refresh on Steam Era Freight Cars Reference Manual, Vol. 3 on Refrigerator Cars. These are the perfect-bound commercially-printed books. In the coming weeks I will be updating Vols. 1 and 2 to this style as well. You should see an improvement in image rendering due to the change in printing on these two volumes. The cost should be the same as even though costs have increased, the change in printing should offset the increase.