We are taking advantage of a discount at our printer and so can you. The Steam Era Freight Car Reference Manuals, Volume One on Box & Auto Cars and Volume Two on Tank Cars, are currently 25% off. Note that these are printed on-demand and I will compile all orders and have them printed at one-time and shipped on February 1. Please be aware of this.

The inventory of kits has been updated post-Cocoa Beach. There is one of the SP/T&NO A-50-4 kits available and several PM auto cars, as well as updates to the Southern gon, Soo ‘Sawtooth’ cars,  and Erie rebuilds. Between now and the end of the month, inventory should be available for some of the things that have yet to be re-released since Speedwitch rose from the ashes. New stuff is one the way, as well. Stay tuned.

We also still have the reprint of the relaunch decal sets. It letters over 20 cars and at $40.00, it’s an incredible bargain (there are several subjects on the set that you can use later this year on the coming Accurail 36′ double sheathed box cars.)

Number 3 in the PRRP series is here. The subject of this installment is the NP 21500/39500 series double sheathed truss rod box cars. Learn about the history of these sturdy truss rod box cars and how to replicate them with the Yarmouth Model Works HO scale kits

I am trying to get rid of things I don’t use, won’t use, etc., and hope that they can find a new home elsewhere…. link to things and a description here.

The unusual roof, the three-lever brake arrangement, the (possibly) unique hybrid AB brakes… The first installment in the Prototype Railroad Profiles series has all that and more. Learn everything you didn’t already know about the L&N’s numerous ARA single sheathed box cars as well as how to model them in HO. Click here. Get yours now before they’re all gone in the Black Friday madness… ok, they’re digital so they’ll be around for awhile

The American Railway Association Standard Box Car of 1932 is available again, but now as an e-book or Acrobat file (screen or print versions). Click here for information and to download.

People have inquired regularly about when they would see new articles, a la the “Essential Freight Cars” series from RMC. It has taken awhile, but I have finally managed to get things organized! I am happy to announce the Prototype Railroad Profile series. These are in-depth publications about specific prototypes along with detailed modeling information. They go beyond what I could do in RMC as I am not constrained by page counts, image sizes and the other considerations of a magazine. The first to be released (and second in the series… more about the out-of-sequence release below) is the Milwaukee Road’s 22188-series Ribbed-Side Box Cars with their unusual brake arrangement, among other details. I am excited about having this new vehicle to continue writing about something I enjoy so much. I hope you find it to be as rewarding as I do and can use it to inspire your efforts.

Why release no. 2 in the series first? Well, I had completely finished no. 1 before discovering a rather amazing error in the model I had built. It turned out to be a good error as it will let me highlight an interesting modeling obstacle as well as provide some insightful prototype information about the L&N’s ARA single sheathed box cars that to date has been missed by most (if not all ) of us. I’ll have this one completed and posted soon. Stay tuned!

We have created our first e-book: Mt. Vernon Car Manufacturing Co. 1921 Catalog

PLEASE NOTE: We are manually sending the link to the file (more info at the link above). We will be unable to send the link to the file between August 22 and 25 and may be sporadic between August 22 through September 2 as I will be traveling. Thanks for your patience.

To get you motivated to build and letter something and maybe acquire the reference material to do it, we are having a 20% off sale between now and September 8th. No restrictions! Use the coupon code “20off” at checkout. Get something ready to bring to one of the prototype modelers’ meets that are coming up fast!

NOTE: I will be unable to ship items again until September 4. Please be aware of this and do not be alarmed if you do to receive an update before that time.

The reprint of the relaunch decals are finally here. If you want them, get ’em now as this is it for them. Once they’re gone, they won’t be back again.

The parts sets for the Maine Central rebuilt ARA box cars are available in either Murphy rectangular panel roof (P111) or diagonal panel roof (P112).

Some additional Southern gon kits have surfaced. We are running low and they may not be re-run in future.

The Central of Georgia 18001-series gondola decals are improved and back in stock.

Lastly, there is a new set of decals for Great Northern Goat emblems with a handful or two of chalk marks added for good measure.