Dave Circa 1900 brake cylinders used leather gaskets to seal the brake cylinder, and they usually leaked off slowly. This is why set out cars are supposed to always have the hand brake set. The air an

Thanks again Earl For a clear and concise explanation of RR automatic air brake construction and operation. From what you previously wrote, I infer that the dump valve on RGS 20's tender is to allow t

Thanks Earl You are quite correct, on both counts, although one only needs to close the angle cocks to uncouple and switch cars wile the brake reservoir is charged. John

I believe Wiseman had been selling what remains of the PIA production, mostly on EBay. Kemtron was taken over by PSC about 30 years ago, and the Kemtron passenger trucks were still offered last time I

Mark This use of dump is new to me. In North America, dumping the air on a car means to release air form the car's air reservoir. Dumping the air on a train means to release essentially all air from t

Thanks Dale "Dump Valve" is the key: as in "dumping the air". If you look at any of the air brake systems based on the Quick Action triple valve of 1886+ (H and later K triples), you will find a small

Mick Now I am curious: You have plug valve on a pipe adjacent to an air tank. Presumably it has something to do with the air brake system. So what is on the other end of that pipe? And what is the val

Dusty Ladders & Handholds (clearance): 2 1/2" preferred, no maximum, 2" minimum.. Taken from ARA Safety Appliance Standards, Plates C - R,printed in the 19125 Car Builders Cyclopedia on pp 959-978,and

I have been making and using similar tools for about 30 years now, but using a lathe and mill to do so. Ric's photo shows a way forward for those of us who do not have lathes. Apologies for the length

Thanks Ken - I wondered about length differences. But still, this sort of modification should give a fair impression of the F&CC car. And if the point is to have something other than the uniquely D&RG

Jim The McCord is already available 3-D printed for HOn3, using Kadee wheels. I believe that I have actually purchased them from two sources. Colorado is still well covered by PSC, and their Delren ve

Rob Thanks very much for posting LaBelle F&CC coach & combine instructions. Looking the drawings over, I believe that the primary difference between LaBelle's D&RGW and F&CC coaches, is the ratio betw

Bob I am not aware of a commercial product. You might try dissolving black styrene in MEK or in any of the liquid cements for styrene, until you get a putty constancy. This will bond well to styrene b

If you are nervous about assembling the LaBelle kits, their website has about a dozen short illustrated articles on proven techniques for working on wood kits in general, and specifically on assemblin

Dale Most likely someone once had two boxes open, and did not get everything back where it came from. Have you checked your other kits for one with a single side? John Stutz

Rob I do not recall it. If this is about WP&Y locomotive whistles, you might try looking up the BLW specifications at <">http://digitalcollections.smu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/rwy/id/32>. These cover 18

Thanks Rob, for the photos. As for color, its my impression that no two White Pass passenger cars are quite the same color. Unless they were painted in the same week, and that no more than 3 months ag

Chris We could of course, but speculation is so much fun. And my current estimate is that these odd prototype HOn3 kits date from 40-50 years ago, which puts them a bit before Rick's involvement with

Cliff & Duncan Thanks for your replies. I had previously found that the LaBelle D&FtW coach was identical to the D&RGW coach, and suspected this was also true of the F&CC coach. You both confirm that

Rob I am not surprised that a LaBelle D&RGW coach differs from a Blackstone one. There is about 50 year's difference in their initial production dates. They were designed to accommodate different cust