Q: In your special issue Best of Industries, Harold W. Russell wrote about the R.B. Crowell & Son Grain Co. He stated that the rail-served industry received grain in bulk loads, but in the photos and drawings it seems to me that they would ship grain instead of receiving it. What are your thoughts? — […]
Q: I need help identifying a specific Pennsylvania RR steam engine. The number on the cab was 1299. What class was this locomotive? I have a picture of me as a boy looking out the fireman’s window and want to model the engine in HO scale. — John Nagle A: Thanks for writing in and […]
Q: I have a question about one of the articles in your special issue Best of Industries. On page 16, Rich Cobb wrote about a fertilizer blend plant. Can you tell me what kind of loads a plant like this would receive? — Markus Russ A: We released that special-interest publication in 2021, so I […]
Q: I’m interested in modeling a Maine short line in HO scale. What can you tell me about the Belfast & Moosehead Lake RR in the steam era? – Joel Norman A: The Belfast & Moosehead Lake looks like a great subject for someone interested in modeling a Maine short line, especially if you’re intrigued […]
Q: I have acquired a vintage Suydam “Purina Chows” feed mill kit. What would be contained in the silo part of the building (grain or feed) and how did those feed dealers receive grain? Dumping grain from a boxcar seems a bit messy, and covered hoppers were not in use until the mid-1950s. I model the […]
Model railroaders have long relied on historic maps for information about track arrangements, trackside industries, and building footprints. With the continual growth of the internet, finding these railroad maps online is becoming easier all the time. Here are some helpful sources for finding both current and historic railroad maps online. Sanborn Fire Insurance maps Sanborn […]
