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It was easy to mask the boxcar red roof and ends and repaint the sides a golden yellow, as Fruit Growers used. Lettering was the next challenge. Although I am not aware of a decal sheet exactly for these R7 cars, the excellent Speedwitch Media set D119.1, for 1948-era paint, looked like it would work. These cars had been put into the FGEX number series 43500–46999, and even in the 1950s, some of these cars soldiered on in Fruit Growers service. Below is a prototype photo, taken in Sioux City, Iowa on September 30, 1952 (from the Bob’s Photo collection, used with permission). The car at left is notably taller. The R7 car height was not unusual in 1913, but cars gradually got taller and taller in the ensuing 50 years, up to my modeling year of 1953.
I chose a car number within the series noted above, and applied the decals, then weathered the model to suggest a car with lengthy service since it was last painted. In the photo below, notice how much shorter the car is, compared to the PFE steel reefer to its left, just like the photo above.
In service, these cars were limited by their small interior height and lack of floor racks, plus relatively thin insulation. They were accordingly used for dense cargoes like potatoes, or cargoes not requiring low transit temperatures, such as onions. I will waybill them accordingly on my layout, and am pleased to have one of these distinctive cars in my freight car fleet.
Most of us have a stash of kits and materials, sometimes impressively large (I’ve known modelers whose stash rivaled a small hobby shop), others much less so. And most of us know that an awful lot of the stuff is not going to get built or the materials used. That’s more obvious with a huge stash, where a program of building at a rate of a kit a week might require a decade or more at that rate to make a sizable dent in the total. But even a smaller stash may contain a fair amount of stuff that no longer fits your needs or interests.
I should say right away that I have no problem with kit collectors. I have known some, and was truly impressed with their encyclopedic knowledge of kit manufacturers and history. But sometimes you are surprised when you run into one. I once bought a couple of Authenticast slag car kits in a convention sales room, and when I let slip that I was looking forward to building them, the seller practically tried to grab them back from me. “Build them . . .” he said in dismay. I got out of there as fast as I could (by the way, they still aren’t built, as the smelter I once contemplated hasn’t materialized). But really, I’m sure I’m not a collector.
Here’s a photo of what these kits look like.
But when I say I’m not a collector, what I mean is that I really intend (at the time) to build or use the stuff I buy, though I will concede that some of my purchases have been with the thought that someday I might need that item. And we have all learned in our years in the hobby that if in doubt, buy it. It will likely cease to be available, either out of production or the kit maker out of business or something else. Buy it now or regret it later, the saying goes. I have certainly followed that injunction in some cases.
Naturally many of those purchases, made with the best of intentions, somehow slip out of contention for building or use, like my slag cars. And certainly freight car kits, of which I once had a truly serious stash, can pile up on you in the most unnerving fashion. The question is how you evaluate this. Maybe you are turning into a collector and haven’t realized it yet. A clue is when you really like owning “that kit” or “that brass engine” but have no interest in building or painting it, and certainly no interest in selling it. Nothing wrong with that, though I do advocate facing up to the reality that is right under your nose.
Or maybe you have just let things get out of hand. You know perfectly well that some of those kits were bought with objectives in mind that are no longer operative. I used to pick up structure kits all the time, when I lived in Pittsburgh and my layout had several sizable areas which were undefined, and thus could conceivably host any one of a number of structures. Now those areas are far distant in the rear-view mirror, and the kits, though still kind of nice, are clearly surplus. And there were plenty of freight car kits on my shelf which, when I looked at them objectively, really were not needed for my freight car fleet nor were sufficiently “fun” just to build. That makes ’em surplus.
I have written in earlier posts about the gradual change in my freight car fleet, with the disposal of older models as well as unneeded kits (for example: http://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2014/12/a-right-size-freight-car-fleet.html ). The process continues. I never planned to replace the older models which were the best I could do at that time (remember when Athearn “Blue Box” box cars were the starting point for all 40-foot steel box cars?), but that’s what has been happening over the last two decades. I have now disposed of close to 350 cars, in the form of kits and of older, complete models, and have acquired or built about 275 new cars, in kit or ready-to-run form. The net effect has been to reduce my stash of car kits substantially. Resin in particular has been addressed very thoroughly, with more than 125 resin car kits either built or sold.
One good effect of car kits of various kinds passing through my hands is that in many cases I have made a Xerox copy of kit instructions to keep, as the information can be pretty valuable in itself, not only the prototype data but model-building techniques. I even like to look at the instructions for kits owned for a long time, as a reminder of what I once wanted to do, and that can refresh some of my present planning. So even keeping your stuff moving can leave you with something of value.
Practically every modeler has a stash of some kind, whether it’s structure or car kits like I discussed above, or brass engines that you “might need,” or materials like brick paper or basswood sheet or flat brass wire or . . . you recognize the pattern. This can be an asset when you need something out of that collection, but may need to be dealt with when it starts to overflow the storage space — or overflow what you are comfortable holding on to. It just needs to be evaluated from time to time.
Over the years, I have accumulated a few older models that continue to serve as “mainline” freight cars, that is, cars which normally do not get switched to or from my on-layout industries, but simply pass by in the mainline freight trains (this was discussed in the last paragraph of this post: http://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2010/12/upgrading-old-models-3.html ). Some of these have older trucks I had never bothered to replace, and recently I got to looking at a few of them and decided they needed to be upgraded. If nothing else, this can be seen as a response in accord with my freight car standards (see for example: http://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2011/03/model-freight-car-standards.html ), but also reflects problems like oversize flanges, out-of-tram truck behavior, or other operational issues.
As an example, I will use a Mantua reefer. Minimal upgrading had been done to it, retaining its molded-on grab irons and sill steps, but with a reasonable paint and lettering job, as well as weathering. I have been working on some other “mainline” cars also needing new trucks, including some old tank car models and two Athearn metal house cars, but will just describe the Mantua example.
Shown above is the car body, prepared as described. Notice the route card, located right outside the black rectangle identified as the location for such cards. This card location is often seen in photos, no doubt deliberately done by car clerks who didn’t wish to be dictated to. The car is intended to represent the MDT cars with steel ends and wood-sheathed sides built in 1941.
The problem with the trucks can be seen in the view below. The Mantua truck is assembled as two cast metal sideframes, with a sheet steel bolster inserted into each sideframe. The sharp “cookie cutter” wheel flanges are an artifact of the 1950s. You can click to enlarge.
I first tried to disassemble the truck so the wheelsets could be replaced, but could not separate the parts. Also, I could see that the axle ends of the Mantua wheelsets are very narrow, so that the sideframes would not readily accept modern wheelsets. I decided to just replace the entire truck.
The original truck screws are very short and work only with the sheet-metal bolster shown above, so I simply tapped the hole deeper with a 2-56 tap, and chose new screws.
One can of course apply a generic AAR truck to cars like this. However, there are plentiful resources in existence to provide prototype information. In the case of MDT, the book Merchants Despatch, by Roger C. Hinman (Signature Press, 2011) is the relevant example, and I examined a number of photos in the book to choose a suitable truck for this model. I ended up using the Tahoe Model Works truck TMW-106, an ARA sideframe design with spring planks, produced by Buckeye.
The kind of job shown above on the Mantua reefer is almost trivial, except that it brings another car into conformance with standards, and also makes for better operation, when the oversize flanges of the Mantua wheelsets are replaced. In actuality, this kind of task goes on all the time with my fleet, and I only mention this instance here to use it as an example of the process.
I’ve just returned from a visit to Cuba on a licensed “People to People” tour, and there were plenty of interesting aspects to the trip, but here I will just write about the railroad and modeling aspects of interest.
First, a little history. Cuba developed a rail network very early, plenty of it to serve sugar mills and plantations, but plenty more to connect cities. By 1958, Cuba had the most rail mileage per square mile of any country in the world. After the 1959 revolution, the existing railway companies were nationalized as Ferrocarriles Nationales de Cuba, which they remain today. An unfortunate aspect of a single national railway entity on an island is that there is no need to letter the name or even the initials of the owner on any equipment; there is no interchange. Rolling stock thus has a rather bare look, often bearing only a number and some very minor dimensional data.
The FC, as it’s often designated, dieselized its main lines in the 1960s, and sugar operations gradually followed suit, eliminating steam on even the most backward plantations by about 2000. But many small steam locomotives have been preserved, and a few restored for tourism. Because of the U.S. embargo, new locomotives and rolling stock have been purchased elsewhere throughout the world, from the Soviet Union and China, to France, Germany, Britain and countries in eastern Europe, and in recent years, even freight cars from Iran. The resulting fleet is polyglot, to say the least.
I will only show a few photos, and apologize in advance for not knowing more about the prototypes. I searched a number of Cuban bookstores for locomotive or train books, and found almost nothing. The internet coverage is spotty and sometimes contradictory. I hope anyone with a more substantial knowledge of the subject can help. But these are only intended as illustrations.
In Camaguey, the old railway station is terribly decrepit, though restoration is in progress, and a small replacement depot was very crowded. I was able to watch and photograph from trackside considerable switching activity, including adding cars to a departing passenger train, without attracting the least attention. Here is one of the Russian-built locomotives, no. 81001, I believe type TEM2, of which I saw several on our trip, in the red and yellow scheme which seems to be for freight power. These things sound a lot like Alcos.
The passenger power largely seemed to have an attractive scheme of dark and light blue. Passenger rolling stock ranged from stainless cars built by Budd, to very run-down standard steel coaches, to newer center-entrance cars looking much like box cars, and apparently built new that way. Note over the door the initials FC, not visible on many cars or locomotives.
The Chinese company, formerly called China North Locomotive and Rolling Stock Industry (CNR) sold a fair number of locomotives to Cuba, and if I correctly understood the halting English of a trainman standing alongside one of them at Camaguey, they are hard to keep running.
In a couple of places there were switchers in a pleasant orange and gray scheme, like no. 38063 here, but I have not been able to find out where they were built. It was picking up this head-end car.
But enough about rolling stock I didn’t understand very well. The most stunning thing about Cuba, speaking as a modeler, is that walking in every city is like being in a 1950s movie. New American cars stopped arriving in Cuba in 1959, so there are 1950s American cars just everywhere. I knew they were there, but really had no idea how prevalent they are: they are not exceptions, they are the dominant car on the street. And even cars from the late 1930s and the 1940s can be seen too. I will only show a few of the many photos I took, and I can tell you, I plan to duplicate some of these models (though not the colors) on my 1953 layout.
Many of the restored cars have been repainted in brilliant colors, and few have that many original mechanical parts. Suspensions are visibly altered, almost every car has modern wheels, and I was told that engines are rarely original (as was often evident from the sound). Many Russian and European parts have kept the cars running, and even homemade parts are used, attempting to replicate the unavailable American originals. There are lots of convertibles, partly because many of the cars are in use as privately-owned taxis, but there are also “classic car club” stickers on many cars. Owners are usually very proud of their car, and most speak English and are delighted to speak to an American.
I am interested in correct model years, partly for modeling reasons, but I found car-spotting in Cuba to be a challenge. Not only may such spotting features as chrome trim as well as tail lights and other items be missing or replaced, even major visuals like grilles may be swapped. I saw an early 1950s Chevrolet with an unmistakable Buick grille, and a 1940s Ford with a unique homemade grille. This makes one a little cautious about identification of an individual car. So I will just show a few of the photos I liked. The massed taxis at places like the Parque Centrale in Havana are one good illustration, of the variety, the frequency of convertibles, and the bright replacement colors.
Another street scene in Havana found my wife Mary alongside what I think is a 1951 Chevy sedan, clearly with replacement paint though otherwise looking more original than most. But like nearly every car, hub caps have vanished over the years.
Here are a couple more that I really liked seeing, first a handsome 1955 Ford at a cafe on the road heading for Havana.
Last, a superb Studebaker on the main square in Cienfuegos, I think a 1951. We also saw Edsels, International and Dodge pickups, and many more . . . but I digress.
You can see that it was a visually interesting trip, and of course fascinating in many other ways too, most enjoyable for us both.
I have alluded in prior posts in the “Waybills” series to the extremely valuable publications issued by many (maybe most) railroads, called a Shipper’s Guide, Industrial Directory, List of Industries, or some similar title. These documents list all on-line shippers and receivers, and are obviously superb resources. These are quite rare in the field of railroad paper items, in original form, and tend to be hard to find, even at railroad museums and archives, but luckily a number have been reprinted in recent years for modelers’ use. I am using reprinted Shipper Guides from Ted Schnepf’s “Rails Unlimited” business, for Great Northern, D&RGW, Union Pacific, Mopac / T&P, and Milwaukee Road. All these except the D&RGW one are available through Rails Unlimited (and here’s a link to their website: http://railsunlimited.ribbonrail.com/Books/shippers.html ; click on Books). There are several posts in which I have commented about these documents (for example, this one: http://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2012/02/waybills-18-resources.html ).
Inside are 258 pages packed with irreplaceable information about both shippers and consignees throughout the sprawling Rock Island system. I will just show a single page to illustrate the kind of information presented. You can click on the image to enlarge it.
The information is self-explanatory except for the far-right column, headed “SWG” (for “switching”), which shows whether sidings are accessible by reciprocal switching arrangements (called “open”) or not (“closed”). The five towns listed, each in a different state, are evidently small and have only a few industries each. By contrast, cities like Houston, Kansas City, Denver, or Minneapolis require dozens of pages to list all industrial customers.
In fact, this 1971 Rock Island Directory is so comprehensive, it now joins my Great Northern Guide (also from Rails Unlimited) as my favorite useful and wide-ranging source of traffic information.
There is another source of this kind of information about shippers and consignees, namely the large list compiled by the OpSIG group (Operations SIG of NMRA), which is available at their website, www.opsig.org, under “Online Resources,” and then “Industry Database.” This collected information is a fine effort by OpSIG and continues to grow, but be careful, as it is for a wide range of eras. Usually the date for each entry is shown, so it is possible to choose only the ones that fit your era. And though very extensive, it is in general less complete for a specific place than a Shipper Guide.
In place of the process just describe, one can of course “imagineer” company names for either consignees or shippers if desired, but I like to find authentic ones where possible, partly because the “real names” often sound particularly realistic, as in this case. I cannot praise enough the value of a Shipper Guide in assisting you in that process, should you wish to work in that direction.
Several years ago, I posted some comments to this blog about how I manage the flow and storage of the rolling stock on my layout (you can read it at this link: http://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2011/12/operations-car-flow-and-car-storage.html ). I have a fair number of freight cars beyond what is needed to operate the layout, partly to create variety in operations, but certainly not least because I am a freight car enthusiast. I have always enjoyed researching and building new freight cars, and the result is a car fleet rather distinctly too large for the layout, even with extensive staging capacity.
One change I have made is to add some of the A-Line storage boxes. (These products are shown on their website, at: http://www.ppw-aline.com/hobbytote.htm ), though I have never bought the sleeve which makes them into a “tote;” I just buy the boxes.) These do a good job of holding about 16 cars each (for 40-foot cars), and they are well protected. Here is one such box, with the lid set aside.
I continue to use my paper-carton boxes with trays (as described in the post linked at the top of this post), though because these are less quickly accessible than the A-Line boxes, they have become a kind of “deep storage” option. Gradually the cars which are less frequently used are migrating into the paper-carton trays. Those cartons and trays were shown in the previous post, a link to which is at the top of this post.
The most active “pool” of cars is on the staging table, either made up into mainline trains, or simply in place on the storage tracks. This pool varies over time, with cars migrating off and onto the staging tracks as layout operations continue. Here is a shot of the table as it is at the moment.
The table is not quite fully extended, as the furthest track visible is the 11th (there are 12 in all).
The other part of the active “pool” storage is the shelving in my adjoining room (the kitchen, when this space was a sub-size apartment). These cars supplement the cars on the staging table. The top and bottom shelves are not really curved, the lens focal length just makes them look that way.
How is this managed? I have a chart laying out the sequence(s) of car movements at each industry or other car spot (this procedure, a version of what can be called “demand-based car flow,” was described previously: http://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2011/11/operations-demand-based-car-flow-2.html ). From that chart, I make up a list of the movements which are the next sequence of operation, and go to my “pairs list,” described in an earlier post ( at: http://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2012/02/waybills-17-pairs-list.html ), and thereby find the cars with waybills for each of those car spots, along with the overlay bills for each spot. The waybills are filed by industry, so are readily retrieved. Then the car itself is located in storage by a (searchable) roster of all cars in active service. One of the entries for each car is its location, in a paper carton, in an A-Line box, or in the pool. I summarized an earlier version of this process in a blog post a few months ago (see it at: http://modelingthesp.blogspot.com/2015/07/waybills-part-42-flexibility.html ).
Obviously the car roster is a critical part of this process, and I have learned that the roster has to be kept up to date as cars move around between various storage locations. I usually indicate such movements with pencil corrections on the most recent print-out. When a page gets too heavily marked up, I just update the electronic file and reprint the page.
All in all, the process described above does work, and seems to provide good operational movement of cars, while permitting some selection of cars for each movement (because there are multiple waybills for every industry and car spot). I am always experimenting with ways to make the process more efficient, but for now, what I’m describing works well.
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With the hotter weather fast approaching, see how best to look after your violin, viola, cello and double bass!
There are many different ways to keep your child enthusiastic about music practice. Is important to remember however that every child is different and it may take a little bit of trial and error to figure out which method(s) work best. Here are our top five ways in which you can keep your kids keen!
North to South is the adventure lifestyle blog of nomadic entrepreneurs Diana Southern Norman and Ian Norman.
We choose Airbnbs over hotels and prefer seeking out tips and suggestions from locals rather than a tour agency.
Hey there, I’m Diana, North to South’s creator and lead correspondent!
I began travel blogging in March 2014, when I called it quits on my normal American life and set out to explore the world with my partner in crime (and love of my life), Ian. I started North to South to document our experiences traveling near and far to the places we’ve always dreamed of visiting, and to share those experiences freely with the world – family, friends, and curious strangers alike.
I hope you’ll find something of value to you here on North to South. Have a question about a destination we’ve been to? Want to know more about my decision to quit my job to travel the world? I’m an open book, and I’d love to hear from you. Don’t hesitate to contact me. You can also find me on Facebook and Instagram.
Here are some random fun facts about me.
I love adventures, so I’ll try almost anything once.
I eat vegetarian with the exception of must-try local foods.
I went to college in sunny, laid-back Malibu.
I can speak and understand Spanish pretty well.
I have a dog named Tiger, a playful guy with a big ol’ heart and tiger stripes. My parents were kind enough to give him a home when I started traveling so I still get to hang out with him once in awhile.
I prefer riding my bike over driving my car. We sold both when we started traveling, but after purchasing our Chicago condo, we both got some vintage road bikes again!
I don’t watch much TV, but I love Netflix.
My favorite foods are orange bell peppers and cheesecake.
I absolutely hate the cold, but we picked Norway as our first destination.
I’ve got a fantastic travel companion in my boyfriend fiancé husband Ian who shares my passion for travel and trying new things.
I hate loud noises, but I blast music in the car at nearly full volume.
My first time out of the U.S. was on a trip to Spain with my high school Spanish class. I was 17.
I get antsy being in one place for too long.
Below are a few of the common questions posed to us about our exciting journey transitioning from traditional American lives to full time travelers.
WHAT INSPIRED US TO START TRAVELING?
After each of us struggled to find joy in traditional American full-time jobs, we decided to call it quits and get out and explore the world.
In early 2014, the risk of wasting our time and missing out on new experiences finally won us over. It outweighed the risks involved in taking a non-traditional leap out of the regular working world and into the world of travel and entrepreneurship. There were a lot of unanswered questions, but we were confident we’d figure it out.
We picked a goal date (March 1, 2014), outlined a plan for our transition, and decided that if we stayed on track and pooled up some extra savings, we’d make the decision official at the beginning of February. After the first week of February, we’d already booked flights and a place to stay for our first month overseas.
On March 2, 2014 (our two-year anniversary) we set out on our first adventure destination: the Norwegian fjords around Stord, Norway.
Read more about our transition from average working Americans to full time travelers (with tips on how you can do it) here: Quit Your Job and Travel The World.
HOW DO WE PLAN TO GET BY?
With our creative entrepreneurship skills, of course!
Yes, we’ve got money in savings, but it’s for emergencies only. A sustainable travel lifestyle is key to our success, so we plan to focus our energy on entrepreneurial endeavors that can be managed from anywhere (as long as there’s Internet access somewhere nearby). Check out LonelySpeck.com – currently our biggest ongoing online project, focused on sharing astrophotography knowledge and skills with others. While you’re at it, take a peek at StylishTravelGirl.com, my new site for fashionable traveling women, and PhotonCollective.com, our latest photography web project.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH ALL OF YOUR STUFF?
Surprisingly, I think this is actually the question I was asked most frequently when we were preparing to leave on our first trip. Everyone was so concerned with what would become of our things! Well, we donated most items, sold a few things, and stored even fewer in a closet at my parents’ house. Aside from the stuff we packed for our first trip, we actually kept very little.
Send me your question, and I’ll respond as quickly as our traveling lifestyle and Internet access allows!
Festival of lights, Diwali is very big in India. It signifies victory of good over evil and light over darkness. Markets are bustling with mouth-watering sweets during this festival. I remember my mother working in the kitchen all day and preparing a feast for us which also involved making different sweets. Nariyal ki barfi, kheer-anand (thick rice pudding) and daal ki chaki was always on the menu. Sweets are also offered to friends and relatives who come to visit the following days.
It is always so hectic during Diwali. There is just so much to do - decorating the house, distributing sweets, making a lavish meal, sorting out clothes to wear, socializing. I wasn't sure if I would be able to share this recipe but I am happy I managed.
Today I am sharing a recipe which is a fusion between western and Indian dessert- "Pistachio-yoghurt cupcakes with cardamom frosting"! You know how elders just taste baked goodies because they don't quite enjoy flavor of vanilla and chocolate. This dessert is going to cater to elders as well as kids. My father-in-law flipped over these cupcakes.You can make them in advance, they won't get spoilt for 2-3 days. Drizzle frosting right before serving.
Indian sweets hardly bear any resemblance to Western desserts. Unlike Western desserts, most of the Indian desserts are either deep fried or cooked on an open flame. Mithai is usually made by combining milk and ingredients like semolina, chickpea flour, desiccated coconut and dried-fruit together. Flavored with saffron, cardamom and rose water, mithiais are very aromatic. I have always had a weakness for crisp jalebis and daal ka halwa!
This is actually a mithai( Indian sweet) disguised as a cupcake. Pistachio and aromatic cardamom pods create a beautiful flavour which reminds you of Indian sweets as soon as you taste it! Use of yoghurt does wonders with baking powder and makes cupcakes very moist. Cupcakes just melt in your mouth!
Preheat oven for 10 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius - Golden rule!
Strain flour, baking powder and baking soda together and keep aside.
Now fold dry ingredients, ground pistachio and yoghurt lightly in the creamed butter-sugar mixture. Make sure to not over-beat. You just have to incorporate all the ingredients together.
Pour batter in the cupcake tray and bake at 180 degrees for 15-20 minutes till skewer or knife comes out clean.
Mix icing sugar and a pinch of cardamom powder with few drops of water. If sugar doesn't come together, add more.
Drizzle over cupcakes and garnish with chopped pistachios.
Don't forget to try other desserts and snacks from the blog. Wishing everyone a very happy and safe Diwali!!
Looking for more recipes to satisfy your sweet tooth??

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