You learn something new every day !

[Nato]

     Awhile back when I was reviewing the Walthers PS Baggage cars I critized them on their Rio Grande multi stripe scheme car for what was incorrect placement of the words (names) "Baggage' and "Railway Express Agency" on the car sides, Baggage just below the road name on letter board,RR Express lettering at same height near one end. I have been reading issues of "The Prospector" which is published by the Rio Grande Modeling and Historical Society,which I picked up at a train show last weekend.The cover story in volume 8 Number 4 is heavyweight coaches. There at the top of page 17 is a color photo of coach 1009 and one of the 1952 1200 series light weight baggage cars. I couldn't believe my eyes. The baggage car although painted in the later single stripe scheme has the Railway Express and Baggage markings in the same location as on the Walthers car. Walthers did their homework after all execpt they should have used their skirted fluted side car which is a pretty close match to the Grand's car's which had fluted sides. Some of these later went to D&H. I got to see these cars in Salt Lake over the years ,but never noticed or was bothered by the strange (for most roads) placement of these markings. Nate Goodman (Nato).

[CBQ Fan]

It is too bad companies don't have the resources to post pics/diagrams for their prototypes.  Sure would answer some arguments.

[bicknell]

It is too bad companies don't have the resources to post pics/diagrams for their prototypes.  Sure would answer some arguments.

I think they do have the resources, and just choose not to do it, which puzzles me.

Companies spend big bucks in terms of employee time to research cars and paint schemes.  MT in particular sometimes writes a 3-4 sentence blurb about the car history in their notes, and some of the new guys have picked that up.  Most companies though find pictures of prototypes and do all sorts of research.

In this era of web sites I can't imagine it's that much more work to write 2-3 paragraphs about the history of the car and include a couple of photographs.  Sure, in some cases they need to clear the use with a historical society or whatnot, but I think many would be happy for the extra press.  For the extra couple of hours of time to make this information available I think they would get more sales from modelers who care about these things.

10 years ago, perhaps there was an excuse.  In this day and age with cheap web publishing, no excuse in my mind.

[CoalPorter]

QUOTE "...sometimes writes a 3-4 sentence blurb about the car history in their notes,..."

A blurb which is often just copied from a paint and color guide....for better or worse. 

[sirenwerks]

Usually that blurb is pretty general though. It should be about the specific car/loco being modeled (or at least one of the cars/locos, if the manufacturer offers multiple road numbers). I've seen some blurbs for foobies lately that are just pure marketing shine-ola. Atlas, at least, marks their loco paint schemes as being right, but for another phase of a loco and other such honesties. They're a cut above the rest though.

Manufacturers should also post photos that are of a quality that you can actually read the data markings, so you can be informed about how well they did. I for one would love to be able to read the build dates without taking my reading glasses (or a magnifying glass these days) to the LHS. I know some might say that if I can't read it with my regular glasses, why should I care. But I do, that's just the way it is.

[Nato]

     Walthers would appear to have the data. They got the markings right,their coach done in Rio Grande did use a fluted side car,they chose to do the single stripe later paint probably easier to apply,yet both their sleeper and baggage car though nicely done used the smooth side cars. Walthers C & O  / PM  cars used fluted side cars where approprate,they left the road name off the letter board on the coach, but maybe a later scheme omits this I'am not a C&O expert. In the good old days Kadee later MT was requesting photos of cars to consider doing various roads and car types. I sent them B&W photos of UP passenger cars expecially dome cars which Kato later did and MT has now done in Z,but untill now passenger cars were not on their N agenda. Nate Goodman (Nato).