Google is giving me the run-a-round. does anyone now a good, basic site for images of old wooden boxcars, circa 1890's?
Is it just me, or is Google much less user freindly than it used to be?
Anyone know a better search engine? Ask.com used to be good for a lot of stuff Google couldn't handle.
For prototype information, a good starting point is the Early Rail Yahoo group (
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EarlyRail/). There are often prototype pictures shared there.
Shame on me, I don't know whether you are pursuing narrow gauge or standard gauge. If narrow gauge appeals, then the HOn3 (
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HOn3/) and TOCng (
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TOCng/) Yahoo groups are worth joining. There's likely to be a group about the F&CC as well. White's book on freight cars is an incredible resource - I was able to buy a used copy at a San Diego hobby shop for $35 - worth every penny. Now I want his passenger car and locomotive books as well. Saving my pennies.
For HO and HOn3 boxcar models, Labelle makes them in HOn3 lettered for F&CC. BTS (
www.btsrr.com) makes boxcar kits for Civil War through TOC. Alkem Scale Models (
http://www.geocities.com/bkempins/ASMMain/Main.html) makes 19th Century boxcar kits, although they tend to favor Eastern prototypes. Railway Engineering (
http://www.railwayeng.com/hon3/carter/carter.htm) makes a Carter HOn3 ventilated boxcar kit in plastic. Trout Creek Engineering (
http://www.troutcreekeng.com/tcho.html) has both standard and narrow gauge car kits for Colorado prototypes. And of course, Blackstone offers RTR HOn3 boxcar models (mostly pre-weathered and 20th Century) of D&RG prototypes.
For standard gauge trucks - my preference goes to Kadee and - when I can find them - Tahoe Model Works arch bars. Bitter Creek Models and Rio Grande Models also offer extensive lines of suitable arch bar truck kits (both standard and narrow gauge). Kadee and Blackstone also make HOn3 arch bar trucks.
Hope this helps with what you are looking for - and isn't too much of a repeat of what you already knew.