The Home Machinist!

Thanks for the heads up Bill. The flatcar in the ad is 1.5" scale, 7.5" gauge. Carl B.

(1) one, Pennsylvania Western 40 foot scale flat car with tractors and other load gimmicks. Car was made by Tom Bee. Car has a finished hardwood deck. Flat car trucks are equipped with needle bearings. Car has Tom Bee couplers. Flat car loads include 1/8 scale Ertl John Deere and Farmall tractors (t...

For sale: (1) one, 1.5" scale, 7.5" gauge, P&W #8601, 40 foot scale riding gondola. Car was custom built with a steel center sill from coupler to coupler. Car has Railroad Supply Corp. cast aluminum ends, Tom Bee Bettendorf freight car trucks with air brakes and Tom Bee couplers. The c...

No reasonable offers so far. As such, the Backyard Rails F-7 loco consist (powered and dummy A units) plus riding car are still available for purchase. Price reduced to $16,000 for the train set. Pick up only: Chicago SW suburbs. As a side note, a C&NW Backyard Rails F-7 A unit (only) was advert...

FWIW, my 2 cents... 1) boiler air gap. Living in the Northern US climates all of my live...I wouldn't live in a house that didn't have wall/roof insulation. Whether to keep the cold air out in the Winter and/or keep the hot air out in the Summer. That's insane. The only air gaps in the house insulat...

Tyleire...
What a great way to make parallel tubing or rod support brackets. Not only that, can vary the size of the holes and pins for different sized piping. Was wondering how to to produce such brackets easily and quickly...AND...consistently. Thanks for the idea! Carl B.

...and the water supply valve for the forward lavatory is the 4th valve from the bottom! Can't miss it!
Carl B.

YES...you can cut down most solid shank couplers and mill the sides to fit the coupler pocket. Did that recently to a pair of Tom Bee couplers. However, I didn't care for the C-ball coupler pocket upside-down mounting. Someone bestowed upon me (2) chunks of cast iron so I could make new pockets an h...

Tim,
Don't know about the hobby magazine periodicals, but if you can find a Kalmback Car Builder's Cyclopedia...the 1940 version in particular, you'll find all kinds of box car end examples. Photos and dimensions too. Hope that helps you. Carl B.

It's amazing what can happen in the dark confines of a shop oven after the methodology has been painstakingly worked out. Congrats! Carl B.

Backyard Rails F-7 A-A loco consist decorated in New York Central colors. One unit powered #1812, one unit dummy #1811. These were demonstrator units used by Don Phillips (Backyard Rails founder) to showcase his product in the early 1990's. The locos and riding car are being sold as a set. The loco ...

Garrett... GREAT STORY! Other than making apple sauce at the end there...sounds like there's a 2Do List in the making. Time for a few upgrades. And then, regularly scheduled attention so the ole girl doesn't feel neglected! No doubt, steam locos have an interesting way of telling us something needs ...