Point Pedro
July 2003 Newsletter
Archive: January 2003 Newsletter
As this letter is written the tooling for the new Standard Car Co. HO scale Dominion car is 70% complete. The carbody itself has been test shot and samples will soon be sent along to those dealers having placed advance orders with us. Does this mean that modelers are about to see their first perfect freight car kit? Absolutely not! We have never seen a "perfect" model yet and our own products are no exception to that rule. What we can tell you is that every effort has been made to bring you the most anyone could build into a kit to provide the broadest appeal at the most affordable price. Speaking of price, a number of modelers have inquired what the cost will be. At this time we fully expect it will be $17.50 in the US and $24.95 Cdn. in Canada, depending upon the stability of the exchange rate, plus applicable taxes. We also expect that modelers will find our cars to be accurate models of the prototypes for which they are decorated, not one model decorated for any road having some similar car. Discerning modelers will want to be certain to see our models of both CNR and CPR Dominion cars before considering any other. A photo of one of the test shots from our 1923 CNR version appears below.
Please note the rendition of the joints where the diagonal "Z" bars of the frame meet the vertical "Z" bars at both the top and bottom of the side. Our toolmaker has taken great pains to accurately duplicate the differences in these joints for you rather than simply make them all alike. Note also the delicately rendered Camel door guides, the door stops, the replacement CNR style bulge plates with their reinforcing rib and the jacking plates on the bottom of the side sills. When viewing the ends of the car, be sure to note the finely rendered poling angles and coupler yoke in addition to the end sill itself. These are just some of the important details we feel are essential to include on the car.
As noted, our first Dominion car is based on the 2,500 car order constructed for the Canadian National in 1923 as cars #426500 - #248999. Like the prototype, the models feature a 6 ft. door, a four brace end (with the optional fifth brace for the center included as a detail part) and a Hutchins metal roof. They will, however, be a modernized version with AB brake gear and trucks having cast sideframes rather than the original arch bar trucks. All of our HO scale Dominion cars will have the following features:
- One piece, injection molded carbodies for the floor, sides and ends that are detailed for each specific railroad and provide for quick assembly of all components.
- An underframe with most of the correct details properly molded in.
- Separate roofs, doors and other details that are correct for each individual railroad.
- Correctly painted and lettered cars with ten car numbers available for each railroad.
- Free rolling trucks and Kadee (accept no substitute!) #5 couplers.
- Regular availability, rather than "limited runs", and at reasonable prices.
In short, we believe our Dominion cars will be just what Canadian National and Canadian Pacific modelers have been looking for and that all will appreciate the fact that we are doing different models for specific CNR and CPR cars rather than offering only one model lettered for both roads. Any HO modelers interested in adding quality models to their freight car rosters should be equally well pleased.
The Canadian Pacific version of our Dominion car is now expected in November. This version will be specifically different from the CNR version so that it will truly reflect the differences between cars of the two competing railroads. When compared to our CNR cars our CPR Dominion cars will incorporate the following differences:
- Non-parallel diagonal braces on the sides as found on the majority of CPR Dominion cars.
- A 5 ft. door width with your choice of wood or steel doors.
- A Murphy outside metal roof rather than a Hutchins metal roof. The two are distinctly different in appearance.
- A two brace end with a separate brace to be added in the middle if desired.
- CPR style bulge plates and other small details as required.
Once the first CNR and CPR Dominion cars have been successfully introduced we will begin work on a second CNR style of Dominion car having a 5 ft. door and a wood sheathed roof as well as cattle car versions for both roads. If all goes as planned with our Dominion car series we do plan additional versions specific for the Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo, with Murphy steel ends, and for the Erie. These additional Dominion cars may, however, be preceded by other freight cars that we have been gathering information, drawings and data on. If you are aware of other late steam era freight cars that have not previously been offered in HO scale and think they might be of interest please be sure to let us know!
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New England Rail Service, Inc. |
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