Bob;
Thank you very much for the Fathers' Day wish, and the same goes to you; and I have a funny feeling you will be around awhile (Only the good die young...)

Happy fathers Day!

Rich
(The Old Reprobate)

Some years ago, I bought a Jaguar XJS, and got a chuckle whilst reading the manual.  Yep; tyre, bonnet, boot are real Brit terms.  I love my little kitty car-with its twelve-cyl engine and all.  Some what of a chick magnet too.  That is good, because I am not anymore...
However, the Brits do not have the market cornered on spelling; the Canadians do...(ha ha).

Bob and others;
I had long been enamoured by the little 0-4-0 kettles that pulled the trainloads of rock, concrrete, etc at the Panama Canal construction, and had wanted so to get one.  I saw one on "Trainworld" page in MR, for 12.00 several years ago.  I bought two.  They run like crap!  I have toyed with the idea of getting the Bowser 0-4-0 mechanism and doing one, just to see.  They [Bowser} are not exactly cheap!
For a few dollars more, I can get a whole 0-4-0 with Bowser's blessings.  I will cogitate some more...

Rich

GG;
If someone else will already have the jump on them, why would Bachmann, a company that already has a great market following, be wanting to chase a hand, so to speak?

On the F&C passenger cars:
I am not sure if Steve and Sharon actually did them, or just bought them-or packaged them for- the Rutland Car Works.  I have, in my collection, a Rutland baggage car kitted by F&C, but the box says "Rutland Car Works". 

Also; are you saying you will be doing resin kits? 

The Old Reprobate

Sounds to me like you went out in a rush and bought normally closed puch buttons. 

Conrail;
Your point is well taken; and that point is only one among others, just as valid.  However, there are examples of multi-production of a model-the RS-3 comes to mind, so never say never; even though-and I am sure you will second this thought-it is an endeavour generally bordering on the ridiculous.

The Old Reprobate

DrEMD;
I passed that engine in Kingman, Arizona in 1967, driving back on US rte 66, enroute across the states to Connecticut.  It was big, majestic, beautiful, and exuded the very essense of power.  I will never forget her, facing westr'd.  what a sight!  She's been there a long time, apparently.

The Old Reprobate

Shoot, Bob;  I couldn't concentrate on anything but the body.  Now, if there are any 55+ year old women out there that look anything like that...

Seriously, started out clockwise, switched to counter, then back.  I assume that if I stayed on long enough, [she] would have alternated back, but I have decided to go to work...

The Old Reprobate

Guilford Guy;
I heard Rick Abramson at the Prototype meet saturday  mention that that company that is supposed to be making the die-cast EF-3, etc will be ready soon.  I can't think of the name now, but you probably know it.  The EP-5, EP-4, etc will follow, I am sure.  It sounds as if New Haven type motors will be his mainstay.

Rich 

As I remember, John Allen had some fairly tight curves on the G&D.  John also had some pretty hefty steam power operating. 

I remember a line from Glenn Bier's narration of the G&D:  "His heart was his own".  The day any of you can compare your stuff to Allen's, then you can talk about "toy trains".  As was said above, it is their money;  It is not causing pain to either you or your trains, so stop the immature garbage, and lets keep this forum decent.

The Old Reprobate 

GOOD NIGHT NURSE!!!!  Did you see the tug in the picture?  it looked like a toy-and they aren't!

They had a degree of success but the French were a tad upset by the amount of damage the Large guns recoil did to the
tracks the gun carriages were riding on

The French perhaps, overestimated the quality of their trackwork-there wasn't any-or perhaps they would have rather adopted German as their mother tongue...Yup..."Damn the Yankees!"

The Old Reprobate

I recall one part of an old "Design Preservation" instruction sheet as reading:  "Our insurance company tells up we have to tell you not to eat this product".  Interestingly, with all of the desease, hunger and general misery that surrounds us every day, the clowns in the insurance industry have time and energy to think up useless crap like this!!  Rome really is burning, isn't it?

The Old Reprobate

PS:  Johann;  Is this political or anything?

I've always found it interesting that two men, building two railroads which interchanged with each other went in opposite directions temporally.

Gene;
What do you mean?

Rich

As I read this latest issue of MR, I found the article on the V&O, Allen McClennan's layout, and had to chuckle to myself becausae I was one of those people who weren't quite sure if it was a real railroad or a layout, and it took a glance at the coupler "hose" to ascertain that it was indeed a layout-one of the finest layouts I have ever seen.

Kudos and a real "PIP PIP" to Al and his wonderful work.  See you at the prototype meet in Canton, Ct today.

THe Old Reprobate