At last! Here is the 60' LPG "Whale Belly" Tank Car prototype. The prototype kit is in three pieces which fit together peg-in-hole. It has four problems we are correcting by manufacturing a single, rather than three piece kit with etched metal walkways and railings. First, the Acrylic walkways at 0.003" tolerance are too thin and deform in manufacture. They will be replaced by etched steel. Second, the railings as an integral part of the walkway etching will be easier to mount to the body. Third, the closure fit at the joints compared to the single body seams are too gross(each side having a half-seam supposedly hides the joint within the seam - wrong!). Last, the alignment of the truck bolsters MUST be correct in BOTH the horizontal and vertical planes. The potential for mis-alignment using three pieces is too great. A single body piece eliminates this potential. Please remember, this is our first rail car, and we want to get it right. Without the price for etching, decals, and the single piece manufacture, we cannot provide a final cost estimate. Please be patient. We are confident that we can deliver the kits before the end of this year. The RTR units may take a bit longer. As always, your positive comments and critiques are welcome. Jim

Tuesday, 03 October 2006

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