Dear Bob,

Over the past few years I have been working on a number of ½-inch scale, 2-foot cars, along with my O scale short line. Here is a photo of a Monson boxcar done up as an Edaville Ocean Spray car. Mark Hall did the heavy lifting in 2000. The car sat unfinished for twenty years, then I added details, painted and lettered the car this summer.

Sincerely,
Peter Mesheau
Via email

Dear Bob,

I was pleasantly surprised to see my 16-wheel moving car on page 12 in the September/October Gazette. Thanks. I forgot to mention the car is HO standard gauge. I have attached a photo of a recent project. It is an HO standard gauge crew car based on a 3-foot gauge West Side Lumber Co. prototype. The West Side has been a big influence on my modeling along with other logging operations in one way or another.

Sincerely,
Dennis Aust
Via email

Dear Bob,

I just completed these two On30 RPO cars for my Western Bay Railroad. The sides, ends and roof are Wiseman Models urethane castings. I ordered the PSC detail castings from Wiseman, and added a non-prototype mailbag pick-up mechanism. I know it’s not correct, but the PSC castings were just too neat to resist. The truck is a white metal kit also from Wiseman. Thanks for providing such a great publication for us!

Sincerely,
Al Sohl, MMR
Via email

Dear Bob,

I have been a subscriber since 1997 and look forward to each issue. I am a university band director and my modeling time is usually very limited. “Suffering” in place has forced me to slow down, and from March 19th to July 29th, I’ve completed at least 14 models. Three of them had remained uncompleted on my workbench for the last thee years, and I vowed to complete them. My abilities have skyrocketed and I even tried my hand at scratchbuilding the Grand Imperial Hotel, a 3-story hotel with only 2 rooms in back. Here is a photo of my latest projects. Thanks for the inspiration. Keep up the great work.

Sincerely,
Bob Feller
Via email

Dear Bob,

The derrick plan and comments in the July/August Gazette do not surprise me that the equipment was refused by the D&RGW. Consider the difficulties in trying to operate the beast. The boiler is powered by only one cylinder. The boom had to be raised and lowered by hand with a 3 to 1 purchase system, and there appears to be no way to swing the derrick into position except by manual manipulation. Firing the boiler must also have been a physical challenge. All the same, it’s an interesting piece of equipment.

Sincerely,
Dave Whikehart
Via email

Dear Bob,

I just received my July/August 2020 Gazette and have to take issue with you on wiring your diorama (see Robert’s Ramblings). It’s called cheating! When wiring a layout you need to be able to bang your head several times. Skin your knees at least twice. Wreck your back more than once, and threaten never to do another layout several times. Turning it on its side is cheating!

Sincerely,
Bruce Treloar
Via email

Dear Bob,

Thank you for publishing my article, An On30 Switching Layout in a Small Space, in the July/August 2020 issue. I also enjoyed Greg Condon’s article on his Da Yooper Mine. My wife and I have a summer home close to the U.P. and I found your explanation of Da Yooper a little garbled. Here is a simple version:

The Upper Peninsula is abbreviated the U.P.

The letters are pronounced “the you-pea.”

But locals contract that to “da Yoop.”

People who live in da Yoop are called “Yoopers.”

So Da Yooper Mine is a mine in the Yoop, owned and operated by Yoopers.

Sincerely,
Gary Bothe
Via email

Dear Bob.

I want to say how much I enjoy your Robert’s Ramblings on the Eureka Mill Railroad, and your modeling of it. That little road has been a favorite of mine for years. More so after I saw the Porter extracted from Butt Lake. I even found some of the original Porter lettering on its tank.

I also want to say how much I enjoy the Gazette. I still subscribe to Model Railroader and Railroad Model Craftsman and enjoy them, but often do not find something I am interested in. However, every issue of the Gazette has several things of interest to me —every time. My continued compliments to you and your staff.

Sincerely,
Kyle Wyatt
Via email