Be a patron of the narrow gauge model building arts??

[Jim Courtney]

After a group email fest between Bill Meredith and Steve, Jeff, Keith and I, it was decided that the current project going forward will focus on just the 1902 (Phase 1) coal cars, although the sister 1902 flat cars will be offered as well, likely as a separate companion kit. Coal car kits to be offered with both original tapered stakes and later replacement square stakes.

Artwork and details will allow building the kits from as-built in 1902 until the 1930s. Projected timeframe for production is unclear, probably late spring at earliest.

The St Charles coal cars could well be a sequel project as the general dimensions of the body were near identical to the 1902 coal cars, only certain details differed.  If you are interested in the St. Charles coal cars as a follow-up kit, contact Bill Meredith directly, so he has a gauge of market demand.

[Todd A Ferguson]

I have signed on with Bill to sponsor this project in On3.
I’m looking forward to these cars and I’m sure they will be fantastic kits!

Best,
Todd Ferguson

[Jim Courtney]

Thanks for jumping in as a sponsor, Todd!

Bill just did a post on the Sn3 ISO group. Looks like he's decided to do the coal car kits to allow building either the St. Charles 4 board coal car or the 1902 C&S copies:




The 1902 flat cars will be offered as a separate kit:




And the cinder cars that were rebuilt from the St. Charles coal cars will also be run as a separate kit:

 

[SteveG]

I'll be curious to see what the St. Charles bolsters look like--it'd seem they'd be easier to do in etched brass than cast?

[Jim Courtney]

Just got an email that Bill's Sn3 kits for the C&S coal cars (1898 St. Charles and 1902 C&S built) and the kits for the 1902 flat cars is out for delivery today!!

I presume that the kits for the C&S cinder cars have also been shipped.

Looking forward to the kits, cleaning off the workbench. I will try to build up a pair of the coal cars and post the experience as a new thread . . .

[Mike Trent]

Thanks, Jim. Any word on On3?

[Jim Courtney]

Don't know, Mike.

I assume Bill is shipping based on date of pre-order.

Any of you HOn3 guys received yours yet?

[Norm Acker]

My On3 Coal and Flat car kits were delivered Wednesday afternoon, and of course they're beautiful. I stopped at San Juan and picked up trucks yesterday, I'm looking forward to starting my 4319 after I get some significant progress made on my flanger. :)

[GRUMPY]

Got C&S coal car yesterday in the mail On3 Kit
  Looks really nice

[Mike McKenzie]

Got both the Sn3 coal car and cinder car kits over the weekend. Intended to put them aside while finishing several more pressing projects. So, of course, I've started the cinder car kit anyway and have a few questions.

I've got Derrell Poole's C&S Connection drawing to help. I thought there may be a Bob Stears Gazette drawing of the cinder car as well (I save all of his stuff), but can't find it. Any help? What issue for instance...

The car will be lettered for my freelance road. Was wondering what trucks to use. They don't have to be 100% correct, on the other hand why not? I've collected a number of different trucks (carefully hidden away who knows where) but tend to be truck ignorant. Haven't given it much thought yet but need to choose a coupler. Have all kinds of Kadee couplers, thinking a 4 or a 26? Thoughts?

Will post pictures later.

Mike

[rsnyder1963]

Got mine today.

[Chris Walker]

Mike,

Harry Brunk's cinder car article Sep/Oct 1990 pg61   Up Clear Creek, pt.63: C&S Cinder Car

I've run out of time this morning will continue looking tonight if no-one else's answered this.

[Mike McKenzie]

Thanks Chris, should be able to find a copy easy enough.

Mike

[Mike Trent]

Hi Mike. If you haven't tried them, I use San Juan Evolution couplers in On3. They look great and are compatible with Kadees, or they can easily be modified as dummy couplers. Not sure if they are available in Sn3.

[Chris Walker]

Mike,

The Cinder Car #04000 Stears article is in the 2018 Jan/Feb NG&SL Gazette; I didn't remember ever seeing that Plan, cos' the issue was still in the unopened envelope on my desk, along with several others.  Yes, I'm that far gone.

[Darel Leedy]

If it hasn't already been mentioned, Derrell Poole's cinder car article and drawings were in the August 1991 issue of Model Railroader. He also had a cinder car article in the Winter 1995 issue of the Bear Trap. Doug Heitkamp's 1/2" model was featured in the April/May issue of Outdoor Railroader. That model is now in my collection for preservation.
So all told, there is a lot of cinder car information out there!

[Jim Courtney]

I've exchanged a few emails with Bill Meredith this week.

The next Leadville Designs kit of interest to us will be the DSP&P / C&S way cars. Bill is just starting design work, hopes to have the kits available by Summer 2025.

Bill is also concerned about Trump's announced 25% tariff on Canadian products, currently on hold. Bill is concerned that if enacted, the tariffs might screw up his entire business model, making his kits cost prohibitive.

I'm hoping that the Trump tariffs are just a negotiating tactic and will never come to pass. But who knows, "it's a complicated business".

So, if you've been considering buying one of Bill's kits or brass trucks, you might want to order NOW . . .

[Chris Walker]

Bill is just starting design work, hopes to have the kits available by Summer 2025.

Does he work really fast work? Jim...

'cos the Summer of '25 is nearly about over  

[Jim Courtney]

When Bill works standing on his head, it takes him six months longer . . .

[Keith Hayes]

Leadville Designs just dropped the pre-production offer on C&S 912/ 089, C&S 4'-0" trucks in brass and the D&RG 4-wheel way car. Get yours before the tarriffs are implemented! Word is the cool DL&G trucks with the drop equalizer are coming too.

Bill has also continued to work hard on some better mechanisms for our buddies in HOn3.

Keep on truckin, Bill!