PBL News at the Sn3 Symposium

[Jim Courtney]

Keren, Jimmy and Bill were at the Symposium last week, it was great to see them all.

For the last several years PBL has imported RTO (ready to operate) Sn3 freight cars -- think Blackstone cars in Sn3.
They have had two runs of D&RGW boxcars, two runs of gondolas, one large run of stock cars and a run of 6000 series flat cars. They were contemplating a run of UTLX tank cars.

The disturbing news, shared by Jimmy and Keren, was that the factory in China that produced these beautiful models has gone bankrupt and closed its doors. PBL may have lost most of their tooling in the bankruptcy.

So there will never be any more RTO Sn3 freight cars offered. There is a limited supply remaining on the PBL website:
http://www.p-b-l.com/

Even worse (from the C&S modeler's perspective) the beautiful, free rolling Jackson & Sharpe passenger trucks, that Keith and I have used to replace the brass trucks on the Overland Sn3 passenger cars, were also manufactured at the same factory, and are no more. Keren says they have a limited number of truck pairs in their current inventory. For you D&RGW / RGS Sn3 enthusiasts this is also true of the RTO 3'-6' freight trucks.

So, no more RTO freight cars, no more RTO freight trucks and no more RTO J&S passenger trucks will be forthcoming in the future. Best get them while you can if you need some.

[Todd A Ferguson]

Sad news, but not surprised when you go to a country with insufficient laws and morals...