To All: Did you know that coal was transported in gondolas and boxcars. Yes coal was transported in bocars, sometimes the boxcars were partitioned off for different grades in the same car. The Ottumwa Box Car Loading Company manufactured a machine that loaded coal in boxcars! It was called a Rocker Type Loader, as it rocked the car back and forth to evenly distribute the coal load. This method was used into the 1960's. This loading machine would make an interesting modeling project! There are photos of these machines on the internet. Yours, Elvin Howland/E. St. Louis Rail group Layout

To All: Today we see two A Cab Units passing Glen Tower on the layout. These are Bachmann DCC equipped locomotives pulling a manifest freight. Nicknamed "Sharks". BLW classed them as DR-4-4-1500's. Yours, Elvin Howland/E. St. Louis Rail Group Layout

To All: Who remembers these old Varney brand 40 foot boxcars? This is one I detailed, weathered, dullcoated, and added metal wheels to. Yours, Elvin Howland/E. St. Louis Rail Group Layout

To All: An S. Stone Refining Co 40 foot tank car at the tank car loading dock of St. Louis Gas & Coke Co. Flatulene, "The Only True Natural Gas!" decals are from Hamm River Model Products. The car is an Athearn product, painted, detailed, and lettered by me. Yours, Elvin Howland/E. St. Louis Rail Group Layout

To All: Today I present two photos of a PRR Manifest freight on my layout on the A&S Belt Line passing Jack Mall Potato Co. and Horse Shoe Lake. Yours, Elvin Howland/E. St. Louis Rail Group Layout

To All: One of my newest projects is this Diamond Crystal Salt 50' boxcar that I painted, lettered, weathered and dullcoated. I installed Intermountain Wheels, #58 Kadee couplers and weighted to NMRA specs. The car is a Details West offering. Decals are by Ricky Rupp of Modern Rail Company. Inspiration came from a photo accessed on the Web. Yours, Elvin Howland/E. St. Louis Rail Group Layout