Helicopter gunship pilot, 1st CAV Div, 66-67...thanks to all who served their country and welcome home.

Jerry Barnes
Tough Baron 67
Plano, TX

Check out the prices of some other hobbies, telescopes for instance.  If you enjoy a hobby and get satisfaction, cost is not real problem.  If you have limited time, ready-built is for you.  If you enjoy building as I do, then kits are what you are looking for.  If you really enjoy building, as I do, then try scratch building from plans.  Time is the factor...how much do you want to devote to your hobby.  I have known people who ground their own telescope lens, talk about time consuming!  But that is what they enjoyed doing, trading time for money.  We live in a consuming world and as long as there is a demand for anything, the price will climb.  As mentioned above, I have cut twigs in large scale for tenders and such because I enjoyed doing it and it looks better.  I don't buy coal in lumps and break it up as I don't like the mess.  To each his own.

   Ah ha, that's the secret...works fine.

Thanks Mr. B

Jerry

 ???What happened to the photo gallery?  I get a 404, not found, when I click on the icon and have for several weeks.

Jerry Barnes
Plano, TX

There are several pics of fireless locomotives in my Porter catalog.  If you will send an email to me at baron67@verizon.net, I will scan some in.

Jerry Barnes
Plano, TX

On our ten wheeler it is a screw plug that we use to drain the sand from sanding the flues out of the smoke box during inspections.  We unscrew the plug and use a rake to pull the sand forward to the opening and it pours out into a wheelbarrow.

Jerry Barnes
Conductor
Grapevine Vinatage RR

I show one in my Porter catalog.  It is a 0-8-0t saddle-tank engine that was exported to the West Indies.  If you wil send an email to baron67@verizon.net, I will scan a copy of the page for you.

Jerry Barnes
Plano, TX