Tobius: I've not! Sound interesting, Go for it!
My interests in railroading cover 1832-1890. Basically the start of railroads until black paint became common. Mostly West of the Rocky Mountains although I slum around in the 1850's-60's. Very pretty equipment. I'd also be interested in the real early stuff but that may require 2x FD or Larger.
Here's an example from 1857.
![[ img ]](http://www.cizadlo.us/CraigH/FD_Scale/USA_Mason_Phantom_1857.PNG)
Mason Machine Works "Phantom (1857).
A Standard Gauge 4-4-0 American Locomotive. Mason was well known for beautifully crafted locomotives. He was also well known as a design trend setter. Locomotives at this time were pretty cluttered, a real Hodge-podge of architectural/mechanical weirdness. Mason began the trend to clean them up and celebrate the mechanical age with artistic form and functionality.
Now, getting Narrow Minded we have another North Pacific Coast Railroad Loco to go with the Mason and Baldwin I submitted last week:
![[ img ]](http://www.cizadlo.us/CraigH/FD_Scale/FD_USA_Baldwin_8-22d_1883.PNG)
USA, Baldwin 8-22d NPC #13 (1883).
A 3' Gauge freight locomotive. The NPC used this both for general freight service and as a helper loco for White's Hill Grade. Freight traffic included heavy lumber (Redwood/Douglas Fir), hay, root crops, and all sorts of other agricultural goodies southbound to San Francisco.
![[ img ]](http://www.cizadlo.us/CraigH/FD_Scale/FD_NPC_Freight.PNG)
A Sample of 1st Generation Carter Brothers Rolling Stock (1870's). These are based on the 8 Ton Capacity trucks. All were 24' long. Pictured are Carter 24' flats, Combination Boxcars, A flat modified for loose freight (cows, horses, tan bark...), and NPCRR Caboose 2. Nobody knows what #1 looks like, all we have are some Cash Ledger references. This is one of two surviving NPC Cabooses, this one is currently located in Duncan's Mill, California. 1 Combination Boxcar survives, No 24' Flats survive.
The Carter Brothers had an interesting business model. They realized they could build Narrow Gauge rolling stock in California for less than it cost to ship it from the big manufacturers back east. Also, rather than have a permanent factory location they just moved from railroad to railroad (or sent crews out). Freight cars were basically kits! Ship the parts and build them on the new railroad's site! The formula worked well and pretty soon they were building for roads up to Alaska, down into South America, and even out across the Pacific.
To spice thing up they also contracted out to build railroad structures like trestles, bridges, buildings, etc. By the 20th Century the Brothers were able to survive the end of the Narrow Gauge construction boom. Going into semi-retirement they settled down, lived quite nicely, and developed a keen interest in racing horses.
CraigH
W O W Craig 
SUPERB drawings matey... I especially like your NPC Freight Sampler 
