Foundry work?

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

Date: Sun, 10 Apr 2005 07:13:29 -0500 
To: "N&W MAILING LIST" <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org> 
From: nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org  View Contact Details  
Subject: Builders Plates 

    
Yesterday on eBay N&W plate #396 (Y6b Dec 1950), after
31 bids, went for $1,948.00.  WOW!  Last August, I
wrote in this list that in 1959 my 
brother went to Portsmouth, Ohio and purchased N&W
builders plates at $1 each from the scrapper.  Among
his collection is #394 from Y6b 2191- Nov 1950. That
means if he wanted to sell this plate he would realize
a 1948% gain.  This is about 18% per year, (1959 -
2005) -  much better than the stock market!

Now, I'm really upset that we did not drive a truck
down to Portsmouth in 1959, and load up with goodies.

One of the problems with BP's is they are too easy to
copy.  When the high school I taught at still had a
foundry, I worked in it after school making parts for
my locomotives and also made copies of any BP's I 
could get my hands on.  They were cast in aluminum,
but I just as easily could have used bronze.  When
they closed the foundry (as they did with most of the
shops), I purchased the equipment and set it up in my
backyard.   So, if I wanted to, I could flood the
market with BP's and you might not be able to tell the
difference.

Ron Peisker


April 10, 2005

Hello, Ron:

Do you still have the foundry equipment?  I need some
hooks and other small parts for a Railway Post Office
(RPO) restoration.  If you can do something larger, I
also need pedistals cast that supported distributing
tables in RPOs.  These are roughly 40 inches tall by 8
by 10 inches over the largest dimensions.  If you
don't but can refer me to someone who can work on
these, I'd appreciate the referral.

Best wishes,

Frank

Dr. Frank R. Scheer, Curator
Railway Mail Service Library, Inc.
f_scheer at yahoo.com
(202) 268-2121 - weekday office
(540) 837-9090 - weekend afternoons 
in the former N&W station on VA rte 723 
117 East Main Street 
Boyce  VA  22620-9639
 
Visit at http://www.railwaymailservicelibrary.org