Posts by Lowell Smith
Northern Pacific Terminal Co. – Portland Terminal Railroad Co.
‘Sharing some love’ I am sure you never saw this coming, but with all these great passenger trains being made, we need a ‘Terminal’ switcher right? Many of you are familiar with the Terminal Railroad of St Louis, but what about this line of similar purpose in the Northwest? Over twenty five years ago I…
Read MoreBringing the Baggage Cars to Your Trains
RailSmith is excited to announce that we are working with Wheels of Time to bring you the very best Head End cars for our Build-a-Train series of train consists! Pressed with the issue of needing heavy-weight Mail & Express Baggage cars, we have made an agreement with, in our opinion the best HW baggage cars in N…
Read MoreWorld of Color – A Personal Story
The World of Color train began as a single car, and then exploded to become an artistic pallet of color. The observation car Yensid Valley with its very intricate and unique platform railing was produced and it sold quickly. The hidden Mickey’s on that railing were a smashing success and people wanted more. That all came from my idea…
Read MoreOverland Limited – A Silver Smith Tour
A transcontinental rail trip in vintage Pullman cars? What a great idea! Many agreed, and we made plans for a trip-of-a-lifetime from New York to Oakland …and then back again! Our trip is now memories, and great ones mostly. Trips like this can have some unexpected events and ours did. But for the most part,…
Read MoreSouth Shasta Lines – ‘A visit in 1960’
You may never know the lasting impression you have on someone. As a child, I have this most vivid memory of going down into a farmhouse basement. What awaited made a lasting impression that would effect my life, and indirectly, yours. We lived in Chico, California, and I was in kindergarten. My parents drove my…
Read MoreAlaska Railroad at 100 years!
“Have you been to Alaska?” is the question often followed by, “Did you ride the Alaska Railroad!?” Barb and I have been there several times. Once you have visited our 49th state, you know why it is called ’the last frontier’. It’s vastness is unlike anything we have ever seen. This year marks the 100-year anniversary of…
Read MoreThe 1947 North Coast Limited on the North Bank Road
My very good friend, Keith Lyons, a great fan and modeler of the Northern Pacific, suggested years ago that the 1947 North Coast Limited had never been done and would be a fine addition to my line-up of special runs. I looked into it and decided to call this new series the ‘Mainstreeter’ as I knew that…
Read MoreWalking the floor at the D23 Expo with Lowell – September 2022
For those of you that were not at the huge Disney event known as D23 Expo, here is a quick video of the floor and behind the scenes. I thought it would be fun to show, as most of you were not there. The next time this event happens, (planned for 2024), you would need…
Read MoreWhere Shall We Eat?
The thought process in choosing the right diner to model I was rather surprised to see such a variety of floor plans that different railroads used. It was not just as simple as 48 seats or 32 seats and a lounge. We went to produce several variations on the diner theme and found the choices…
Read MoreImportant Ordering Tips
Please remember that orders are not shipped until all items in your order have arrived from the factory. Before placing your order, see the product page for ‘expected arrival dates’ as shown. Ordering items that are arriving soon, or in the next month, ALONG WITH items that are ‘in stock’ is smart, but will…
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