Respondents could reply on the basis of "what do I see most often on the prototype railroads, but don't have available for my S scale trains. I could use five or six of those." Or they could take the approach that "I had a favorite Lionel circus train as a child, and would like to rekindle that memory with an an inimated giraffe car in S scale. But only one." Here in Oregon I most often see centerbeam flatcars with lumber loads. The loads used to be bare lumber, but in recent years most are wrapped in plastic. I've scratchbuilt a few centerbeams on 50-foot flatcars, but the real ones range from 60' to 72'. I don't like long cars, especially if they are top-heavy, so don't know what dimensions I'd quote to a willing manufacturer if one were found.
Gil Hulin
Eugene, Oregon
