BTS rolls out new boxcars.

Like the second punch arriving with surprising closeness on the heels of the first, BTS has announced the imminent release of two more pre-turn of the century wooden car kits - yet another wooden boxcar inspired by the B&O M-2 class car, introduced around 1870. They took some liberties; one model measures 33' 9", while the other measures 31' 9". Neither incorporates the distinctive herringbone-patterened ends that date the prototypes so effectively, but both are gems - and if they're as easy to assemble as BTS' Civil War-era 25' boxcars, they'll build up into very nice models. And they're coming faster than anyone accustomed to waiting on the cottage-industry speed of innovation and product introduction that's common in the hobby would expect. This strikes me as a realization of the possibilities of modern laser-enabled and CAD-driven manufacturing processes, coupled with the intelligent use of the internet to keep contact with the customer base. Bill is a frequent contributor to the Yahoo EarlyRail group, and it must have been about a year ago that I responded to one of his emailed inquiries about desired prototypes with a request for a B&O M-2 with herringbone ends - and his website promises those in the near future.