Manufacturer: Sierra Valley Enterprises, 2755 Saratoga Avenue, Merced, CA 95340. Price: Custom built, ready-to-run 1:20.3 scale NCNG 28 foot flatcar $99.95 each plus $5.00 shipping and handling per car. Extra cost options include Gary Raymond unplated metal wheels, $7.50; Kadee® 820, 830, or 835 couplers, $5.00; outside hung brake beams, $8.50. California residents please add 7.25-percent sales tax.

In our October/November 1993 issue we reviewed Sierra Valley's first product, a 1:20.3 scale semi-freelance log buggy and wrote, "Considering the intent of the builder and the simplicity of the model, we have no criticism of the log buggy; our sample is outstanding. We also think it is a genuine value." As a result of that review, Sierra Valley's owner, Gary Watkins, received so many orders and such positive reaction to his products, he deepened his commitment to custom model building and decided his next offering would duplicate a specific prototype.

He chose 10 ton, 28 foot flatcar number 413 of the Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad because it is such a typical narrow gauge prototype. The Carter Brothers Car Company built it for the South Pacific Coast. When the Southern Pacific took over the SPC and converted it to standard gauge, they sent the flatcar to their Southern Pacific Narrow Gauge "subsidiary". From there it went to the NCNG and, ultimately, to the White Pass & Yukon.

Sierra Valley has chosen 1:20.3 (15mm per foot) scale for the model because, in that size, 45mm Gauge One track is 3 scale feet between the rails so the model's scale-gauge proportion correctly reflects its prototype. Even so, its overall size and proportions make it very compatible with 1:22.5 scale rolling stock.

Gary has copied Herman Darr's drawing of the car literally and the result is a virtually perfect model. Gary was so confident of its accuracy he included a plan with the sample. That confidence was justified. Every dimension of the model matches the drawing. Every exterior detail is present except for the brake hose, possibly because the "gladhand" of the Kadee® coupler tends to suggest it. From any normal viewing angle the car looks complete but, actually, Gary approximated some underbody detail. The model's lettering and road number match the prototype, too. Additional road numbers are available if you order more than one car.

Construction is traditional. Gary cut all the wood parts from mahogany, enhanced their grain, painted, and weathered them, and glued them together. He "rusted" all the "metal" parts. He has modified USA Trains sideframes to represent Carter Brothers ten ton trucks; they even have Carter Brothers journal box lid castings from Russ Simpson. The standard wheels are Miniature Railroad Products Delrin® castings with close-to-scale flanges. The standard cars come with both hook-loop and USA Trains knuckle couplers to be compatible with most plastic rolling stock.

The brakewheel, ratchet and pawl, and brass stirrup steps are Little Railways' topnotch castings. The stake pockets, brake cylinder, underbody brake lever brackets, and bolster endplates are Hartford Products' excellent castings. The high quality grab irons, queenposts, and nut-bolt-washer castings are from Ozark Miniatures. Could you ask for a better trio of suppliers?

The quality of assembly, painting, dry transfer lettering, and weathering are both masterful and artistic. The optional truck modification with outside hung brake beams is outstanding and extremely effective. Even Sierra Valley's conscientious packaging allows the model to arrive in good condition despite UPS' typically exuberant handling.

We could write more but the photos make words superfluous. On the bottom line, if you want what is essentially a museum quality model at close to mass-production prices, contact Sierra Valley Enterprises. The quality of our flatcar sample is unsurpassed.-RR