Manufacturer: Little Railways, 6121 Cherry Street, Williamsport, PA 17701. Price: XB-007 bolster bearing plate $1.00 per pair; XB-008 pop valves $3.00 per pair; XB-009 top activated Porter-type whistle $4.00 each; XB-010 18-inch D&RGW style grab irons $10.00 per package of eight; XB-011 under sill mounting stirrup steps $6.00 per package of four. Add $2.50 shipping per order. Pennsylvania residents please add 6-percent sales tax.

The bolster bearing plates are flat brass rectangles with a hole in the center. They measure 1 3/16 inches long by 1/2-inch wide. They specifically fit the Little Railways logging disconnects we reviewed in our December 1992/January 1993 issue but you could use them for any similar project you might build from scratch.

The stirrup steps scale 12 inches wide by 10 inches high and resemble those on many turn-of-the-century freight cars but they are an exact copy of Carter Brothers freight car hardware.

The whistle belongs on almost any Lehmann Porter saddle tank switcher. It is a miniature duplicate of the most common Porter whistle and scales 19 inches tall. The detail on the lever is excellent.

Pop valves tend to be more generic. The Little Railways castings' correct 7 scale inch height and excellent detail set them apart.

The items most of us may need most often are the D&RGW-style 18 inch grab irons. The castings are superb, down to their distinct nut/bolt detail and even their scale 3/4-inch diameter! While brass is more expensive than white metal, these grab irons will be much more resistant to bending or breakage.

None of our samples displayed any flash. None required clean up. Parting lines were almost invisible. All detail was crisp and accurate. You will find no better detail parts in large scale model railroading.-RR