Not used

Those aren't used. Many Walthers kits come with a few parts that aren't used. Always wondered if they were initially designed in but then somehow didn't make the cut after production. Maybe someone here knows. I put those things in the scrap box for potential future use.

Mystery Parts

Walthers often uses the same sprues in multiple kits.  The instructions for the particular kit will tell you which ones it needs.

Terminology

Learned something new the other day. Runner is the correct name of the frame that holds all the molded parts together. Sprue is the tiny point where the part connects to the runner.

Sometimes Walthers uses same mold for different buildings

I think sometimes Walthers uses the same basic mold for different kits. Look at the Northern Power and Light Power plant and the Gas works kit. Buildings appear to be the same but different color and detail parts.

Bill Michael

Oh, dear

Think I'll keep calling those things sprues.  The distinction between "sprue,"  "runner" and "gate" isn't at all universal, and the names are not even consistently used to refer to the same things.  The term sprue sometimes refers to the point where plastic initially enters the mold, but typically is the channel within the mold(usually round) where the plastic flows.  In either case, "sprue" also refers to the casting left behind once removed from the mold (again sometimes with the distinction that the sprue is what's left from the point where plastic is initially injected and runner for the areas cast in the channels between parts).  In addition, "runner" is sometimes used for the small connection between the sprue and the part.  Model railroading is fun.

Comment and Mystery!

Guys! I heard even different! LOL! I've heard that the "gate" is where the molten styrene enters the die, the "sprues" are the main channels creating the frames and the "runners" are the final tiny passages to the parts (where we cut them off)! Too funny!

I've seen the same "sprues/runners/frames" (whatever!) in different kits, but this particular sprue/runner/frame Grampy is talking about is only seen in the Concrete Elevator Kit. So why the mystery part? 

Mystery Solved

Well now you sent me on a search! We are all wrong.

The nozzle feeds the sprue which feeds the runners which feed the gates which fill the cavities.

So we should call them Sprunnerates. 

Speak for yourself dude

Just for grins I checked Wikipedia, and it's never wrong  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sprue_(manufacturing) .  A web search for the terms sprue and runner turns up a whole bunch of sources that contradict each other on terminology.  I'm going to think very had about all this soon as I have a Branchline boxcar kit to finish and it will just bug me to no end if I can't figure out what to call at that excess plastic stuff in the box.

You could call it...

"Excess plastic stuff"...

...jim

Language? What is spoken or what is defined?

Ah, the good ol' language debates again. Is language what is actually spoken (sprue) or is it what the scholars say it is (if they could just all agree ...)

I'm calling it a sprue and moving on to working on my trains.