GTW Covered Hopper - Return to Milton, Vt.

 

A GTW covered hopper that at one time was assigned to the CV Milton, Vermont operation. 

I recently picked up an Athearn covered hopper that had the return to Milton markings on it. I was not aware these cars were offered, but nice to actually have. It is a nice looking model which will fit in nicely when my era is advanced...George Dutka 

Throwback Thursday - GE Railcar Services: Part Two

A string of boxcars was in the facility on October 08, 1994.

By Peter Mumby 

Back in the early 1990s there was an unfenced municipal green space adjacent to the segment of the Havelock CP yard which was used by GE Railcar Services.  This made for a convenient and safe location for observing and photographing the equipment undergoing repair.  Although at one point there was a trackmobile on site, generally all switching was handled by the local CP crews.

MSDR 19126 was receiving some attention on August 23, 1993.

NAHX 390234 had been repaired and was awaiting pickup by the CP crew on October 08, 1994.

Wordless Wednesday No. 579

 

     

May 2024 Update - Road Trip

The mill at Edwardsburg, Mi. looks colorful with a railway oriented paint job. Photo by Rich Mahaney passed along by Ken Borg

Don Janes and I decided to attend the Springfield NERPM meet on the weekend. We probably will take our time down and back and get in a few railfan locations we like. More on our trip as it unfolds...George Dutka  

Elgin County Railway Museum - Train Show

Neat to see model vendors setup next to the prototypes.

It has been a long time (I'm guessing 25 years) since St. Thomas, Ontario has had a train show, and at the museum. Years ago they hauled out their trains, running some short runs through town and all the area railways had displays on hand. Indoors there would a good selection of vendors selling memorabilia and models.

This time around the show was strictly modeling and memorabilia with the museum displays being open for us all to see and visit. Nothing has been moved outside and now there is no railroads connecting with the museum that could set up displays. I would think there was 60 tables setup which was good and a couple of operating displays to view. Our WOD - NMRA booth had three of us working on projects and the kids switching layout was in operation. I feel the day was a success with a full house and brisk sales. There will be a second show on Sept. 1st if you missed this one...George Dutka

I am back in the corner at the NMRA-WOD craftsman workshop for the day working on a FOS kit. This is actually the first modeling I had done in almost a year and also my first train show in a very long time.

The London & Pr Stanley Ry depot sign that I had never seen before was on display among the many tables setup for the day. The engines and equipment made a nice backdrop to the show.

GARE 9032 - Canada Dry Reefer

Another Bob Bowes collection photos of a GARE 9032 "Canada Dry ginger ale" reefer built 12-1926. It was photographed in Hawthorne, NJ...George Dutka  

 

Water Tower - Maine

My friend Brian Smith who now lives in New Brunswick just a stone throw from the Maine border sent me these two views of a restored water tank he found in Frenchville, Maine...thanks Brian...George Dutka 

Spray Can Paints

Tru-color makes some nice spray can paints which come in a larger size can. I have used this brick color a lot. It goes on nice and dries flat. I also have their primer gray and another red tone.

A couple of the brands I use to paint my models other than black, primer red and gray auto primers that I have on hand. I normally get asked what sort of spray cans do I have that work well on models. Tru-color and Tamiya are two I normally grab not saying others are not good. These are the ones I am comfortable using. I do have some camo coats from Home Hardware here in Canada that work great also....George Dutka  

I normally use Floquil paint for coloring my models as I do have a lot of tones left. But at times I grab a spray can such as this green offered by Tamiya which goes on great. They have a very nice selection of paints but no real railroad colors.

Throwback Thursday - GE Railcar Services: Part One

 

Note some of the details that could be present in a model of such a facility.

By Peter Mumby.

During the 1990s a small section of the CP yard at Havelock, Ontario was being used by GE Railcar Services as a location for the maintenance and repair of freight cars. Among other things, trucks, couplers, doors, and safety appliances were refurbished at this open air facility.  For additional information on this segment of the Havelock yard see the post of October 24, 2015 entitled “Havelock - Open Air Facility.”  The three photos accompanying today’s post were taken on October 08, 1994.  

This is one of the crane-equipped trucks in operation at the GE Railcar Services location.

HS 8556 is undergoing some truck repairs.

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Wordless Wednesday No. 578

 

    

Clearcoats

I recently been asked a few times what I have been using for clear coating my models. I use all spray cans now although I do have some jars of similar products if I pull out my airbrush.  

Tamiya flat clear TS-80 is my first choice for flat finish over my decals and base coating models before weathering with powders. For my decal work I actually put a coat of gloss first over my decals before the flat as this seems to help hide the decals edges. I do have Testors Glosscote and Dullcote on hand which works well too but Tamiya products are my first choice...George Dutka

Tamiya TS-80 Flat Clear is my go-to these days for flat finish.

Tavistock, Ontario - Station

The station photo found on the wall in Tim Horton's donut shop.

I visited Tavistock Ontario once again on May 11 2024 and decided to look for the old CNR station which had been moved and converted into a home. The local Tim Horton's donut shop was built on the original site of the station. A photo is found inside the station. The station is at 20 Jacob St. a couple of block down the road and the second house in from the main street. It is easy to recognize with the tall roof. It actually is a small home when one considers there are no add-ons...George Dutka 

The Tavistock converted into a home. One can easily tell it was once a station even through it has a longer overhang on one side and a storage shed attached. May 11, 2024

The porch and walkway up to the front door. The bay window is still there too.

Creamery - A few more views!

I posed my two track module in front of my creamery to add a bit of milk car operations. 

Just a few more views taken awhile back with a white backdrop of the creamery module I built last spring. More on some of my milk cars can be found in the June 2024 RMC...enjoy...George Dutka 

Snapshot - May 2024

Since it was mother's day weekend the train was full using two RDC cars as coaches along with an actual coach in the middle, May 11, 2024

Our NMRA division visited St Jacob's last weekend for a train ride on the Waterloo Central. Our AGM meeting was held in one of the cabooses in the yard. Although it was overcast the whole time at least it did not rain till after we left...George Dutka   

This train normally runs with one RDC but mothers ride free on Mother's day weekend and a big crowd was on board. 

Some of you might recognize this guy giving us the thumbs up...that's CP Woodstock modeler Bob Fallowfield who is the current general manager on the Waterloo Central Railway and who set up our train ride and visit to the shops. Thanks Bob. Bob wears many hats on the railroad, he was sweeping the platform when we arrived and also works as train crew when required, engineman or trainman.

Newfane, Vt. Station - Banta Modelworks

If you are a New England Modeler this might be something for you. Banta Modelworks has a new structure out of the CV Newfane, Vt. station in HO scale. It appears to be a nice structure which uses all wood for construction. Newfane still stands today too if you want to check out the prototype...George Dutka  

Throwback Thursday - Early OSR Power

OSR 501 was resting at CP Quebec St yard in London before being delivered to its new owner.

By Peter Mumby.  

Ontario Southland Railway began its existence in 1994 as a provider of industrial switching on a contract basis.  It originally owned two General Motors yard locomotives which it operated at a Petro Canada refinery in Clarkson, Ontario.  When the company later won the contract to operate the Guelph Junction Railway, additional locomotives were required.  MLW S-13 number 501 was one such unit.  Built in January 1959 as PGE 1001, it later operated as BCOL 501 and GWWD 501 before heading east to work for OSR. 

This portrait of OSR 501 was exposed on April 29, 1995.

WRD Rebuild - 2016

Under construction. The WRD got a facelift and change to point to point operations. Some locations can be seen were drop in dioramas will fit.

During my WRD rebuild I took a few photos along the way. This one shows the plaster work done on the peninsula and the WRJ yard area that was changed...George Dutka       

Worn Out or just Worn?

 

 The local power here in London, Ontario is not always the best looking units in the fleet but do get the job done. April 4 2024. Many of these units are ones that would make great weathered models that sure would get visitors attention...George Dutka    

West Hopkinton Station Update

The chimney was pushed into the structure so most of the brick is hidden. 

I did not like the height of the chimney when I first built this small station. The chimney is large and showing too much brick and height, it just did not look right to me for such a small structure...George Dutka  

The chimney height when first built.

Pillsbury Covered Hopper

 

A good looking view of GACX 43322  built 3-61 leased to Pillsbury. It is in Calgary, Alberta. The photo was taken on Nov 11, 1968.  Bob Bowes collection...George Dutka   

Throwback Thursday: Promotional Survivor - Part Two

CN 283032 was photographed at Belleville, Ontario on July 25, 1993.

By Peter Mumby.

On July 03, 1971, four specially decorated freight cars were on public display at the CN yard in Belleville, Ontario.  Each of these cars had one side painted and lettered to represent the type of load it was designed to carry.  The opposite side and ends were finished in the normal fashion.  The prototype photos in today’s post were also taken at Belleville, although this time insulated boxcar CN 283032 displays its appearance following 22 years on the road.

The original “Promotional Survivor” post appeared on December 10, 2020.  I decided to do a brief update after I realized that an HO decal set for this car had been produced.  This set, Prototype Model Industries H-3, included instructions to paint one car side white, but neglected to indicate specifically which side.  That is where the photo of the”A” end of the car comes in to play, making it clear that the large apple logo was painted towards the “B” (brake wheel) end of the car.  

This photo illustrates the “A” end of the insulated boxcar.

Yes, there was a decal set produced for this car!

Wordless Wednesday No. 577 - Weathered

 

    

Sheffield Farms Milk Car

 

Milk car SFCX 1049 seen here in the 1930's. From the Bob Bowes Collection. At one time F&C offered this car as a resin kit. I had built one years ago. If you search the blog you will find photos of it...George Dutka  

Weathered Walls

 

The walls are first coated with MIG rail center white followed with dry brushing of dollar store acylic white which highlighted the edges of the clapboard siding.

Here is a close-up look at how the walls turned out on Big Lou's...George Dutka  

The highlighted white paint plus the AK wash for wood applied to the lower areas. Note the worn boards down low.

Diner and Dives...Maybe?

 

Are you getting hungry this is my version of Diner and Dives that I built last summer...all offered by FOS one as free kit, a kit-of-the-month and one from their regular stock. Thought I would group a few for a fun view...George Dutka