MEC Caboose Office

I added a lot of chalk marks on the side. I even added a scratch mark decal over the number of the car.

I showed you this model awhile back (March) but thought I would take you up close...George Dutka  

By gluing on a good amount of details along the bottom and also some scraps on the roof it makes the model more interesting. Some Vallejo rust texture has been added on the roof and sides. Other than that PanPastels are used.

Before and After

I've always been a big fan of 'before' and 'after' scenes and I was inspired by your recent NH South Boston Yard photo post. So on my way to work last week I stopped to take an 'after' photo from the same Bay Street bridge some forty-eight years later.

Much has changed, but the RIP track is still in use!   Keith MacCauley

2025

Wordless Wednesday No. 631

 

Bob Bowes Collection  

Green Mountain Division - Approaching WRJ

 

This view is seen when one enters the layout room of Don Janes Green Mountain Division. This train has a CNR RS-3 leading as it approaches the yard at WRJ, Don Janes photo....George Dutka   

St J Boxcar

All I got was the date off the slide which was 1963. Neat to see though.

Another scanned slide without much information from I think the George Melvin collection I purchased...George Dutka  

Traveling with Peter Mumby

Don Peter and I visited Greg Rich's layout back on June 13, 2016. That is Mark Olstyn a CV modeler in the red shirt. Greg is to the far right.

A selection of scans I made of Peter prints taken on our trips, at home and an old one from the LMRA group clinic night. At some point I will post some of the railfan shots we took while away.

A Celebration of Life for Peter Mumby will take place at the Byron Legion, 1276 Commissioners Road West, London on Saturday, June 21, 2025 from 2 to 5 PM...George Dutka.     

Peter and I used to have a workshop on Monday afternoon each week. This is one we had in my basement Dec. 2014. We alternated home visits.

A trip out east to the spring Model Railroad Expo had us stop by East Deerfield on March 30, 2016. Note Peter has only a sweatshirt on as we eat our lunch in the park by the railfan bridge. It was a nice warm day...but three days later we were hit by a snow storm while heading home.

We got lucky and had a lot to see from the railfan bridge this day at East Deerfield.

Taking a look around Utica NY on March 29, 2016.

Peter and I playing around with lights and backgrounds shooting my On30" module back on March 30 2015. The photos we took that day I have just sent into RMC 10 years later.

Peter working away at a local LMRA clinic in the early 1980's

Peter and I visited Don Janes and his wonderful Green Mountain Division on Dec 5 2012 

On our way back to Canada on the Sombra ferry after a visit to Greg Rich's layout 2016.

Peter is into the weeds to get his shot of a VIA train near Komoka Aug 3, 2021. That's the tail end unit of VIA 71.

D&H Slide Scans

At Whitehall, NY 1963. George Melvin collection.

Just a few more scans of the D&H I made from the slides I purchase from George Melvin a few years ago...George Dutka  

The D&H facilities in Mechanicsville, NY during 1962.

NJ RS-2 4050 at Rouses Point, NY during 1970. Fred Byerly photo, Bob Bowes collection now Peter/Keith MacCauley collection.

More Photos - Neil Schofield's Layout

 

A few more views from Don and I visiting Neil's layout last year...George Dutka  

Very realistic views of Northern Vermont.

June 2025 - Update

I am building an O scale flag stop which was on the Sandy River 2 foot gauge line up in Maine. I am using leftovers I have from other projects. More on this structure is found on my narrow gauge blog.

A bit of modeling happening lately as I am building two flag stops to add to my collection. There might be a RMC article in there somewhere. 

This weeks Wordless Wednesday is a print I scanned of a visit I made to Essex Jct. Vermont in 1994. I caught the St. Albans local working the industries there before it headed to Burlington, Vt. on the branch...George Dutka 

GT 2-8-2 no. 3432 at Danville Jct., no date. This is a Phil Hasting view from the Bob Bowes Collection.

I don't have many color views of the Amherst Ma. station but the trim was at one time green. I used chalkboard green from the dollar store for this. The windows are a cream color but I don't know the door colors. This is an ITLA kit of the CV station.

Couple of weekends ago I was at St. Thomas, working the NMRA-WOD craftsman corner workshop booth. I began working on a BEST flagstop kit.

The kit is very basic and went together quickly making a nice model. The kit also had a bench and supports.

Last week this view of the NH south Boston yard had the wrong date applied on it when posted. I have corrected it. It should read 1969.

Wordless Wednesday No. 630

1994 George Dutka photo 

 

NERPM 2025

A visit to Neil's layout after the 2024 RPM.

I just saw some photos on-line of this years NERPM which was just held on the weekend. Also some of our friends in New England reached out to us...filling us in of the event (or what we missed, thanks guys). Don Janes and I did attended last years NERPM in Springfield, Ma. This year Don is in Europe on a river boat cruise and I just did not feel comfortable traveling to the the U.S. alone with all that is going on at the borders and changing policies day by day. Better days ahead I hope, and we hope to make it back next year.

I thought I would post a few views of Neil Schofield's layout that we visited at last years RPM. It was interesting to see that instead of running trains around the layout Neil staged his trains in photo op locations which really made railfanning his layout very easy. A great idea that going forward I will do on my own layout...George Dutka

Don Jane, Neil and Ian Stornach discuss everything model railroading at last years visit. Neil suggested that we stop by a bit early to beat the rush and have a nice visit.

Scanning Bob Bowes Slides

2-48 in London Ont. Don McQueen collection, Bob Bowes copy.

Here are a few of Bob Bowes slide collection that I scanned a few weeks ago. Bob purchased views that he could model from...many were rolling stock. This slide collection is now part of the Peter-Keith MacCauley collection. Peter has acquired a good portion of Peter Mumby's slides and other collections he had purchased over the years. He will be receiving the rest later this year once I do a few more scans and our model club views some of the trays Peter had setup as railfan clinics...George Dutka

11-22-93 Jacksonville, PA. Bob Bowes collection

Allentown PA. 12-7-75 Bob Bowes Collection.

D&H 2156 hopper at Rutland, Vermont 5-1-65. C&P 500 is the power for this run. Houser - Bob Bowes collection. 

B&M at WRJ

A busy looking scene of the B&M at WRJ in 1963. No other data on the slide.

I scanned this slide from my collection...not sure it might have been from the George Melvin slides I purchased...enjoy the view...George Dutka  

Building with Leftovers

I was at the St Thomas, Ontario train show last Sunday. Gary Shurgold a NMRA MMR and one of our division directors was selling some of his odds and ends. He brought along a structure he built from leftover bits and pieces in his parts bin. I thought he did a fine job with this structure...thought I would share it with you...George Dutka  

NH South Boston Yard

While scanning Peter's slides I did a number of mine. This view does not have much information other than it says NH South Boston yard, 1969. I don't recall where I got this one from but it maybe from the George Melvin slides I purchase a number of years ago...George Dutka   

GTW Covered Hopper - Limestone service

In service the sides of the limestone service covered hopper is only lightly weathered. It is on the move over the WRD.

I finally finished this GTW hopper this spring that is a copy of one used in Vermont by the CV to service a limestone loading facility in Milton, Vt...George Dutka 

The car sides was lightly weathered but the roof got a bit more weathering. 

Wordless Wednesday No. 629

 

     

CV Green Boxcars

 I came across this boxcar in a string of work equipment at East Alburg, Vt. in the spur at the north end of the trestle on June 10 1994

These two CV green 40' boxcars are ones that had come over from the GTW to fill the gap in their fleet. Once surplus they moved to company service...George Dutka     

A year later on June 10, 1995 CV 54515 I came across this one at Millers Falls, Ma.