WRJ - B&M Yard Office

WRJ B&M yard office 1975 courtesy of  Steve Myers.

There was a post on B&M Facebook recently about the B&M yard office in WRJ. Here are some of the comments about the structure. I had asked a couple of questions...George Dutka

When I worked the 2nd shift operator the yardmaster was a guy named Red ( nick name I guess)conductors would come in to get paper work, Joe Murphy was one who I remember well....Joseph Burnham. Joseph worked there as an operator in 1968.

" 'JS'; the telegrapher's office in the yard office at B&M's New Yard in White River Junction, Vt. If you lived up that way and had a regular job, it was a pretty good place to work. But for a Fitchburg Division spare operator, it was the end of the world." -- Alden Dreyer.  John Alan Roderick 

This one had been a residence, the whole railroad yard had been a farmers field from what the old timers I worked with at WR Jct told me, the railroad saved the house, moved it there and used it as the yard office. Operaters left here and moved to the station in the early 70's I believe. The old "bull pen" yard office was in use to the mid 70's and then as operations slowed the yard clerks moved to the station with the operators. One of the fellows I worked with Harry Johnson's father was killed one winter going in to the yard office. Snowy winter, high snow banks, the southbound passenger train went by before he got to work but on this day the train (the Flying Yankee /Tin Fish) was late, he walked through the opening in the snow bank and right in front of the passenger train. Someday would like to find the accident report or the local newspaper account of the accident...Bruce Penttinen

Courtesy of Steve Myers.

The Finished Tool House

I recently took a few more views of the tool house with my backdrop. A better look up close also of what one sees through the open door...George Dutka   

Tarpaper roof is a grayish green. Roof stack is a Juneco detail. Roof got some patching on both sides.

Some boards against the wall, tie plates from Monster Modelworks a Tichy barrel, new papers and sacks from F&C.

Rutland Ry. Slate Roofing

Views of Bill’s roof with Summit station slate used.

 While building my Rutland Ry. station I discussed the color of Rutland Ry. roof slate with Bill Badger that would help with my model. The following information and photos are by Bill Badger from our e-mail discussions combined into a short article…George Dutka

Along the Vermont/New York border is a rich high quality slate area (D&H served) and I suspect material came from whoever bid lowest. The industry really didn’t take off until the latter 19th century. Interestingly, unlike farmers, the railroad wouldn’t put slate roofs on older buildings that were not strong enough to handle it. The slate on part of my house came from the old Summit depot that was being dismantled. It is quite brown/orange from iron oxide and is very thin, which was the style at the time. Other examples are greyer.

Many of the quarries are still active so new slate is going on roofs, however, it ages and weathers over time and old slate looks different than new. I think acidic coal smoke accelerated the weathering process. One advantage to slate is that acid doesn’t eat holes in it like steel. And it doesn’t burn like wood. Until asphalt roofing, it was the best choice for railroad roofing. It’s just heavy. My structural engineer would always ask if there were going to be rocks on the roof. 

As mentioned, my home used some of the roofing that was saved from the Rutland Ry. summit station. Slate used on Rutland Ry. structure would have come from around the Vermont-New York border serviced by the D&H. Granville, NY in particular was a location a lot of slate roofing was produced. Slate is heavy so it would be cut as thin as possible to reduce the weight on the roof. The roof supports had to be engineered to support the weight.

Many of the Rutland Ry. structures have slate shingles that can range from a lighter gray to very dark gray and an iron oxide reddish-orange tone. The slate singles when new appeared as a tone of gray. Many of the shingles had a high iron oxide content which turned the shingles to a red-orange tone. When roofing my place with the repurposed slate shingles I noted those that were broken and chipped revealed the original gray tones.

Slate found in areas north of my place in Roxbury, Vermont seem to have a higher content of iron and would develop pin holes from rust and then leak. Not a great product for roofing...Bill Badger.

A typical slate roof on a small barn. Same size slate, some orange rust coloring and rust streaking from the metal cap.

Scrap slate in Middle Granville, NY showing raw color when new. Some greens and purple are seen from this quarry. Other quarries had more gray. All tended to weather toward gray.

ITLA Kit

The first of three building flats is complete. The kit had a number of return ends that work for side walls and the roof was cut to make the back wall for the first structure completed. Styrene was used to make the roof. 

I am building the ITLA Olympia Tool and Die kit as three separate building flats to add to my back alley scene. I had already built this model as a full structure in the past. The first building is done...off to the next...George Dutka 

Cole & Grace brick signage is a Dave's Decal. Some details are glued around the base of the structure.

CN Calendar 2026

CN Employees and pensioners get a CN calendar each year. Mine arrived just before Christmas. The pictures are always interesting but the one that stood out to me the most was the cover view. My favorite of the bunch...enjoy...George Dutka 

Throwback Thursday - Before and After

OSR 504

by Keith MacCauley 

RS-23 OSR 504 was built by Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW) for the Canadian Pacific Railway in August of 1960 as CP 8044. Ontario Southland would acquire the venerable unit in March of 1997 and decorate it in their attractive maroon and cream scheme shortly thereafter. Further to toiling away for almost a quarter century on Ontario Southland, the pension eligible (age 65!) unit was set aside and stored, reportedly pending sale to Sartigan Railway. Similar to other OSR MLW brethren, eventually on her way to La Belle Province’. Somewhat unhappily, Ontario Southland has become an all EMD powered railway.

Wordless Wednesday No. 660

 

     

NEB&W Layout

 This was recently posted about the NEB&W that I thought you would like to read...George Dutka

Update - Rensselaer Model Railroad Society / New England Berkshire & Western From: Benjamin Hom Date: Mon, 19 Jan 2026 14:18:36 PST All - Wanted to pass on an update on the status of the Rensselaer Model Railroad Society’s New England Berkshire & Western layout.  A copy of the Albany Times-Union article of Thursday, 8 January providing an overview of efforts to date is attached for those who were unable to get past the paywall when Tim O'Connor posted it a week or so ago..  All but one section of the layout has found homes. Three sections of the layout have been chosen to be preserved by the current Society (two being the main section of Troy and the other being State Line Tunnels); the South Troy sections are going for display at the Hudson Mohawk Gateway, and other local Capital District sections to the Saratoga Corinth and Hudson Railway. Other iconic sections are going to clubs or layout owners in the Capital District, some structures are going to the Boston Museum of Science yearly display layout, and other structures are going to distant locations as far as South Carolina. The best rolling stock has been retained for the club; remaining member equipment has been returned or donated to the Society for retention or sale.  The existing DCC system will be sold, with the proceeds going towards a new state-of-the-art LCC/DCC system.  The club’s new home is in the ’87 Gymnasium. Some materials, including kits and hobby supplies have been retained for the Society, along with archival materials related to the club itself and the Delaware & Hudson, Rutland, and New York Central prototype.  Remaining material, including miscellaneous books, railroad paper, mixed structure and rolling stock parts, and kits will be sold this weekend by the Northeast Region of the NMRA at the Amherst Railroad Society Railroad Hobby Show at the Eastern States Exposition Fairgrounds (The Big “E”) in West Springfield, MA this upcoming weekend, Saturday and Sunday 24-25 January.  The last layout section will be raffled off at the show.  If you're going to the show, head to “RPI's New England Berkshire & Western Collection / NMRA-NER” in Better Living Center Booth 29a – more information on the show can be found here: https://www.railroadhobbyshow.com/index.php  A well-deserved “thank you” goes to project leader Stan Ames ’72, and members Doug Dederick, Greg Whittle, and Tom Amrine for weeks of effort getting layout sections ready, sorting through boxes of books and supplies, and everything ready for the show this weekend, and salvaging material and knowledge for the current club members.  This is not the fate that any of us wanted for the last incarnation of the NEB&W – it represents a time when RPI was at the forefront of the hobby, and pioneered concepts, including the Railroad Prototype Modelers movement, that continue to shape the hobby to this day.  The volunteers deserve much credit for making the most of a bad situation. Ben Hom '89

The Rutland!

This Rutland Ry. view was taken a number of years ago I think on his old layout. Always liked this scene and structure. I think I have the castings to build this structure or one similar...should get at it. Don Janes photo.

Don Janes Green Mountain Division view that he posts on Front End Friday's Facebook page. This photo actually won the MR 2008 digital award...George Dutka   

Rapido B&M Boxcar

Sides are done with PanPastels. I added a few placards to the sides and ends. Should have added some chalk marks before I put on the flat finish. Clipped the coupler pins also. 

I finished adding some weathering to my Rapido B&M boxcar. It is on the light side...George Dutka 

AK grime and old rust is on the wheels and couplers.

A bit of kickup spray is also applied. Roof got India ink and alcohol followed by some AK rust streaks. 

Snapshot - January 2026

Perry Sound 2010 a nice view with a car show going on when Don Janes captured both the show and a CN freight. Just good timing.

This months snapshot is a view taken by Don Janes a number of years ago and sent to me during his annual summer camping trips north of Toronto up into Muskoka.  He usually send me a few each year. This is one of the favorites he sent me...George Dutka  

This and That - January 2026

The Richford Vt. station is down. I kind of figured this was going to happen after visiting there last fall. January 13, 2026. From Tell Tales Production Facebook, Evan Mercy photo.

A few views that I though you might like to see...George Dutka 

Two of my weathered roof covered hoppers.

I took this photo at East Deerfield, Ma April 20, 1990. It is a New York and Lake Erie car then lettered FRDW 2001. I just recently scanned a few more slides I have.

This is the display the WW&F is taking to Springfield this year. Wish I was going. From their Facebook page.

Three weathered hoppers Brian Smith sent me lately. I am assuming they are in New Brunswick where he now lives.

Brian Smith Photo

I got this Agway Atlas three bay covered hopper at Springfield last January offered by the Eastern Maine Model Railroad Club Inc. It is a custom car they offer that I finally got on the work bench for a bit of weathering. It is done very lightly. 

Throwback Thursday - Long Gone

LONG GONE - SECTION HOUSES 

Keith McCauley

 Sometimes when looking at old photos or slides I notice details that seemed commonplace at the time, but are now long gone from the current railway scene. Note the small section house in the upper left hand corner of the photo, one of thousands that at one time lined the right of way. No doubt it would have housed track maintenance materials; spikes, joint bars, bolts/nuts and tools, etc. Note that there are no Speeder tracks leading up to the track. What became of it? No doubt the structure would have decayed over time. Pretty sure that it no longer stands. Guessing that at some point CN sent out a crew to empty out the contents and dismantle the building. Today much track maintenance is performed by Hi Rail crews who carry most of their wares on board; in some cases, performed by companies contracted by the railway. No doubt, as well, rail joint maintenance has been reduced by widespread continuous welded rail (CWR) installation. What of the motive power shown? CN 4119 was built 9/1957. Renumbered CN 4375 (to clear number space for GP9RM’s), the venerable unit was remanufactured as GP9 Slug CN 212, and reportedly still active. CN 4534 was built 1/1957 and subsequently remanufactured as GP9RM CN 7047 in 1992; also still active.

Wordless Wednesday No. 659

 

Dec 2025 

 

BEST Facebook

I little while ago BEST posted about visiting a few locations that he had produced models of. This was on their Facebook page. Thought it might be of interest to the kit-builders among us. Check out their Facebook page for more interesting things they are working on...George Dutka   

I built a model of this one about a year ago.

Canadian Power on the Green Mountain Division

Don Janes took this photo by his WRJ engine house of his newer Canadian (1980's) power ready to go to work. Don had Wade Kelly weather these engines for him. He sure did a wonderful job...George Dutka   

Marmora Station

Conductor Allen Hall gave this undated photo of the Marmora station to Jordan MacCallum who posted it on Facebook. The station is in poor shape so I am thinking it was prior to the restoration and grand opening in 1987. It appears to be at the park it resides in today.

Thought I would show you the Marmora station as seen on Facebook, thanks Jordan. Also a couple of my views and model. The station was built in 1885...George Dutka 

This is a model I scratch-built for Peter Mumby of the Marmora station. Peter had measured the station up back in the 1980's. I had a feature published in the August 2025 RMC on the topic.

Marmora 1982

This is how the station looked on my visit to Marmora on Oct. 7 2024.

Oct. 7, 2024

January 2026 - Update

The engine came with this cool looking sign included. Now to get it onto the workbench for some weathering.

Hope your holidays were great and you have some new modeling treats to work on. I recently picked up a Rapido 44 tonner once again in a New England road name. Not much modeling was done here over the holidays as there was a lot of visiting plus I rented a cottage for my gang for the New Years week. Here are a few treats for you to look at and enjoy...George Dutka.  

Two of my covered hoppers seen on the layout. The Rutland car is a Kadee model. 

Bruce Douglas passed along this Ed Ozog shot of the Ambassador at WRJ during Sept 1960. It was a short train heading south this day.

C&C number 17 is just out of the box and on the layout for a trial run.

BEST Vetero stains are used to get the look of an old barnboard in upper part of the photo. The below board is done using stains. This was a page in the Dec 2025 RMC. Using ages barnwood, medium cherry brown, murky brown and a light dry brushing of white. 

The cover of a C&NW milk dealer guide from around 1900.

Saw this photo of Pt. Hope many winters ago. Boy that would be easy to model this day in time on your layout.

CN 906900 July 2, 1946. This car was built in 1915.

Jim Sloan modeling and photo.

Jim sent me the photo above with the following comment. "I read your blog this morning (Jan 3, 2026) as I usually do, the picture you posted from Quebec St. yard immediately made me think of this old Athearn Blue Box that has been rolling around my layout here for years and years now.