Signs at Georges Trains - Toronto

From the Meaford Sub.

I took a few cell photos of the signs found hanging on the wall in George's Trains. This is a nice store to visit with a mix of new and old...some brass there. I always enjoy wandering around in there and usually find something of interest even though I don't need anything...George Dutka  

Tribute to Peter Mumby - New Book

London 2001 view by Peter Mumby. This book will feature Peter's photos from Southwestern Ontario and Eastern Ontario near his cottage.

I have begun to put together a second book that will be released on Amazon this fall or before Christmas. At the moment it is 60% complete. It will be a collection of my favorite Peter Mumby's photos I have in my collection. It also will have a number of Peter's Throwback Thrusday's that I I think you will like. There will be some additional material prepared by Keith MacCauley from the portion of the Peter Mumby collection he purchased a year ago. Included in the book will be the topics of St. Thomas, OSR, Havelock, London Reclamation yard, rolling stock and cabooses. A Snapshot feature of railfanning his favourite spots will finish it off. So stay tuned for more on this project. I have about 60 pages together out of 100 at this point...George Dutka

CSXT in St. Thomas 1984.

OSR engines.

On display in Havelock Ontario.

Rutland Ry. Milk Car

Think I have everything I need other than what paint to use. I originally used Floquil and I am not sure if I still have any of the colors needed that are still wet.

I have looked through my stuff and found my unbuilt F&C resin Rutland Ry. milk car which I had two sets of decals included in the box. The kit came to me with nice trucks which will be swapped out on the brass model as it has poor trucks and not correct for the model...now to see if I get rid of my distractions and begin the project...George Dutka 

Throwback Thursday - CN Stuart Street Diesel Shop Part 1

by Keith MacCauley

Constructed in the early 1960’s following the demise of steam, the Canadian National Railway’s diesel shop located adjacent to the Stuart Street yard complex in Hamilton Ontario was a pocket sized installation. The running repair facility was a modern, relatively small, heavily windowed structure with two through tracks; both equipped with drop pits. The building was sized to accommodate four switcher units or a pair of longer locomotives as needed. Companion service items positioned on the west side of the shop included fuel storage tanks, a sand tower, and an outdoor inspection station equipped with access platforms and grating/spill containment.

Aside from minor updates; additional exterior lighting, etc., and routine maintenance; new roll up doors and replacement windows for example, the diesel shop remained virtually unchanged for just over half a century.  

Wordless Wednesday No. 683

 

B&M 44 Tonners

North Billerica, Ma. 1971 no other data.

I saw this shot on Facebook of two B&M 44 tonners that I thought you might be interested in. It was linked to the Budd collection I believe...George Dutka  

Rutland Ry. XR-1

 

Rutland Ry. No. 93 on XR-1 at Summit, Vermont May 8, 1952 Patterson-George Collection, my copy. Note the two State of Maine cars on the lead. Wonder were they came from and are going. 

RPM Show Purchases

I have built the Rockingham Jct. freight house in the past and thought I would like to try the station. It might all go onto a small diorama. Thought I would try their ball signal kit. I also stocked up on a few details.  

I did not purchase a lot at the Springfield RPM last month. I had an order to pick up from BEST and that was really all I got. On the way home Don and I stopped in Niagara Falls at Tiny Railroads which has a lot of new and more so used stuff. I picked up some Hunterline stain that I feel one will not find going forward after Ricks passing. I also picked up some AK asphalt and concrete to try out. Never used the stuff so interested to see what it is like...George Dutka

Have not tried these AK products before so will see if I like them.

This and That - July 2025

 

I thought this was an interesting view taken by the Moosehead Webcam of the CP in Maine.

I mix of information and modeling from the past month...enjoy...George Dutka 

Gary Pembelton passed along this clip about a new railway painting on a local building next to the tracks in Ingersoll.

A bit of history about PB's fry truck in Ingersoll that I posted about a week or so ago.

Mr. Jetty was the name of the man who started the chip wagon way back when. It was originally called Jetty's chip wagon. Learned from his son that on his first day he only sold one ten cent cone of chips.

His truck was a staple at the fastball games at the Princess Elizabeth school during ball season.

PB Kobus took over the chip wagon when Mr. Jetty retired and it has been PB's ever since through various owners. PB was a great cook and his fries were the best. It seemed that there was always a line up at his truck. For quite a few years it was parked in front of the Presbyterian church beside the CPR tracks on Thames Street.

GO is running Toronto to Stratford 7 days a week now. Early morning from Stratford through the week and mid day on weekends.

I heard that Mass Central might be sold...and bluebird units may become something from the past...hope not. Always fun to see.

Another view of a new Rutland Ry. boxcar. May 12, 1956 D R McCullock another view from the David Hutchinson collection.

I was doing a bit of digging into my Rutland Ry. notes and articles...my associate editor Dick Dermody when I was in charge of the CVRHS Ambassador wrote in his research that the boxcars had yellow roofs. It looks like from photos the higher number series are yellow but from photos of the 200's they might appear to be silver. Unfortunately Dick passed a number of years ago so I can't ask him. Keith McCauley also thinks they were painted judging from past practices. 

It was reported the new station in Brattleboro became operational last week. When I stopped by the Brattleboro station on May 3, 2026 it was nearing completion as seen here.

At the London Station.

I saw this photo the other day of Norm Nicholls last run prior to retirement. In the background is my father-in-law Jake Millette who was the master mechanic back then in charge of engineman. Jake was at all the retirement last runs and had the banners made up for the engines.

My newest caboose I photographed on the layout in Bellows Falls. As with many of my brass cabooses the trucks suck for operations and will be changed out. I am thinking it may get repainted in the bright red tone shortly too.

Our local model railroad club and a few old time friends from the CN gathered this past Wednesday in Springbank park for a BBQ I host annually. We have it in sight of the train that carries youngsters around the park. Larry Broadbent photo.

I recently acquired another NJ covered hopper. This one is from Chris Wright who had added some data decals to the sides. Will see how the weathering goes. It currently has got as far as new air hoses, lift bars and flat finish.

Bill Schneider - NYO&W

The NYO&W and D&H interchange location.  

On the Sunday of the Springfield RPM meet Don and I visited two of the layouts. The second was Bill Schneider New York, Ontario and Western in HO scale. Bill models between Walton and Sidney NY circa 1947 in a 16' by 30' basement room which is a newer addition to the home. I feel it did not take Bill long to get this one completed although everything had to be scratch-built and it is double decked.

Don and I sat in on Bill's clinic called "the old woman in the new basement" which was very informative regarding the NYO&W and how to model it...George Dutka

The layout is double decked and to me looked complete.

Milk traffic was a big thing on the NYO&W and there is a lot on the layout.

A very realistic view looking down a main street.

A creamery as one enters the layout room. All the structures had to be scratch-built as no kits are available if one wants to keep things accurate.

Don Janes checks things out at the entrance to the layout. I believe it is point to point. This layout is under a new addition to the house.

Throwback Thursday - Peter Mumby - GMDD London Part 1

by Keith MacCauley 

The story of the Canadian Division of EMD is fairly well known. Opened in 1949, the first locomotive delivered was T, H &B GP7 No. 71. A name change to General Motors Diesel Division (GMDD) took place in 1969. In 1989, following the implementation of Free Trade, all EMD locomotive assembly took place in southwestern Ontario. Truly a magical time. Sadly, following acquisition by Caterpillar, the London facility was later shuttered in 2012. Fortunately, London was also home to a number of talented railfans, including Peter. Some of his new EMD locomotive material as follows.

Wordless Wednesday No. 682

 

 

Bill Badger's Caboose

The following is my correspondence with Bill Badger about his CV caboose...George Dutka

I am reading your article on modeling CV cabooses. I am doing that in 1:1. Around 1977 I bought VTR #6 (CV4008) to convert into a mini house. Not long after I met my wife who had a slightly bigger house with running water, septic and electricity. I moved in with her and the caboose slowly deteriorated in the woods. Now, however, I am in the process of getting it moved down to behind our house to be my semi-retirement office. 

At the moment it is not in great shape, sadly the roof went and one side has given way. I have a guy lined up to repair it when it gets moved. I haven't decided how to paint it up but probably old CV not the orange scheme...Bill Badger

Snapshot - July 2026

The train was just about to depart but it gave me time to include Don in one of my photos. May 29, 2026.

This months snapshot is of Don's and I visiting the Springfield, Ma. station during the RPM in town. We walked over in maybe 10 minutes. Although there was not much to see other than one train departing as we arrived we waited for a bit. It appears that day a fire broke out in the station in NYC which delayed trains...George Dutka

I'm not sure if the platform is coming down or being rebuilt. But all there is at the moment is the frame.

On our walk to and from the station in Springfield we saw something of interest. Tucked into the base of the railroad bridge is a small tavern. Kind of a neat thing to model. 

A closer up view of the tavern tucked in next to the bridge. May 29, 2026.

We took a different route back to the hotel and passed this wall of painted photo related logo's. It appears that the building was once a photo shop. Hard to believe they needed 5 floors to keep supplies that today Staples keeps on one shelf.

Before and After

The before of the bus station.

I got a bunch of sorry looking structures from my friend Gary that he was not going to be able to sell from an estate he acquired. Some might work out while others will be in the trash. The bus station might have been the easiest to do   

Another before view.

The sign got dollar store black applied with the white being touched up with PanPastel white. The roof is a mix of black and gray. The walls are Anita's grey.

A gas meter and sign is applied to the side along with PanPastel raw umber shade and grey's weathering.

A sign is also added to this side with weathering streaks.

The roof got some small stacks and roof hatch along with some scraps leftover from a crew repairing the flat roof. The chimney was with the kit originally. I just repainted brick red. with black soot Bragdon powders.