Butch Eyler Gondola interiors

Cell phone photos. The lighting was not the best for viewing these cars or taking photos.

At the Springfield NERPM meet the display table had a number of pieces of rolling stock done by Butch Eyler. Butch was also one of modelers working at a table weathering rolling stock. I was very impressed with the job he did with the interior of these gondolas...George Dutka

I like the rails and scrap included in this model. 

Brookside Milk Car Placards

Don Janes and I stopped by to see Randy Laframboise after the NERPM meet on the Monday for a visit and to see his Rutland Ry layout. Talking to Randy at the Rutland Ry. Historical Society convention a month previous I found out he had one of the old Brookside milk car placards in his garage. So I was interested in seeing it in person. It originally came from Phil Jordan, then Jim Dufour had it and finally Randy. The sign measures 3'8" by 8' if you want to size your signs properly for the sides of you milk cars. I know some of the decals seemed large...George Dutka

Don Janes took a photo of Randy and I on his front porch with the Rutland Ry. Middlebury station sign on the wall. Randy has a very nice collection of signs around his property. 

A Stop at the Hobby Shop

My goodies from Broughdale Hobby this week.

This past week I stopped at our London local hobby shop Broughdale Hobby and to my surprise Marty's new scenery book was on the shelf. Well I had to get a copy for sure. Also there was a lot of commissioned brass in the cases this time around...I had not been in for a couple of months. Most was Canadian prototype engines and equipment but one stood out hiding in the back. A NYC-Rutland Ry style milk car. I had built one years ago from a F&C resin kit but when I found out the price was $60 it went home with me. Now to see if I have any decals that will work on the model...George Dutka  

Rooftop Weathering - North Stratford Athearn Models

This is the second of three cars I am working on. The roof got a couple of coats of Vallejo rust texture followed by some PanPastel raw umber shade and neutral grey.

A few views of my three pack of Athearn 40' boxcars that I added air hoses, cut levers and Kadee true scale couplers plus of course some weathering. This is car number two of the set...George Dutka 

AK fresh rust gouache is touched on the roof edges as highlights. This was done overtop the powders which seemed to attach well and toned down the fresh rust a bit. I have yet to add any weathering to the sides.  

Throwback Thursday - Safety-Kleen

By Keith MacCauley

Initially started by entrepreneur Ben Palmer as a parts washer device sales operation back in the mid 1950’s, today Safety-Kleen is the well-known nation-wide fluids recycling corporation. Reportedly, leasing, rather than selling the parts washer equipment was one of Ben’s brainchild’s as was ‘Kleen’. While perhaps a clever marketing ploy, no doubt the alternate spelling has been an annoyance to grade school English teachers ever since! 

Tank car wise, the entrepreneurship continued decades later as Safety-Kleen eschewed default ‘Henry Ford’ black paint in favour of audacious, eye hurting yellow. As further emphasis, Safety-Kleen specified full length reflective tape, long before it was Federally mandated in 2005. Post lease term, most tank cars were repainted black (see PROX 50245 below), or as a minimum, had the bold ‘Safety-Kleen’ decal removed or otherwise obliterated. While some lease contracts included an End of Lease (EOL) repaint clause, simultaneous financial woes on behalf of Safety-Kleen denied their enforcement. For more history on Safety-Kleen go to; 60 Years Leading Environmental Services | Safety-Kleen

60 Years Leading Environmental Services | Safety-Kleen Since 1954, Safety-Kleen has been at the forefront developing practical, sustainable processes.

Wordless Wednesday No. 678

 

 

Slate Roofing - North Dorset, Vt.

 I took some close-ups of the roof and slate shingles on the ground at the North Dorset station. The roof has a reddish tone to it but with some dark weathering in it. The photo below has some of the loose singles still hanging on. Note the original grey tone the roof once was as one sees the covered portions of the shingles. There is quite the difference in tone through the years. Something to think about when modeling your roofs...George Dutka   

North Dorset Depot

April 29 2026.

On my way through Vermont I followed the Rutland Ry. from North Bennington to Rutland on Wednesday April 29, 2026. I was surprised to see the North Dorset station still standing but barely. I had thought someone said it was gone. I took a few photos of how it looked today although I have better views of it decades ago. I also tried to emulate Dean's photo he took about 6 winters ago as I knew a Southbound train was coming. I had back tracked from Danby after catching it there. Track speed is 10mph south of Rutland for a way...George Dutka  

Back side of the station.

A SB train approaches North Dorset.

The interior does not look great.

The cut stones base the station sat on is still all there.

Looking north from the crossing towards the site the station once stood. It was located were the flanger sign is now located. One can see the raised flat spot the section house once stood too on the right side.

North Dorset, Vt. - Station Model

The details are glued to the side of the model making it a drop-in scene on a Gartorfoam base. On my layout I use it as Bellows Crossing a diamond location. I may in the future put on the proper name for the station.

Here is a view of my Rutland Ry. North Dorset, Vt. station. It was produced by Sylvan Models for Rutland Car Shops maybe 25 years ago. It is a nice kit that has a one piece roof making it easy to assemble. I built mine years ago and the coloring of the station has changed from when I first built it.

Visiting the station this spring had me thinking if there was a real need for the Rutland Ry. to have a station here. I could count the homes on one hand that were in eye sight from there. Emerald Lake is a short walk away maybe making it a popular destination in the warm months...just guessing...George Dutka  

Railfanning WRJ

As I exited the car I had few options for photos in White River Jct.

On May 1, 2026 I again stopped by the station area of White River Jct. as it was sunny this day and I had stayed in Lebanon for the night at the Best Western a shot distance away. I pulled into the parking lot moments before the NECR job heading south passed by. It was maybe 9am. I hustled down to the old B&M yard for a shot but it is too overgrown for anything but a going away shot from the south end road entrance to the yard. I heard the VTR whistling about 6am as they left town. It appears the main line north of there was having tack work done after they left...George Dutka

The southbound train with three covered hoppers is passed the end of the old B&M yard. No TIBS just a flag.

Layover power on May 1, 2026.

WRJ Station Site Today

April 30, 2026 there is a thrift shop in this end of the station that has been there for a few years.

Last fall while visiting the White River Jct. Station area it was under construction with not a lot of access to the scene. This time the station site is finished with new concrete walkways, lights and markings on the ground...George Dutka

One can see all the new concrete work completed last fall.

The backside of the station has been upgraded also.

New garbage cans, benches and platform lamps are also added. Note the station lights have been changed to match those on the platform. 

ThrowBack Thursday – CN 4569 Through the Years

by Keith MacCauley

GP9 CN 4569 was manufactured by GMD London in November of 1957. In 1990 the venerable unit would be transformed by Point Ste. Charles into slug No. 245 and ultimately retired 2020. 

Through the years;

Niagara Falls 1976 (Keith MacCauley collection) Note the ACI label. Aside from paint, virtually unchanged since the Dillworth designed GP9 departed London.

Burlington 1978 (Keith MacCauley collection) Note the difference in height compared to the nose coupled GP40-2L (W).

Hannon 1980 (Keith MacCauley photo) CN 4569 is shown southbound having crossed Nebo road on a short freight extra. Note my very first car parked beside the HANNON SCHOOL; a 1980 Plymouth Horizon TC3. While the tracks are long gone, the school building (no longer a school) is still there.

Rymal 1984 (Keith MacCauley photo) Having switched Shaw Pipe Protection, CN 4569 is shown on a freight extra on a Sunday afternoon. At the time Shaw Pipe was in the midst of a large western pipe supply contract requiring both twice a day switching and weekend service.

Bayview 1984 (Norm Conway photo). CN 4569 is shown on a caboose hop westbound through Bayview Junction into Hamilton.

Stratford 1989 (Keith MacCauley collection) Most likely a Brian C Nickel photo that I obtained from Brad Jolliffe. CN 4569 must have received a repaint since her ragged appearance in 1984.

Memphis TN 2007 (rrpicturearchives.net) CN 4569 after conversion to slug CN 245. Note the change in trucks from Blomberg to Flexicoil. It seems overly cruel to reduce a fully functional locomotive to an unpowered slug.

Wordless Wednesday No. 677

 

  

More NERPM 2026

One a number of trucks that Bill Badger had on display this year's RPM.

I have a good number of RPM views on my phone. So here are some more views from Springfield on the weekend, enjoy...George Dutka

A better look at Bills truck.

There was a number of location one could sit down and either participate at weathering cars or just watch. 

Weathering by Butch Eyler. The roof looked great on the Guilford car. One could sit and watch Butch weather.

Chris Adams

A stretched boxcar. A clinic on this car was at the RPM.

The B&M on Neil Schofield diorama