Trip to Peterborough Area

By Don Janes  

 " In September my wife and I made a trip to Peterborough, in the Muskoka district, to look at the fall colours.  I wanted to see the Lift Lock in Peterborough in action but unfortunately due to being so late in the season there was no boat traffic but I did see the lock and captured a few shots of it, without any boats.

     The next day we made a trip to Lindsay where I found Memorial Park with a nice display of old railway equipment including an old CNR EMD SW-8, a TH&B 0-6-0 and a couple of CN cabooses on display, in quite good shape actually, considering they sit outside unprotected.  The railway pulled out of Lindsay a long time ago so it was nice to see these trains preserved.

 While in Peterborough the following morning I saw the Havelock job from Toronto go through town but couldn't get a shot of it.  I did manage to find the train switching the yard at Havelock later in the afternoon after returning from the mine.  The three CPR units tied up for the night at a location I couldn't get to so I wasn't able to get any photos from the sunny side. The yard did seem quite full of covered hoppers so business at the mine must be good.  This is the only active railroad line left in the area.

    The next day, before heading home, I went and had a look at the CPR swing bridge in Peterborough.  There was  a CPR truck parked by the bridge and the employee told me the train would be leaving Havelock, on its way to Toronto in a couple of hours and would be using the bridge but we wanted to get on the road for home so I didn't get a chance to photograph the train on the bridge but did get some shots of it in the open position.  It is located in a park so was very easy to take photos of it.

    One added bonus, we stopped in Bobcaygeon on the way to Lindsay and treated ourselves to a Kawartha Dairy ice cream cone which was absolutely delicious."

Ferrisburgh, Vt. Creamery

Ferrisburgh, Vt.

A little while back I mistakenly labeled the creamery in a post as Vergennes. Jim Dufour brought that to our attention with Randy Laframbois sending me this photo of his model for Ferrisburgh, Vt.  location...George Dutka  

Randy Laframbois photo and model.

Throwback Thursday – Canadian National Sweeps

by Keith MacCauley 

Seeing George’s recent post on the upcoming Rapido CN ‘Sweep’ caused me to search through my photos to see how many I had captured over the years? Somewhat to my surprise, I had recorded all but one; CN 7100. According to the Canadian Trackside Guide (CTG) and the fabulous reference ‘Canadian National Railways Diesel Locomotives Vol. 2’, the Sweeps were manufactured by Pointe St. Charles (PSC) in two groups; CN 7100 – 7101 (1985) and CN 7102 – 7107 (1987). I believe CN 7100/7101 (originally numbered CN 7300/7301) were test beds, released ahead of the others.

In the late 1980’s, early 1990’s Canadian National’s Stuart Street Yard in Hamilton seemed to receive a steady diet of newly rebuilt power, including GP9RM’s, GMD1u’s and Sweeps. No doubt, contributing to my good fortune in seeing so many newly painted units. Recognizing that the cost was high for the end result, the CN Sweep fleet only totaled eight members. Subsequently, eligible SW1200RS’s were rebuilt in kind and renumbered into the CN 7300 series. Incredibly, cast off by CN, many of the Sweeps soldier on for their new owners in industrial switching service.

Wordless Wednesday No. 697

 

 

Snapshot - October 2026

This months Snapshot is an interesting view and story sent to Kenneth Borg by Bill Clynes...George Dutka

Momentary look at something which didn't happen. The Alco built CP RS2's did not have MU so they operate as single units. But here the RS2 working as a yard switcher has backed against a local which had been parked in front of the station. The result looks like a pair on a local but in reality its just a switching move.  

B&M GP-18

Boston & Maine GP-18 1770, the first of 6 GP-18's purchased under the Benson Administration in May 1961. EMD photo 

Now, apparently somebody didn't get the memo, B&M wanted them numbered 1750-1755, but the first four came delivered as 1770-1774 and EMD had to pay to have the cabs repainted with the proper lettering...Bill Clynes. Sent to me by Kenneth Borg...George Dutka

Bellows Falls Yard

A look at the yard and rolling stock I have out at the moment.

A couple of cell phone views of the Bellows Falls yard last week. Not much happening in there lately but the equipment is ready to roll...George Dutka  

October 2026 - Update

I had unpacked some of the models I acquired from Peter Mumby. This one the flat finish has seemed to gone frosty over the years. Peter and I built these models back in early 1990's. Any ideas to correct the finish? 

Not much modeling going on at the moment. I was away to Muskoka last weekend so no posts for a few days and my boat finally is coming out on Tuesday so my winter officially begins then and possibly some modeling. I will be away for a part of November and December to warm places so limited if any posts while I am away. I am still involved locally with our club here in London and also the NMRA-WOD as both had meets this month...George Dutka

If you are local my two Amazon books are available in Broughdale Hobbies and also Otter Valley Railroad.

I was given this structure to see what I can do with it. Not sure what will happen to it but for now it is in a box with other projects.

Nick of ITLA arrived at our WOD meet on Wednesday in his fun wheels since the weather was great. We visited all three stations still standing in Tillsonburg, Ont.

Guilford, Maine

Our local modeling group gathered at the Denfield bridge over the CN and CPKC just west of London. A nice warm day.

We held a WOD meet this past Wednesday which had 13 attend even though the advance notice was less than a week. We are at the CN caboose by the station in Tillsonburg.

Kind of a neat old sign one might want to use on a fence.

FOS - Kit of the Month

Just some photos from my small collection of FOS Kit of the Month Club models that I have built. I still have a few more to complete. Surprising I have been able to use a few on the layout which don't take much room at all. One of my builds is actually on Don Janes layout too. Some that did not fit anywhere I have sold off...George Dutka

Although I don't have a spot for this one on the layout it is a display I like looking at. I really liked building this one. Always nice to have fun builds for no reason at all.

Throwback Thursday – Rymal 2 (Early Memories)

by Keith MacCauley  

I have to believe that most model railway modellers focus on a particular era and locale. For George it’s New England and the Central Vermont Railway (among other area railways).

Growing up near the Canadian National (former Hamilton and Northwestern Railway) right of way inspired my early model railway interest. Thus, my passion is confined to Canadian National in the 1980’s. Fortunately, history of the H&NW branchline has not gone undocumented; books include Charles Cooper’s ‘RAILS TO THE LAKES The Story of the Hamilton and Northwestern Railway’ (1980) and Ian Wilson’s ‘STEAM ECHOES OF HAMILTON’ (2008). The Hamilton to Port Dover branchline was also included in David P Morgan’s legendary hardcover ‘CANADIAN STEAM’ (1961). A former lineside silo facility at Rymal is documented online; https://www.rymalstationheritage.com.

Among my earlier memories are those of CN’s ubiquitous GMD London built GP9’s in original form. While not nearly as common as the daily SW1200RS’s, the Dick Dilworth designed units were always a pleasant surprise.

Wordless Wednesday No. 696

 

Don Janes photo

CN Sweep's

Peter Mumby photo no date.

It appears Rapido is coming out with the CN Sweeps...here are a couple of photos of Peter's visits to the yard in London...George Dutka  

MEC Milk Car

Not a clear photo but here is MEC 1513 from the 1506-1525 series at Newport Jct. Maine during May 1961. Don't have a photographer's name for this one.

When I saw this view of a MEC milk car it reminded me of the model my late friend Bruce Douglas gifted me a number of years ago. Thought I would share these with you...George Dutka  

This is Bruce Douglas's version of the MEC milk car that he built back in the 1980's. 

Throw Back Thursday – Canadian Pacific MLW Power (Peter Mumby photos)

by Keith MacCauley 

Residing in London Ontario, and having both Canadian National and Canadian Pacific virtually in his backyard, Peter had a steady supply of motive power to chase and record. Through the years he amassed a remarkable collection of locomotive photos; both action views and roster shots. While somewhat in the minority population wise, locomotives constructed by Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW) were frequently his subject matter.

RS-18u CP 1848

Built 5/1958 by MLW as RS-18 CP 8775. Rebuilt/chop nosed 1989 by CP as RS18u CP 1848. Retired/sold 11/1997 to Quebec Gatineau Railway, renumbered QGRY 1848. Retired 1998, scrapped.

C-424 CP 4214

Built 3/1965 by MLW. Retired/sold 11/1997 to Quebec Gatineau Railway, QGRY 4214. Sold 10/2001 to New Brunswick East Coast Railway, renumbered NBEC 4214. Acquired 11/2008 by CN. Sold 1/2010 to American Steel & Trading LLC for removal of parts and scrapping.

M-636 CP 4716

Built 1/1970 by MLW. Retired 12/1993, un-retired 3/1994. Re-retired 2/1995, scrapped.