Wordless Wednesday No. 296

Revitalizing a Vintage Diorama

This is the "before" appearance of the diorama featured in today's post.  Dust is still visible on the water surface.  The monochromatic look of the old ground foam is apparent, and the lichen bushes really aren't up to current standards.

By Peter Mumby,

with photos by George Dutka.

Over the years, George has built a lot of models - locomotives, rolling stock, structures, layouts, dioramas - and several of these models have eventually migrated to my personal collection.  Such is the case with the diorama featured in this post.

So, how old is this particular piece of George's modelling history anyway?  He wrote an article entitled "Modelling a Trestle Bridge in HO" which appeared in the short-lived publication "Trackside Modeller" in its August, 1995 edition.  The trestle unit was assembled as part of a module which was retired in 1985.  He continued to use it as a display piece for several more years before trading it off to me.  It sat on my shelf as an equipment display base for more than twenty years, until the accumulated dust became more prominent than the featured rolling stock.  The single shade of green ground foam had turned fifty shades of grey, and the lichen shrubbery had morphed into something resembling scouring pads.  As the politicians like to say, it was time for a change.

The offending Iichen was cut away, and the dust was removed with a vacuum cleaner and some soft brushes.  The original water surface had been replicated using high gloss varnish; this was refreshed with an application of gloss medium.  It was applied with a stippling motion to impart some added life to the surface.  The biggest single change came about with the application of several shades of static grass.  A boxcar shed, outhouse, and handcar set-off were added for the use of the local bridge maintenance crew,  and some appropriate signage was installed at each end of the trestle.  A pair of hopeful fishermen completed the scene.  Once again, I have an attractive display base for some of my favourite pieces of rolling stock.

CP 5001 tip toes gingerly across the George's Gorge trestle with a van hop, adhering religiously to the posted 10 m.p.h. limit.

This drone shot demonstrates the "after" appearance of the refreshed diorama.

With the vast majority of the added structures and details, this is the "business" end of the diorama.

A pair of local fishermen try their luck as a CP local creeps past.  Their canoes have been carefully beached, although I don't see any evidence of paddles.  For their sake, let's hope this body of water isn't the infamous Schitt's Creek!

TIchy Crates

Tichy offers a package of sides which make up 8 crates. I have six completed but the two smallest are really small and I decided to use them as lids that have been taken off and scattered around a dock loading site.

I always like to try a new product from time to time. I picked up a package of Tichy crates this summer which are quite easy to assemble. They assembled into various size and shaped boxes. Some look good in HO scale while others could work well for S and O scale...George Dutka

The boxes are spray bombed with a camo olive colouring that I picked up in Home Hardware. I then used some PanPastels to highlight the colouring. The photo shows the sprayed box and one weathered.

Quebec Central - Boxcar

Although the photo is torn and water damaged it still is neat to see. A good candidate for modeling. Quebec Central 2908 was built in 1910. It is seen  in Oct. 1954  at Vancouver, BC. Richard Burg collection.

Wordless Wednesday No. 295

September Update

My new addition to the WRD fleet...an older Atlas engine weathered and rusted up. More on it shortly.

Now that the weather is cooling off I will be spending a good amount of time at the lake. This summer I accomplished more modeling projects than any other in the last decade. Between lots of rain in August, extreme heat in July and the beginning of September I have been down below a lot. Not complaining it was a nice change. Posts might be limited over the next few weeks...George Dutka

Another hobby shop closes down due to retirement. I stopped by Beamsville, Ont. last Thursday to find this hobby shop closed and empty. I had heard it was closing, but it happened quickly.

This is a recent before and after. I purchased it built for a dollar and went to work detailing it a bit.

Curator John Kastner was shocked - to add new exhibit !

Most of us model these type of structures silver. Here is a weathered and painted storage structures once part of the mill in town. These are in Lucan, Ont. trackside when tracks were still running through town. The old CN Forest Sub. was pulled up a couple of decades ago.

The roof weathering is kind of neat.

Note the swayback seen in the roof line.

Scenic Express is bringing out a new Static grass product. Burlington Jct. Hobbies in Hamilton, Ont. will be putting in an order with Scenic Express for this new product and other Scenic Express items by the end of the week. Check out their booth at the fall trains shows or Scenic Express on-line.

Boxcar Spray Painters

1939 re-finished X-29.

A few views of how the workers looked while painting boxcar during 1939. Some breathing safety equipment was already in use back then...George Dutka

Modeling a CV Hopper

The prototype photo, Pikestuff panels and an Accurail model that I will use to replicate a CV hopper.

Using the photo from my last post I decided to built this CV hopper. I have a nicely built Accurail hoppers built by Bob Bowes but lettered for his home road. He had used dry transfers which were not sealed. They came off quickly by just scrapping them with my burnishing tool.

I also have a package of Pikestuff raised panels # 4000 which I applied using Walthers goo. For some reason some of the panels are missing so I cut some of the full panels to size. That is what you get when you purchase parts at train flea markets. The car is now ready for painting and lettering. It will not get into the paint shop till my boat comes out the end of the month.

CV raised panel hoppers were rebuilt from straight metal sheeting in 1936-1937 a second group was converted in 1941-42. The second group was painted boxcar red. The earlier group was black.CV 20030 falls into the latter group being red. Conversion back to straight side hoppers began in 1946 with the last converted in 1953. Many of the hoppers retired by the late 1950's with the last hopper being taken out of interchange service in 1977. Some remained longer in company service...George Dutka

The panels are installed and the old style brake system has been changed out with a resin wheel and housing. I am thinking the wheel looks a bit thick. I may change it out with a Kadee model before painting.

Note all the nice grabs and wire details that Bob had added to his model. He has also added all the piping to the brake system.

Central Vermont - Hopper

CV 20030 might be a one of a kind car originally built in 1912 and rebuilt in the early 1940's. This photo was taken in 1945. A Paul Dunn photo from the RJ Burg collection. I recently got a nice group of rolling stock photos from the Bob Bowes estate. Bob used these photos for correctly modeling rolling stock....George Dutka

FOS - Free Kit Finished

The roofing is a light wash of Floquil grimy black while the gas sign is Floquil reefer white with PanPastel white streaking. The signs are included in the kit although a couple are from my stock sheets.

Here is the finished model. I think it is a really nice looking little structure. It is actually tiny and will work great for another drop-in scene. I had it built and detailed in a couple of afternoon work sessions...George Dutka

The stack is dipped in my rusty mix (steel wool in vinegar) which is all that is needed to weather metal castings. The wall began with a coat of Hunterline Creosote, when dry a full strength coat of Floquil grime is applied. I used PanPastel's and Bragdon Powders to highlight the wooden walls.

Some boards are pulled up and nail holes applied.

I added the post braces which are not in the kit. The licence plates are reduced from a FOS O scale kit. Newspapers and a few detail pieces from my parts box are also applied. Everything is applyed using Canopy glue. The gas pumps are rusted up also.

The ground foam and weeds are Scenic Express.

Wordless Wednesday No. 294

FOS - Free Kit Weathering

The walls windows and doors got a coat of Hunterline Creosote. The roof edges are painted acrylic black. I liked how the stain looked on the windows and door material I left this portion of the model as is. They would get a bit of PanPastels later. The base is painted Floquil concrete.

Lets look at how I weathered my kit. Will show you the finished model shortly...George Dutka

Once the Hunterline stain dried I gave the walls and trim a full strength coating of Floquil grime. One can see the roofing being applied. The FOS scale paper got a thinned coat of Floquil grimy black. Once all the roofing is applied I trimmed the edges.

I did a test of the sign stencil on a sheet of black paper using Floquil reefer white dabbed on. I did not like the combination much so decided to go with a lighter colouring of black which was a wash...more gray looking. The white is then dabbed on. My first attempt at this turned out really good.

FOS - Free Kit Construction

Most of the structure is together and will be stained shortly. The signage and only photo to work from is seen in the background.

A look at how a FOS scale kit goes together without plans or instructions. I looked the parts over a few times before beginning. I could not find one wall but it might have had to be cut from the main boxed structure. No problem I have a lot of wood that matched...I'll show you the finished structure shortly...George Dutka

All the parts for the gas pump is seen in the foreground. The basic walls and roof support section is in place. Corner posts are cut and added to the corners. There was a lot of material included to complete the kit. Sometimes a kit can run short. Although the kit is small some bracing is required since the siding does have a few bows. No bracing is included.

The gas pump is together now. The walls and roof is next on the list. Lots of test fitting to make sure it was going together right.

The main structure is together. The side building is next on the list. I am thinking this inside wall that makes up the main box should have been cut for the end wall. I left it as you see it to better support the building...wood is cheap.

The structure is together and a few boards have been pulled up and nail holes applied. The doors and window will be added once painted and stained. More on this in the next post. A neat GAS sign is included that will make a neat roof stencil. The tape in the background is really old masking tape that fell off a box that will make a nice old window blind...old is good.

New Free Kit offering from FOS this week only.

TIchy Hoppers

Two Tichy models ready to roll on Don Janes Green Mountain Route.

I purchased a group of completed Tichy coal hoppers from the Bob Bowes collection. They are really nicely built. Peter Mumby and I actually left with them all. I knew I had way too many so I offered two to Don Janes. These are how they look on Don's layout. Don changed out the couplers with Kadee true scale couplers and cleaned them up a bit...I think they look great. Photos are taken with my phone on Don's layout last week...George Dutka

Central Hobby Supply - Closed

A favorite stop on my way to New England over the past three decades.

Yesterday was the last day for Central Hobby Supply in Syracuse, NY. The shop at one time offered West Shore Line kits exclusive to this shop. I was lucky enough to pick up a few kits in the past. The writing was on the walls the last few stopovers with many empty shelves. Lot of good memories...George Dutka

One of my West Shore Line kits completed. Check out my blog post from Sept 8 2016 for more information regarding this kit.

What's in the Box No. 32

Kind of a neat old garage.

FOS Scale free kit that was included with my order earlier this year. This is my next build...George Dutka

These kits come without instructions but are easy to build. That is why FOS can give them away.

The doors and windows are laser cut and a neat gas sign is included for the roof. The signage is also included. One wall is missing while inspecting the kit but a very simple addition from my parts box...hey what do you want for free.