Snapshot - May 2013

This is the view from Alan Irwin's family camp looking out onto Malletts Bay and the Rutland Ry. causeway. South Hero and Grand Isle are to ones right and Burlington to the left.

The view from here

Don Janes and I attended the 2010 CVRHS convention in St. Albans, Vermont. We stayed with Alan Irwin at his family camp (in Canada we call them cottages) on Malletts Bay not far from the convention site. The camp has been in the family for years beginning with his father Ed vacationing here. I quickly realized that it was located across the bay from the Rutland Railway link to the islands. It is a stone filled causeway joining Burlington, Vt. with the islands and Alburgh. Alan as a younger boy along with his father Ed would have seen some interesting trains in steam and diesel off in the distance during their summer stays. With all that was going on at the convention I  forgot to find out more details about what Alan's dad might have seen or photographed. Ed Irwin also took railfan photos...George Dutka

I took this telephoto shot of the old Rutland Ry. causeway seen beond the same Tanzer 22 ft. sailboat found in the photo above.



This early morning view of the Irwin's family camp with the many lawn chairs that in the past hosted a great view of a slower pace on the lake and possibly an occasional view of a Rutland Ry. train off in the distance.



Wordless Wednesday No. 29

Sea Port Model Works - part two

More Sea Port views

I still had a few nice views of the harbour scene that I thought you would like to see...enjoy...George Dutka

Sea Port Model Works

An overall view of the Sea Port harbour diorama.

A second look at a great display

Back on Feb 22, 2012 I posted a group of photos of the Sea Port Model Works diorama. The display was originally built by Dave Frary.  It is a great looking scene which I was able to see once again in 2013. I never get tired of seeing the modeling viewed on this dealers display. So here we go again with some more views of a very nice water scene...George Dutka

Yesterday's Wordless Wednesday

Looking from the end of the first covered bridge one can see the ex-CV now NECR bridge. At one time there was a station just off the bridge to the right of the photo. The farm house seen in yesterday's Wordless Wednesday is at my back as I take this photo. Sept. 2012.

The photo in yesterday's Wordless Wednesday No. 28 is a farm house found next to the covered bridges in North Hartland, Vermont. I stopped by this location last fall. One can really get a lot of good modelling inspiration from the scenes I viewed. There are two covered bridges within sight of the NECR tracks also...enjoy the view...George Dutka

The two covered bridges found in North Hartland, Vermont. The farm house can be seen at the rear right of the photo.

Wordless Wednesday No. 28

Vermont Round Barn Update

The N scale version of the Vermont round barn.

I was just checking the Carolina Craftsman Kits and noted that they now have the Morristown, Vt. round barn in N Scale. If you are in N scale that is great. But for us HO scale guys it is also great. I can see one of these barns set in the background of the WRD someday...George Dutka.

 Welcome to Carolina Craftsman Kits

St. J&LC on the White River Division

The St J&LC consist is seen crossing the causeway on the White River Division. The train will shortly arrive at White River Jct. Don't remember if I ever saw a St. J consist in WRJ, but as I am the  White River Division superintendent I call the shots. When the engines arrived in St. Albans from the St J one day I decided to assign them for a turn down to WRJ. I had that happen while working on the railroad during my time with the CNR...we sometimes stole other roads power...in my neck of the woods that was NS units on layover in St. Thomas.  I also remember my father in law taking a CNR 1200 switcher from the yard in Brantford for use on a VIA train when it broke down so they could make it to Toronto. In those days you did what you had to. Just get the job done and the engines back in time for their assignments.

A scheduled run down to the Junction in 1960
 

As it turned out I took way too many photos of my new 70 tonner's for use in one post so lets take a second look at these little guys as they head down the White River Division in an early 1960 freight...George

A St J train departs staging under the A frame overhead bridge.

A pair of St. J&LC engines arrive at the yard limit board in Bellows Crossing which is a long way from their home lines.

Wordless Wednesday No. 27

Check out this Blog

NECR engine on train No. 601 heading out onto the Claremont, NH high bridge, May 2013. William Gill photo

William Gill sent me a link to his railroad photography blog from upstate New York and New England called ihearttrains. He has many interesting night photos that he has taken in the past few years. In his earliest posts one can find some great shots from the NEB&W club layout in Troy, NY. He even took some nice model night shots. William lives in the Troy, NY area. I have included his most recent post photo above and a sampling of his work below..check out Wills site link below...George Dutka

Blog | ihearttrains | William Gill: railroad photography from upstate new york and new england

William adds some action to a still shot on The NEB&W club layout

William Gill is set up for a night shot at Bartonsville, Vermont station using the same equipment he uses for his outdoor night photography.

Another night scene on the NEB&W. Photo by William Gill

The human element of railroading. Photo by William Gill

An after hours view of the ex-B&M Eagle Bridge, NY station scene. William Gill photo.

300th post

Found this neat set of doors on a garage just north of White River Junction along the old B&M line.

Last year at this time I was around 100 posts. It seems I have had a lot to say in the past year with a little help from Don Janes and Peter Mumby. I hope some of it has been useful to your modeling efforts...if not maybe you will find something in the next 300 posts...onward...George Dutka

Here is an overall view of the garage which is attached to the home. The B&M  ROW is just to the right of the home.

Yesterday's Wordless Wednesday

The photo I posted yesterday was taken before entering the first of three covered bridges at Northfield Falls, Vermont. The CV train tracks are at the other end of the bridge. I had just parked my car when I saw this scene looking across the stream at the foot of the bridge...what a nice view to model...George Dutka

Wordless Wednesday No. 26

Waterbury, Vt. Station Plans in MR

The Waterbury, Vermont station as it looks in Oct. 2010.

Plans and a short article about the Central Vermont Ry. Waterbury, Vermont station can be found in the June 2013 Model Railroader magazine...you might want to check it out...George Dutka

It is a Sunday in early Oct. 2010, the day after the CVRHS convention when Don Janes and I stop by the Waterbury station. Shorty after Marty McGuirk arrived to check out the local once again too. I decide to get a mug shot of the boys.

We hung around long enough for a Green Mountain Coffee and to catch the southbound Ambassador. There was a good crowd ready to board on that day.

Modeling a St. J & LC 70 Tonner

The hood has been painted as seen in this colour photo.

Bachmann GE 70 Ton Model

I mentioned my St J. 70 ton engines in a post back on July 15, 2012. I actually finished these two models back last fall, but for some reason it took me till now to take photos of the finished model running on the White River Division.

My two engines are modeled in the Salzburg orange and cream used in the 1960's. The St. J&LC repainted its engines in 1960 once Salzburg had full control of the Railroad. The Bachmann models best represent the St J&LC  No.'s 51, 53 and 54 which have dual headlights as on the models.



My two Bachmann 70 tonners came painted in the Salzburg scheme but not lettered. They also have DCC on board.  The roof is painted black to better follow the prototype. I used Floquil grimy black. I also painted the underframe at the same time. Kadee #58 true scale couplers are added, a three chime horn and Cal-Scale markers MA-375. The clear marker jewels are Juneco B-6. The engines had drop steps at each end which I fashioned out of styrene. and are painted black.

The engine is apart and ready for details to be added such as the Kadee's, horn and drop steps.

 

Engine is seen ready for lettering.

 I used CDS dry transfers #HO196 for this project. Once all the lettering was done I fashioned the top portions of the end handrails from wire and glued them in place.   The engine got a coating of Floquil flat finish and very little chalk weathering...George Dutka

Engine 54 is done other than adding the tops to the end railings. The lead off photo shows these well.  Engine 53 is ready for the same treatment to begin. I decided to do my engines one at a time...with another project in between. I hate repetitive projects plus I wanted to take some before and after photos.

Modelling a CPR RS-3

A short CPR local led by a new MLW RS-3 is coming off the wye at North Bennington on the Green Mountain Division. The unit is being leased by the Rutland RR while several of their own RS-3's are in the shop for repairs. This unit will soon return to her regular assignment between Montreal and WRJ.... Don Janes photos

Using a Stewart Body and Atlas Frame and Chassis to build a CPR RS-3

by Don Janes

     The Canadian Pacific RR was a major player on the Connecticut River Line of the CPR and B&M. Once fully dieselized, this line hosted a variety of Canadian Pacific Alco and MLW units.  I had always wanted an accurate model of a CPR RS-3 but other than a hard to find Van Hobbies brass model offered many years ago I am not aware of any other model of this engine available in HO scale.  While browsing the Bowser web site I came across body kits for the old line of Stewart RS-3's which included the phase 2 body, which with a little work could be made into a very close replica of the CPR carbody.  Since Bowser only offered the body and no drive I decided to try and combine a smooth running Atlas chassis and drive with the Stewart body.  

      I am not going into a detailed description of how I built this model as it would take up way to much space.  I did write a detailed article for Model railroader which they accepted so hopefully it will show up in the pages of MR in the near future.

    Using photos for reference I modified the Stewart body to match the prototype.  As you can see from the following photos there was a fair amount of work involved and quite a few prototype specific detail parts added.  At the same time I had to modify the Atlas frame and chassis to fit the shell.  I was actually surprised how well the two fit together with just a minimal amount of modification.  

    I decided to add a Soundtraxx Tsunami AT1000 Alco 244 sound decoder to the model also.  This was a fairly straight forward install and well worth the time and money spent on it.  When the 244 fires up it really brings the model to life and you feel like you've gone back in time and are standing trackside at WRJ.

    I am extremely happy with the finished model and plan to do a Central Vermont RS-3 using the Stewart phase 3 body shell in the near future.

The major modifications have been completed and the model is about ready for the paint shop.  Most of the detail parts have been added.  Note the extended step on the fireman's side of the unit and dynamic brake equipment on the short hood roof.

Here is a view of the fireman's side of the unit.  The crew is spotting an old wooden GN boxcar at an industry in WRJ.. 

Having finished their work at WRJ the local is now heading back to Newport, Vt

Troy, NY - Classic Trains

An early era postcard which views the station area of Troy, NY. Troy had a large size station at one time. All is now gone. Jim mentioned the B&M roundhouse still stands in town but for other uses now.

In the Spring 2013 issue of Classic Trains one will find a nice feature by Jim Shaughnessy called Under my nose, a 10 page feature about railroading in Troy, NY during the 1950's. It also includes a good map which helps tell the story. I had been in Troy many times but never actually knew how the railroads operated through town...George Dutka

Wordless Wednesday No. 25