Snapshot - September 2014

Standing at the corner of  Railway St. and Station St. during 2011.

I was scrolling though my digital images for this months snapshot (kind of left it late this month). I came across this view I took of the sign in Copetown, Ontario. Don Janes and I stopped by this location which is in view of the CNR Dundas Sub. We were heading to the annual February Copetown Train Show held a short distance away. It is one of the better Canadian prototype meets. If one added a sign like this to a model railroad one might think it was a bit much....but it would be following the prototype if one modeled the CNR in Ontario.....George Dutka

Masonite Corporation All Door Car - Decal

There is also a prototype photo for this car on the Highball Graphics web site.

I was just going through Highball Graphics on-line catalog and found this newer decal offering for an all door boxcar. Link below to their web site. I just might order one of these for a second all door car for the WRD....George Dutka

Highball Graphics

All Door Boxcar

A CV local handles a lone load of lumber destined for White River Junction on the White River Division.

Last winter I purchased a second hand boxcar off Peter Mumby's table while helping him at one of our local railroad shows. This all door boxcar paint scheme really caught my eye. Not sure what it is about the car but it sure looks good behind my CV green engine. I always wanted to add one of this style of car to my contemporary fleet. I remember seeing many of these cars in the 1970's when I first hired on the CNR.This particular model is an older Life-Like offering. Today one can get a newer version as Walthers has re-released this car not that long ago.

Details Added
I began by removing the trucks and couplers. I used Cal-Scale SC-301 under body mounting which included a brake wheel that I changed out also. I used Tichy wire grabs and cut levers by Detail Associates #6215. The stirrups are Detail Associates #SS 6417. I used a set of trucks that I had on hand...think they are off of an unused Athearn car.

Painting
The roof and under body got a coat of Floquil grimy black while the ends got just a dusting as I did not want to cover up the lettering. There are two mounting notches on each side that are not the same colour as the car body. These I touched up with a small brush and reefer yellow. I then lightly applied Bragdon powders.

This Life-Like car got a grimy black rood and ends before being put into service on the WRD.

This car logo and colouring caught my eye last winter and now operates on contemporary scheduled runs.

Bar Mills - Bull's Salvage

The finished model is ready for the Westboro scene on the WRD. I did not build it as a salvage yard structure, but as a railway shop storage building. I have two locations it can work well at...just need to decide on one.

This kit was a fun build that went together very well and in no time at all it was done. It took two short afternoons to get most of the model assembled and stained. I did add extra bracing to this project. I found there was not enough bracing included in the kit to finish even the minimal amount required. The kit did have more than twice the amount of corrugated roofing needed and there are extra windows and door lights that can be used in other builds that was great to have. Since I did not build the kit as a salvage yard structure I still have the signs for a future project. This time I decided to give you the details of this build in my photo captions....cheers....George Dutka

The three pieces in the foreground complete the rear lean-to. The doors are all two pieces that have a sticky backing for assembly.

I used canopy cement for all my joints.

I pulled a few of the boards up and also added nail holes as seen in the diagrams.

The main components are all applied and the wooden pieces got a coating of Hunterline weathering mix. I modeled the large doors as open requiring a flooring section to be added. Once the stain dried I applied a wash of Floquil grime followed by some reefer white. The windows, door trim and corners are all painted coach green. This also was a wash...not full strength.

I had finished the model and still had a lot of leftover roofing as seen here. The sheets first received  a coat of Floquil rust, then cut and weathered with Bragdon powdered rusts. It was then attached to the roof and walls and extra weathering was applied as required. The window glazing was frosted before application. I added signs that I thought one would find on a storage structure.

I really liked all the angles and wall types included with the kit. I used the tar paper supplied which got a wash coating of Floquil grimy black. This roofing took the paint really well and sticks and looks great. I did add some patches and tar marks at some joints using gloss medium. The steel sheeting was applied randomly to the roofing which adds to the final appearance.

All the big door are modeled open as is the roof hatch which got a ladder installed. The swing out windows are also open. The overhead lighting was painted Floquil coach green. All the weathering was done with Bragdon powders.

Robertsons Paper Co. - Bellows Falls, Vermont

Web site photo of their production model.

A new kit has become available recently that is based on the historic Robertson Paper Company, Bellows Falls, Vermont. In 1881-82, this brick mill was built in view of the Bellows Falls station. It actually has been certified a historic site in 1990. The mill was serviced by the railroad into the 1970's. This kit is offered by Monster Modelworks which is located in Southern California.  This kit is a reduced size structure that measures 9 1/8" by 6 1/4". It is 100% laser wood kit. Since this structure was near the station and in view of the freight house model I already have I thought it would make a good addition to my Bellows Falls scene. I just ordered one. Check out their web site below.....George Dutka

Welcome to Monster Modelworks

This is how the building looked a few years back.

 

Wordless Wednesday No. 95

White River Junction Poster

 

Back in 2012 while at the Glory Days show I was in the WRJ information center which is a room in the station. They had a nice large poster viewing an interesting scene of the station from the past. I took a photo of it as best I could at the time....George Dutka

Woodstock Ry. - Taftsville, Vermont

The covered bridge at Taftsville during the fall of 2010. The Woodstock Ry. used to run past this entrance at about the location I was standing while taking this photo

I stopped by twice in the last few years in Taftsville, Vermont to photograph the covered bridge and dam. The Woodstock Ry. passed the south entrance to the covered bridge which crosses the Ottaquechee River. The station long gone was also near the covered bridge entrance. The dam and power house still remain. On my first stop I was with Don Janes and we got some nice fall views around the bridge. On my second visit it was the spring after hurricane Irene flooded rivers throughout Vermont during Aug 2011 which damaged a portion of this bridge. Built in 1836 the bridge was due for repairs when the flooding damaged it. A portion of the bridge was removed and repaired at a cost of $2.5 million and reopened during the fall of 2013....George Dutka

An overhead look from the highway, fall 2010.

Fall 2010

This is what I found at Taftsville in March 2012. Hurricane Irene damaged the bridge requiring this portion to be taken down. It has been since repaired.

March 2012

Looking back from the area of the covered bridge and station location is the town itself.

Looking west from the covered bridge is the falls power house location.

What's in the Box No. 8

The colour cover to the instruction sheets.

Bull's Salvage

Bar Mills Scale Model Works

Back in August I purchased Bull's Salvage a small Bars Mill Kit which they advertise as being offered in their under $50 group. It is a neat little kit with many angles, wall, roof styles and a good amount of details. I don't plan on building it as the salvage company. It will be a beat up rail yard structure. This structure looks very interesting from all sides so I plan on using it on my Westboro peninsula were one can see it all. The detail sheets are very good with many colour photos. All the parts are clearly marked and I can say it goes together well. As my weekend plans changed last weekend and I have it almost built in two short afternoon work sessions...the siding stain is currently drying so I can finish the roofing....George Dutka

It looks like a lot of pieces but the walls go together well and the instructions are great.

Some of the details...there is a nice pile of skids and tires also included that are not in this photo.

Wordless Wednesday No. 94

Woodstock Ry. - Woodstock, Vermont

The turntable pit and engine house are seen on March 19th 2012. Hard to believe this structure has survived since the last engine was turned and left the engine house in 1933. This structure was built in 1876.

Later this month during the second day of the CVRHS convention held in WRJ the group will be following the old Woodstock Ry. ROW. The current CVRHS Ambassador has a nice photo essay prepared by Steve Horsley of what once was and what one will find today at Woodstock. I had done this trek twice, once back a few decades ago and again in 2012. I thought I would share some of what I saw during my last visit. The lines terminal at Woodstock, Vermont surprisingly had survived in tact till this summer when the engine house was taken down. On my visit during 2012 it was hard to believe the station, frt. house, roundhouse with turntable pit, section house and storehouses all still remain much like they did when the last train left town in 1933. One can still imagine the track placements. This group of structures maybe survived because of their location. They are tucked out of the way along the river at the eastern outskirts of Woodstock, a good distance from the center of town. If you wish more information about the Woodstock Ry. check out the CVRHS Ambassador Vol. 22 No. 3 and Vol. 4 No. 4 which includes a Sanborne map of Woodstock. Bob Jones covered the line well in a March 2008 RMC article. If you are lucky enough to find a copy of Over the hills to Woodstock by Edgar Mead (1967) you will learn the whole history of the line....George Dutka

The section house still remains in 2012 at the far east end of the yard.

This structure has had an addition added to it at some point. It was the original station or ticket office-freight house built in 1875.

This is the second station found in Woodstock along Pleasant St. It was built in 1893.

Even the old storehouses still remain during 2012

I am standing near the engine house taking this photo looking east at the section house. I think the roadway is on the old roadbed.

Almost Made It!

This weekend I was supposed to be railfanning at White River Junction's Glory Days and taking in the Friday night photo shoot. Next day over to North Conway for Railfan Day's and another night photo shoot on Saturday evening. I had the hotels booked, cash on hand and a full tank of gas....then it happened...kids, and grand kids...I get the call, don't go yet dad my baby is coming...and late Thursday we had our 5th grandchild which is our 4th grandson. It was looking like she was going to be late...as in maybe later next week. Well maybe I will try again next year, Oh I forgot I can't go it will be his 1st birthday then...kids, what can I say....George Dutka

Wordless Wednesday Barn Photo

Dean J. Splittgerber sent me the following comment about the neat looking barn I photographed a few years ago...thought it would make a great model....George Dutka

Today at 7:05 PM

Whoa.......Hey there! This Barn belong to a best friend of mine growing up. I grew up in Rotterdam Junction. I spent many a day after school in this barn. Helping him, learning the basics in life. His nephew now owns the farm and property. Thanks for bringing back some memories. I'll share some old pics I took in the early 90's when this barn was in much better shape.

Deano

Abandoned Billboard

An abandoned sign frame near Ilderton, Ont.

I was approaching Ilderton, Ont. the other day and noted the leftovers from a small billboard frame. The thought came to me that maybe a model of such a  run down frame would look good on a layout...have to think about that a bit....George Dutka

GTW 40' Boxcar

An updated GTW boxcar rolls along on a contemporary era train. The WRD does jump ahead a decade or two from time to time.

You may remember last winter I decided to practice my weathering on some rolling stock I decided to sell at a local RR flea market. I thought they turned out well and most sold quickly, but this GTW boxcar I did take home. I actually liked the look of the weathering and decided to hang on to it. I built it in the early 1980's when one used any available boxcar that best looked like a photo one had to work from...adding a few available details, a coat of paint and a decal. One did not have many options for boxcars back then and even less options for details.

This car is a Bachmann model made in Taiwan that I added wire grabs and Kadee no. 5 couplers back in the 1980's. At some point I also changed out the trucks whith either Athearn or Branchline leftovers.  During my spring rebuild I decided to cut down the door adding new sliders. These details looked very heavy originally. I also added Detail Associates # 6215 cut levers, Tichy steel roof walk #2077,  A Line #29002 stirrups and Kadee brake wheel. The boxcar was already weathered with Bragdon powders last winter but some touch ups was needed after some new GTW blue was applied to the new details....think it looks good for a boxcar I probably paid a buck or two for back then....George Dutka

This is how the Bachmann boxcar looked last winter before I weathered it up and later replaced some details. Note the thick roof walk and stirrups. Don't think this boxcar seen the light of day for decades till now...the weathering and update has saved its fate for now.

The roof walk, brake wheel door tracks and trimmed door are added already. I had already added a few placards when the original weathering was done.  Cut levers and stirrups still need to be added.

My updated boxcar has only had a few changes made but sure looks a lot better now. The boxcar door and sliders trimmed and new roof walks are the updates that made the most difference.

CV Section House Brattleboro

Here is a vintage view of the section house noted as near Brattleboro....think it was originally a post card from the great flood era....note the paint styling....George Dutka

Wordless Wednesday No. 93

Collinsville Ct. 2014 - Clinics

The Collinsville, Ct. spring clinic schedule had a very good selection of talented modelers sharing their layouts and projects. I had already covered Ron Poidomani's resin castings clinic earlier. Don and I only took in a few clinics as we spent a good amount of time checking out the displays, vendors and catching up with old friends which we had not seen in years. The clinics we did take in always conflicted with other clinics we did want to see...seemed it was a toss of a coin that was needed. Bill Gill held two clinics that I wish I had seen but miss out on...maybe he will do them again at some point. Clinics we sat in on this year were Tony Koester's photos and stories of his Nickel Plate Road, Bill Schneider's O&W line which had some amazing photos of the layout. Pete McLachlan  shared his photos from his time working on the NH. Mike Rose gave an update on his layout and Neil Schofield covered construction of his huge feed mill....this is only a fraction of what was offered this year to see....George Dutka

Tony showed us this view of his engine house which has been reduced to fit the scene and isle-way, plus give one a look inside.

Tony describing his Nickle Plate layout.

Tony has emulated may scene he knows well...this one looks great.

One of the first clinics Don and I sat in on was given by Neil Schofield on modeling a large size mill found in Mass.

A slide view of Neil's mill

Neil displayed  his finished model in the Collinsville model display room. It was nice to see the model in person that he described in his clinic.

A low down view of the Agway mill.