Wordless Wednesday No. 135

Weathered CNR Boxcar - Hedley-Junction Blog

This is a heavy weathered CNR boxcar done by Matthieu Lachance. Check out his link below for how he did it. Photo by Matthieu Lachance.

 Here is a nice project for someone who wishes to add a CNR boxcar to their fleet from the 1980-90`s. The car is painted and lettered with CDS dry transfer. Matthieu then taped up some of the numbering and highlighted the green leaf with additional paint after some weathering is done. Check out the link below for the whole story and also take a peek at his ex-Rock Island Roundhouse boxcar upgrade...George Dutka

hedley-junction.blogspot.ca

Some weathering is done and the leaf has some paint added. Photo by Matthieu Lachance.

 

RPM Collinsville 2015 - Model Display

Craig Zeni display of rolling stock at this years RPM meet.

At this years RPM meet the model displays I found to be very interesting and possibly better than last years. All scales and gauges could be found. I took a lot of photos of the models, unfortunately the displays facing the huge windows I had to pass on since they were back-lit due to the very sunny day. Trevor Marshall was on hand taking photos of many of the displays using his cool looking lightbox. Some of his photos might find their way into an upcoming RMC. I hope he will post a few on his blog at some point. This year set a record, 249 attended RPM 2015...George Dutka

Trevor Marshall's S scale boxcar.

Neil Scholfield displayed a couple of B&M engines and a caboose.

Randy Laframboise accurately scratch built a church found in Middlebury, Vt.

Wayne Sittner kit bashed this truck using the prototype photo below.

If one was looking for weathering effects there was a lot to see.

Craig Zeni had a very nice collection of vintage era rolling stock on display this year.

Another of Craig Zeni boxcars

A CV Tool House for the WRD

A CV freight heads into the next room and past my new CV tool house. On this day a CNR caboose is on the tail end. I built this structure back in Nov. 2014.

I needed a small structure near the overhead bridge that hides the hole in the wall. The inspiration came from a March 1948 photo by Phil Hasting at Bolton, Vt. on the Central Vermont. The photo I clipped out of an old Trains magazine decades ago. I started with a 36' reefer of unknown origin. It was a very simple project that included details I already had on hand. I did not cut out the window locations, I just glued the windows to the side of the car. Once the car is painted boxcar red I just dirty-ed up the window openings with some black powders so one can not see in.  Bragdon powders used to weather the car are dark rust, soot and light rust. The photo captions tell the rest of the story...George Dutka

My finished model rests on Phil Hastings Trains magazine view that I used for inspiration to build my own CV tool house. The tool house is located in Bolton, Vt. and the photo was taken in March 1948. I had to use a magnifying glass to see the exact details I needed to include. Actually I need a Magnifying glass to see anything small these days.

I added a caboose stack, a Tichy wooden frt. car door, Grandt Line #5059 outfit car windows and a bill box from my junk pile. I added two wire corner end grabs also. I left the row of grabs as is on the right side of the car. The model is set on wooden ties and strip wood running boards are added. The running boards are modeled as worn out and falling apart.

The scene is almost finished. The track is still needing some ballast but that will not happen till I know the curve is right into the Bellows Falls yard. The Hastings photo had a CV crest to the left of the door. I made mine from a photocopy of a Accu-cal 5805H decal sheet. A trespassing sign is added to the door and a ton of junk is placed around the structure.

The weathering is done and a sign will be added to the door before adding to the layout. This is a really simple add-on one can make to a layout which really adds interest to a scene.

Snapshot - June 2015

The Montealer just south of the Canadian border May 16, 1992.

Here we have another view of the Montrealer heading to St. Albans, Vermont. I had seen a photo just south of the Canadian border published in a book or magazine that I thought I would like to photograph for myself. I just followed the track north from the Alburg trestle till I found what I thought might be the same location not far from the border. Glad to see the cows hung around till I was done...George Dutka

Wordless Wednesday No. 134

Modern Yellow

Some Bragdon powders are added to my modern yellow fleet. The CLP car I painted and letter many years ago. The Lamoille Valley car is a stock car. I did add some placards, Kadee's and a weathering job. Now to find a train to lift them.

Weathering a Couple Freight Cars.

I took this photo last winter after pulling out a group of dusty unused freight cars. They all got a nice weathered facelift. Some boxcars sold last Winter as seen in my February 2014 post. These two are currently used in summer operations with my contemporary era fleet...George Dutka

MEC Caboose No. 661

MEC #661 is still in need of some weathering. The roof will get a coating of grime along with the trucks. A conductor will be added to the platform and off to work it will go. Since I leave my modern fleet out during the summer months this simple project will happen shortly. Will post some completed photo then.

The Danbury Railroad Museum offers a Athearn special run MEC caboose model of #661 which the prototype is part of their collection. I forget the regular price but they are now offered for $16.00. Don and I both purchased one. There are still a lot left if one is interested. I will be using it with my contemporary fleet of equipment on the WRD. Don has a nice collection of New England and Canadian cabooses which are all displayed on a designated wall shelf...George Dutka

MEC #661 at the Danbury Railroad Museum during my visit back on May 27, 2015

Another view of MEC #661

 MEC #661

MEC #664 is also at Danbury but is privately owned. It was purchased with the thought of being moved. It has yet happened.

Another view of MEC 664. The roofing at one time was green but now it is mostly grime and rust. I think my model with have a look somewhere in between hedging toward heavy weathering.

Polka Dot Diner - White River Jct.

Polka Dot restaurant as it looked in White River Jct. during the 1950's.

 I had scratch-built this structure a couple of winters ago. I have not posted about it yet as I still need to add the proper front restaurant sign. It once had raised red lettering above the door the length of the structure. I finally found a sheeting of lettering that will work. Now I can finish this model as it was in the 1950's. I currently only applied a white sheet with a couple of Coke signs applied at each end and my sidewall sign applied over the door. This will be removed shortly...here is a view of how it has been used to date...George Dutka

Wordless Wednesday No. 133

Railway Equipment - Greenfield Village

A little bit of New England in Dearborn, Michigan. A great display of well kept rolling stock.

Although the weather was not great for photos here are some of the better views from my visit to Greenfield Village on the weekend. I could give you more but best you visit yourself...enjoy...George Dutka

A view through the window of the GT station that was the first structure completed in Greenfield Village during the 1920's. This was one of the stations Thomas Edison worked at. Henry Ford had Mr. Edison present back in the 1920's for the opening of this display. There is a lot to see at the station, engine house and display yard.

This roundhouse was built from what was left of a falling apart roundhouse originally used by the Detroit, Toledo & Milwaukee Railroad in Marshall, Michigan. Many of the original details from the roundhouse and station are used to build this replica. Other material that was similar are used. The total construction cost was 3.5 million. It was added to the site in 2000. The turntable is hand operated. On my visit a group of 4-5 young children pushed it around easily. The turntable was moved from the C&O in Petosky, Michigan.

A caboose is in the process of being restored inside the roundhouse.

No. 7 is being fired up for a wedding train once the park closes. A wedding will be held at the historic church this day.

Looking toward the water tank and coal tower from the station. The coal tower is a new addition.

CV Milk Car Model - F&C Kit

If you need a CV milk car F&C has a good replica available.

I took a few shots of Marty's new CV milk car that was delivered to him by model builder Pierre Oliver at the Collinsville Meet. The kit is by F&C and has been finely detailed. So I hope these photos inspire you to dig in to your own pile of F&C kits and maybe build that CV milk car you stored away decades ago...George Dutka

Marty McGuirk's model on display this May at Collinsville, Ct.

Greenfield Village - Dearborn Michigan

Greenfield Village has a really nice railroad display that is well worth a stop if you are in the Detriot, Mi. area.

On the weekend I traveled to Southfield, Michigan to play basketball for our London team. It was a Masters tournament (ages 55-70) which had teams from as far away as Florida and California. Many of the teams had college stars and semi-pro player that played in Europe in the 1970's.

On Saturday we had a big gap in games so a group of us headed over to Greenfield Village a 15 minute drive away. An overcast day but well worth the trip for me as they have a great railroad shop area and live steam running...the photo captions tell the rest of the story...George Dutka

A steam powered train is seen passing the water tank as it loops around the park. There are many stops one can get on and off the train. I was with a group of 5 basketball players so I only took photos of the train when nearby our group. I did have my pocket camera to take photos. I noted that most people in the park taking photo did not have cameras...they are using their phones. In fact I don't recall anyone carrying a camera such as a Canon Rebel or anything along that line. I guess times are changing.

No this photo is not staged. One can ride a model T Ford as they are all over the park. This type of scene happens all around the park.

On the weekends they have an old time baseball game going on. When the train passes the game stops and they all wave at the passengers on the train. It was a cool thing to see. No gloves used in this game and the ball appeared to be hard.

One of the two active steam engines is about to pull away from the main station at the entrance gate late in the afternoon. The second steam engine and train was being fired up for a wedding train once the park closed at 5pm.

A going away view near the main gate. There are may photo locations behind the neat old building and farm setting if one has the time to take them all in. I can see a railfan type trip to here in the near future. The Henry Ford museum is also next door that also has a good size railroad display if a second day is available.

Atlas S-4 Alco - CV 8081

My CV switcher is seen heading out over the White River with a few home road cars in tow.

I purchased this Atlas S-4 model a number of years ago. It came as a CV factory painted unit, but as a DC model. Since I now run DCC I have yet to decide what to do with it. I may turn it into a dummy or maybe add a DCC chip less sound. Don't want to go through the effort of fitting a speaker somewhere in there. The Atlas model painted in CV colours is about all that actually resemble the prototype engine. So shortly after I purchased the unit a few simple details are quickly added to the model as seen in the photos. Unfortunately it is still not a exact replica of CV 8081 as the stack is not the same as on the prototype and one would have to replace the single beam headlight with twin beams. Depending what I plan to do with this engine I might correct these features.

Details added
I added Alco re-railers by Juneco, awnings, a firecracker radio antenna, wipers to the cab front and rear windows, a sand spout on the enginemans side of the cab rear wall and step lighting. I also added an air hose to both ends and the rear door got a bent wire door handle. The engine got some chalk weathering when finished but was upgraded with some additional Bragdon powders in early 2014. The grabs are molded on this model which I left as is for now. This engine in later years got a red safety first sign applied on the hood which once was found used in the roundhouse...a detail that could add greatly to the final look. Is a model ever finished...George Dutka

My Atlas model is factory painted but has a few extra details which helps emulate the prototype engine.

The exhaust stack on S-4 CV 8081 is totally different than what is found on other Alco's and on the Atlas models available. This is one of the details I have yet to track down. At some point it might be changed out.

The garbs on this side and front are molded on. I did not try to scrape them off as it would wreck the nice paint and lettering finish.

Some of the end details added can be seen such as sand filler, wipers, awnings and step lights.

On one of my first visits to St. Albans I found CV 8081 at the shop track on. Sept 24, 1984.

The exhaust stack and old red shop sign are clearly seen. The stack is very similar to those found on parent CNR Alco switchers. George Dutka collection

During a weathering spurt back in Jan. 2014 I even pulled out my1980's era switcher for some additional weathering.

Additional thoughts...on the road recently to Collinsville Don and I discussed CV8081. Don pointed out that NCE has a drop in Atlas DCC board which would simplify the process. He also thought changing out the headlights could work out well since these details are available. The stack we both agreed needed to be scratch built. As it turned out I did get a NCE drop in DCC board in Collinsville...more on that shortly....George