Thursday 30 November 2017

Updating a Diamond in the Rough

The roof was painted dollar store paint black followed by Bragdon soot. Some streaking is applied in Bragdon rust and gray. The stack is from a passenger car roofing detail kit. The cupola side wall are actually black with a heavy  streaking of white PanPastels.
This was another train show find that was something no one wanted. Picking it up for next to nothing made it a canvas to practice some acrylic water painting and weathering with chalks, powders and PanPastels. I think it turned out well and no I don't have a spot on the layout for it so it has moved on to another layout...George Dutka

This is how it looked when I got it home.

This transformation took less than an hour to complete. I could have spent more time finishing the joints better but I am not sure if the structure would have looked any better. A good amount of signage is applied

I used PanPastel browns over the brown plastic colouring. Some white chalks are mixed in as blotching. The windows and doors are left gray but also got some PanPastel white and light gray.

Tuesday 28 November 2017

Ice Service at White RIver Jct.

I recently picked up a back issue of the BMRHS Bulletin which documents the consist and operations of Conductor Bobby Howe during 1953. He detailed the arrival of the Ambassador from Boston at WRJ pretty well. At WRJ it was a quick pace getting the coachs switched and power changed out for the train to leave on time northbound on the Central Vermont Ry.

One fact that I really found interesting was that the B&M maintained a refrigerator car in ice service on a stub track next to the station. This car supported the service of icing passenger cars that needed more ice for their air conditioning system...guess I should be taking a closer look at photos of passenger service in WRJ...George Dutka

Monday 27 November 2017

Central Vermont in Palmerston, Ontario

Way-freight heading to Kincardine, Ontario during the fall of 1957. Herbert  H. Harwood Jr. photo.
The table of contents page of Classic Trains, fall 2004 had a large full page plus shot of a CNR way-freight getting ready to leave from Palmerston, Ontario for the lakeside community of Kincardine during October 1957. The overhead view showed a corner of a CV boxcar (no. 40158) on the head end...has me wondering what was being shipped from New England to lakeside Southwestern Ontario...George Dutka

Sunday 26 November 2017

WOD Meet

Peter Mumby is well underway painting his wall section. The WOD supplied us with the colouring we needed for the walls, concrete and windows.
WOD "Make and Take" Fall Clinic
The Western Ontario Division of the NFR-NMRA held their second fall meeting here in London, Ontario yesterday. Peter and I attended to build an Imagine That Laser Art kit. The kit the group of 13 worked on was the DV Ross kit. I had already built this kit and posted about it back in the summer so another kit was chosen. I worked on the larger Olympia Tool and Die Co. which I am doing as a building flat.

It was a morning gathering which ran from 9-1pm. A small layout tour of 3 area layouts followed. Some modelers had their kits painted and assembled before we left although detailing still needed to be done. Peter and I got our walls painted with windows and doors added. We will work on completing this project on our Monday workdays. I guess being the closest table to the coffee and treats slowed us down a bit. Link to ITLA that is below if you are thinking of building your own version...George Dutka

 Imagine That Laser Art Scale Models Imagine That Laser Art Scale Models
 
The gang poses at the end of the day for a group photo in front of the ITLA display.

Two of the Ross buildings on display for inspiration.
The gang getting started on the kit. Most of the guys wondered were the plastic glass sheeting and signage was. To there wonders they are told it is inside the instruction book. Seems no one thought of looking at the instructions.

Peter is happy to take a break and smiles for the camera. Note the counter behind Peter which had a nice display of chocolate butter tars. We sure had a mess going on our table sticky fingers and all.

Another of the modelers table part way through the morning.

Here we see WOD Superintendent Steve Juranics model near the end of the day. Steve talked us through construction of this structure.

Saturday 25 November 2017

Canadian Locomotive Railfanning

Belleville, Ont. June 12, 2017 on my way to Ottawa.
His a group of photos viewing engines I crossed paths with during the warmer months of 2017 in Ontario...George Dutka

A very weathered engine switching the yard in Smith Falls, Ont. June 12, 2017.

A local found in Hamilton, Ont. Sept. 9, 2017

Layover power in London, Ontario April 23, 2017

Ingersoll, Ont. June 26 2017.

London, Ont. April 23, 2017

Friday 24 November 2017

CV Caboose Shed

The Walthers caboose underframe is used as junk under the shed.
 Here is what I did with my box of caboose parts after my CV caboose kit-bash. I had used the Walthers body and True Line under frame for my conversion which left me with a CN True Line body (which is painted wrong for the CV) and some Walthers parts. I also have a lot of Juneco CN caboose leftovers from another CV caboose conversion. The caboose parts box is now empty and gone...actually this model is also gone at the last train show. It is good to re-coupe some of the cost of building my prototype correct CV cabooses...George Dutka.

The Juneco underframe is assembled and used under the True Line trains shell. A Juneco smoke stack is also seen here.

Some scrap styrene is added to the windows as shades. The roofwalk is made from scrap lumber. Some old brakewheels are leaning at the one end.  Some acrylic paint is used as additional weathering and streaking.

Signs are added to the side and laid around the body.


Leaning against the caboose shed is one of the Juneco cupola sides. I still have another CV TLT caboose that I will be stealing the underframe from. I think I might keep the next caboose shed as something the CV got off the CN and re-purposed...might be nice for my summer later era theme. This photo was taken after a few changes. I thought the shades over the window look too weathered, so some black is added. I also lowered the caboose by one tie height putting the steps on the ground and lowering the profile.



Thursday 23 November 2017

Chevrolet Two-Ton Truck - Alloy Forms


I purchased a partly built stake truck this fall at one of the trains shows. I believe it is an Alloy Forms models of their 1955 Chev two-ton truck. It is a metal kit that was partly glued together and painted. The paint job is good other than the tires and rims which I repainted. I added a bit of chrome paint to handles and so on. I powdered up the box, glued the stakes and cab on. I added a bit of rust to the bottom of the body and plates to the front and back. Some hay rolls I have on hand went into the back. I am thinking I should still add a couple of mud flaps...George Dutka


My truck before the rust happened.

Tuesday 21 November 2017

Woodstock, Ontario - Bob Fallowfield

The Kelsey-Hayes industry in Woodstock makes for some interesting photo options.
Here are a few more views of the Galt Sub layout found in Bob Fallowfield's basement...enjoy...George Dutka


A view that Don Janes took during our visit.

The weathering on Bob's rolling stock is very realistic.
Another view of some nice looking rolling stock in Woodstock, Ont.

Monday 20 November 2017

Bread and Butter Freight Car

More rolling stock for Neil Schofield's CP Newport Sub. Neil Schofield photo
Neil Schofield sent me some photo of his layout in progress. He also sent me these two views of CP International of Maine boxcars he completed as a kind of a change of pace from plowing though his layout projects. Neil calls these his bread and butter freight cars. He sure did an excellent job with these models. Thanks for sharing and allowing me to post them on my blog...keep up the good work and looking forward to seeing a completed layout...George Dutka

A script version of CP's International of Maine Division boxcars. Check out the upcoming Model Railroad Planning 2018 for more of Neil's modeling.

Carl's Troutateria Layout is for Sale



If you ever wanted to own a layout that had been featured in the modeling press, here is your chance. Christopher Creighton has decided to sell his Gn15 mini layout, Carl's Troutateria is now for sale. It was featured in the September 2012 issue of Railroad Model Craftsman. Christopher can be reached at this e-mail address below if anyone requires more information...George Dutka

christophercreighton@hotmail.com


Sunday 19 November 2017

Live VIA and Amtrak Mapping

Peter Mumby passed along this link (found below) that is really neat to view. It locates all passenger trains operating live at the moment with details about the run. Just click on the train number for the information...George Dutka

http://www.asm.transitdocs.com/

Toning Down Tree Colours

My newest project is finishing, my N scale module that ties in with Peter's. The trees looked off so some toning needed to be done.
This past week I spend most of my modeling time finishing off a N scale module that Peter and I have been building for two years now. We did not touch our modules at all last year but a push is on to have them done for Peter's club meeting in January....good to have focus. Peter gave me some trees he purchased recently that are a Woodland Scenic offering. They are fall coloured foam trees that seem the right size for N scale but bright in colour. I used three on my module. To me they look just to bright so I dug into my various tree making material looking for something that might be used for toning things down. I used dollar store hair spray followed by some Noch olive colors foliage...George Dutka

The finished tree with the material used. More views of the module and other trees shortly.

Saturday 18 November 2017

DPM - Brick Garage

One end of the structure got a new door as it was missing. It actually is a multi-level door cut up to fit. This end is a motorcycle repair shop.
I picked up Schutz's Garage (kit 201) a Design Preservation Models already built back last spring. I thought I could fit it into one of my scenes but as it turned out it became another models I sold off...captions tell the story...George Dutka

This is how it looked when I got it home. I have already added the new stacks and chimneys, sanded the roof smooth as it was kind of rough and clipping some of the molding tabs off.

I coloured the walls using PanPastels, repainted the roof black using acrylic paint and added some powders. I used a pencil to add the tar-paper sheet lines, then some gloss-coat to the seams. Some signs and junk are applied to the model.
The other end is a rad repair shop...one can display it any way you want.

Friday 17 November 2017

The Galt Sub - Bob Fallowfield



One of the runs Bob ran for us during our visit to the CP Galt sub. Bob is a tech guy who really knows his stuff. His signal system works the same as the real thing. The train order signal is lighted and actually operates.
On Tuesday Don Janes and I traveled to St. Catherines to visit Bob Fallowfield's and his CP layout. The Galt Sub is set in the fall of 1980 on a prototypical detailed layout. Bob mentions his layout is actually not finished yet but you would never know it. The scenery and structures are very realistic looking, the room has a finished appearance with spot lighting well placed. Bob mentioned this layout is his first attempt, but once again you would never know it by looking around the room. This appears to be the work of a seasoned modeler. What I really liked was the weathered rolling stock and engines which look very realistic. The layout looks as good if not better in person than in the many prototypical photos Bob posts on his Facebook page...link below...George Dutka

Bob Fallowfield’s Galt Sub

Bob and Don during our visit. Note all the spot lighting which are really helpful when railfanning the trains.

A scene from Woodstock, Ontario.
One of the many rural scenes. The derail in the foreground actually operates.

Another view of Woodstock.
 
My small pocket camera could get down low to the scene similar to what Bob does with his phone.

There are a lot of rural scenes on this layout that make for good photo ops.

Although this scene looks finished Bob mentioned the poles have yet to be strung.

A last look at Woodstock.