Modeling Air Slide Hoppers

My first air slide model completed is an Eastern Car Works kit that I sprayed with a gray primer spray bomb. Peter supplied me with the decals and once done some acrylic tube paints are added along with some PanPastel weathering.

One of the projects Peter and I have been working on over the winter are a group of Air Slide hoppers. Air slides are one of Peter's favourite pieces of rolling stock. We will show you some of his fleet in the future. Peter picked up a couple of undecorated Athearn kit air slides that we thought would be a nice winter project. These cars included CDS CN dry transfers. I have seen built Athearn models which look really good with lots of fine details added. Well here is a word of advice, buy a built Athearn model. All those nice fine details found on the finished models are all there in the kit and are a real pain to apply. In the end many of them did not make it onto my model. Peter is still struggling with his. I am really happy how it turned out but was far more work than I expected. I also built an E&B and Eastern Car Works air slide kits this past winter. A part two will follow with finished models...George Dutka

On one of our winter Monday workshop's Peter and I are working on our Athearn models. The third air slide is also an Athearn model that is sold built. We used it as a guide as our models did not come with any instructions only a poor exploded parts drawing.

Another view of our Athearn airslides as we struggle along.

My finished Athearn air slide is on the left while my E&B kit is to the right. They both are painted with gray primer.

From left to right are a Eastern Car Works kit model completed, Athearn kit ready for lettering and an E&B kit ready for lettering.

Westboro - 1973

Although the view is of a steam run this photo is a nice overview of what remains at Westboro on Oct 27, 1973 Bruce Nelson photo.

Here is an overview of the Westboro shop track such as I have modeled it. The sand tower, sand house and fuel racks still remain. I guess all I have modeled for the 1950's on the shop track can work well into the 1970's...George Dutka

Prototype Corner - The Roundhouse Cat

Ride, Sally, ride.  Not exactly what Wilson Pickett had in mind, but what the heck.  In actual fact, she was not riding very fast or very far, as she had chosen to pose on the front walkway of OSR GP7 #383 which was resting inside the Salford shop on May 05, 2018.

By Peter Mumby

When George and I were touring the Ontario Southland Railway's Salford shop in early May, we were introduced to the resident roundhouse cat.  Technically, the shop is not a roundhouse, but "engine house cat" just doesn't have the same ring to it.  I never did hear the cat's actual name, so for the sake of argument ( and this post) I have decided to refer to her as Salford Sally.  You know - "Salford Sally, guess you'd better slow your Geep nine down."  Actually, on the day of our visit, Sally had the option of lounging on a couple of GP9s, two SW 1200RS units, an MLW switcher, two FP9s, and a relatively new 6-axle Union Pacific GE locomotive - in addition to her GP7 of choice.  Not a bad gig for a feline railfan, and on the way home I started comparing her to that other famous railroad cat.  They do look a little similar, don't you think?

There is a bit of a resemblance, wouldn't you say?

Napierville Junction 34 - ExpoRail Display

ExpoRail June 2017

Last June Don Janes and I visited ExpoRail. One of the pieces of rolling stock that has connections to the D&H and my visits to New England is caboose 34. On my journeys I have seen a number of pieces of Napierville Junction rolling stock in Rouses Point yard and shop area back in the 1980's.  I never did see caboose 34 there though as it had been retired for a long time. I wish I had taken more photos back then of what was still around. Caboose 34 exterior is in really good shape and is currently found on display indoors....George Dutka

A photo included in the ExpoRail display.

Looking through the caboose end to end.

The interior is not as well maintained as the exterior.

Three GMD-1's in use at Sarnia, Ont.

Sarnia, Ontario

Luc Sabourin sent me this photo from Sarnia this week taken by Marc Dense. Marc reports all 3 GMD-1s are now operating. If one is in the Sarnia area, the shop is across the track from the VIA station but a bit to the west. A good spot to view the engines are from the far end of the VIA lot...George Dutka

Utility Barges Completed - FOS Scale Models

Some rust stains are applied to the sides using acrylic paints and Bragdon powders.

I finished the two barges recently that will be used in my waterfront scene. They actually are very easy to build. The detailing actually took more work than the barge construction. Colouring this type of model is new to me also, but I like how it all turned out...George Dutka

The deck is Hunterline stain with powders and PanPastels applied. The sides are brush painted gray with some green grunge applied.

Some lumber is added to the second barge for repair work. Note the seagulls along for the ride. Thread is used for the dock lines.

A overhead view of the details added to my barges. The barrels, skids, wrenches and metal gears are include in the kit. I rusted them up with acrylic paints.

A Modern Tank Car for the WRD

This car is really contemporary for my layout with the reflective strips currently used on equipment. So better get out my current era engine for this train.

Back about a month ago Don Janes stopped by with a trio of long modern style tank cars that he did not want. They came off plaques he was given by a friend. Don is using the wooden bases though and thought I might have a use for the tank car...thanks Don they look good on the layout. Not sure of the heritage but I believe they maybe Atlas or Athearn Genisis models?

I picked the one that had the least amount of damage to work on. One stirrup is added, two end railings to the tank top and some touch up black paint. I decided to apply Proto haze to weather the black down which took three coats. Once dried I painted the truck wheels a dark rust colour and PanPastel and acrylic rust some of the lower areas...George Dutka

One clean looking tank in the background is how my foreground model once looked. Three coats of haze dulled it down a lot. Now to work on the second model.

Some rust has been added to the couplers and end grabs.

I think the tank car turned our pretty good.

Throwback Thursday - Sadder, Budd Wiser.

School's out for summer, so BCOL car "Budd Wiser" is lounging in the BC Rail yard at Lillooett on July 05, 1989.

By Peter Mumby

Some rail cars are identified both by a number and a name.  Case in point: BCOL 8, aka "Budd Wiser," shown here at rest in the British Columbia Railway yard at Lillooett, B.C., on July 05, 1989.  And, at rest it will remain, at least until early September, because this car plays the role of school bus, ferrying students from nearby First Nations communities to the high school in Lillooett.  The interior is probably Spartan in nature, but it appears to contain a small furnace for winter use, as is made evident by the stack at the left end of the car.  As for the name, apparently the students were given naming rights for their conveyance, and Budd Wiser was given the nod.

As I recall, this car (and the locomotive that pulled it) were subsequently replaced by a motorized rail bus.  This was all in the BC Rail era - I don't know how the arrangement stands now that CN is in charge of the rails.

Wordless Wednesday No. 284

Guelph, Ont.

ONR 1951

ONR 1951

A group of photos from northern Ontario during 1951...George Dutka

The ONR's version of a milk car.

When is the last time you got an ice cream cone on a train.

St Johnsbury, Vt. - Scale Track

A view of the scale trackage in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, May 19 1979 Gord Taylor photo

B&M Faded

A B&M comparison.

I used my Proto haze paint the other day to fade one of my two B&M RS-3's. Here is what it looks like with 3 coats of haze...George Dutka

On a run along the WRD. The weathered unit will stay out for my summer contemporary era. It may get a bit of Acrylic rust over the summer.

Two Wooden Row Boats

The finished handout from a past Fine Scale Expo. These free handouts from Full Steam Ahead are really nice models.

Yesterday Don gave me these two row boats in kit form that he got at one of the first Fine Scale Expo's we attended...funny I did not get one...must have missed that table. Anyhow I was tied to the phone for two hours this afternoon waiting on calls to setup some appointments for my mother as I am not around the rest of the week. I decided to take a look at what was in the kit while by the phone...things began to happen...in that two hours both boats were finished. Guess this post helps make up for the ones I will miss posting this week...George Dutka

This is what was included in the package. The instructions were not really that clear but the kit is easy to figure out.

Each boat is built up from six sections. Some sanding is required to smooth things out and angle the bottoms. One boat is modeled as flipped over.

I gave the whole boat a coat of Hunterline Corvan brown then a wash of acrylic white on the sides. Some green grunge is appled to the bottom with a few Panpastel shades to the interior and oars. The wooden bracing is not included. I also added a few nail holes were the wood is attached with copper nails.

The second boat is a flipped over version which is also simple to construct. I just leaned extra oars to the the hull.

WRD Blog Update

Don's newest Rapido engine is out for a run from the WRJ yard.

Yesterday I was in Sarnia to pickup some boat parts and stopped in on Don Janes. My visit kind of delayed a pile of dirt in his driveway being moved to the lawn and garden. I had a chance to see one of the new Rapido engines operated in his White River Junction yard. After my short visit I headed out (and before he found an extra shovel) picked up what I needed for the boat and headed home along Confederation which follows the tracks back to London. I did make a short stop at the VIA station and found an interesting sight as seen below.

With my boat going in tomorrow and staying at the lake for a few days there will be no posts till at least Sunday...see you then...George Dutka

A bit is changing in this scene. The white structure is moving in here to it's new home once a new slate roof is applied.

A GMD-1 is being used as extra power moving a cut of cars in front of the VIA station.

Two additional GMD-1's are seen on the shop track at the Lambton Diesels Specialists These three engines, 1437, 1444 and 1412 were built around 1958.

Running back through the yard light. This engine was being operated by the lead unit 7046 which is in belt pack mode.

MEC/D&H - Rust Bucket

Anyone car to model this car..January 26, 2018

On a sidetrack at East Deerfield, Ma. was this well used hopper car. It appears to be still in use as a number of cars are sitting in this siding loaded with rail yard waste...George Dutka

LVRC 4116

For a modeler that is into the later years of the LVRC here is a neat looking car that would make a great model. It came from Sean Steele via Jim Sloan. This photo Sean got from a shoe box full of pictures purchased in Jackson, Ohio over 10 years ago.  The guy who sold them to Sean had no idea who took them.  Many of these photos have been posted to the Fallen Flags Web site...thanks guys for sharing...George Dutka

What's in the Box No. 31

A look at what was in the package. The instructions are minimal but not really needed.

I placed an order to FOS Scale a month or so ago. I ordered this two pack of barges that I plan to use on my waterfront diorama when it comes together. More on that later.

This kit is a quick build and has some nice details included. There is a nice sheet explaining general glues and painting techniques for modeling FOS Scale kits...George Dutka

Laser cut wood details. Tichy barrels are also included.

The boat is a two part body. The bow needs to be sanded down to form an angle to the water.

Views from FOS Scale web site. A really interesting little model.