Red, White and Blue State of Maine Potato Cars

State of Maine NH and BAR cars pose on the WRD.

A group of red, white and blue potato cars were used by both the New Haven and BAR railroads. I have had a Yankee Clipper model of the NH car built by my friend Warren Dodgson for a number of years. He did a really nice job including brass etched roof walk and nice trucks. Recently an estate has come available that included a group of nicely built craftsman kits. Bob Bowes main interest in the hobby next to operations was building rolling stock kits for railroads that ran through New York state as this was the area he liked and modeled. I picked up maybe 15 to 20 of his cars. Some I have kept and others I knew that Peter Mumby and Don Janes would like...although Don is giving me a really hard time regarding a Westerfield boxcar we both really like. So far he has offered a Rapido covered hopper for it but I think he will have to up the anti. The BAR model I offered to Peter as I know he would  really like it. So now we each have red, white and blue...George Dutka

Warren Dodgson's model in the foreground which is now in my collection.

Peter Mumby's new acquisition in the foreground built by Bob Bowes.

The blue on the BAR car is a bit lighter than required but some PanPastel weathering will help this out.

Red, White and Blue

Must be potato season on the White River Division.

Jason Jensen - Structure Craftsman

This is the structure that Jason designed and now is offering as a kit in conjunction with a laser kit producer.

I am not a Facebook guy but I was told about a gentleman on Facebook that builds amazing structures and has designed and offered a kit for sale recently. With my wife being a Facebook person I asked her to look up Jason Jensen's page or site whatever you call them. Jason is a very talented modeler that puts model structures on Facebook regularly. I don't know any more that what I could see in a few minute in Facebook. For those on Facebook you might want to look him up and tell him for me that I really like his work. My wife copied a few photos for me to my files...by the way I just learned how to text last month after my son gave me a cell phone. There was a problem getting a hold of me at the lake as this year we don't have internet. I did not see any problems...I am home this morning to pick up my wife before returning to the lake...posts might be limited this week...George Dutka

This structure I believe is a kit-bash of a few structures from FOS.

Wordless Wednesday No. 290

Ball Signal on the White River Division

Here is a view one does not normally see of my ball signal at Westminster Center...George Dutka

GMD Recollections - Demonstrator Delivery Day

April 29, 1995, is delivery day for EMD SD70M demonstrator 7024.  Shortly, CN 4105 will get the light and proceed to shove the new unit into track 50 of London yard.

By Peter Mumby

In this shot from April 1995, EMD 7024, an SD70M demonstrator, is shown in the care of CN 4105, the London yard engine.  CN accessed the north side of the GMD plant off its Guelph (previously Thorndale) Subdivision in east London.  In later years, this trackage was operated as a portion of the GEXR, with deliveries handled by that railway.  The two units would have followed the Guelph Subdivision to London Junction, where permission would have been given to enter the north track of the Dundas Sub and cross over the south track to the yard lead.  The short train has pulled west of the signal bridge at Rectory St and is awaiting a light to allow it to head for track 50 in the yard.  The track it currently occupies is referred to as Walker's Siding.

A Look inside the Door

Looking inside my retired service station one sees a good amount of details.The back wall has an old Sunoco station sign as seen above. The photo below views a wooden wall behind the barrels which blocks the office area of the station. The bottom photo views the amount of details I have laying around that works to add interest to the open doorway...George Dutka

Snapshot - July 2018

A string of Multi's are found in the staging yard during the Kitchener Layout Tour 2018 Free-Mo display.

This months snapshot is a look at the fleet of multilevel cars on display by the Credit Valley Free-mo Group layout this March at the Kitchener layout tour...enjoy...George Dutka

Some really interesting weathering and tagging.

Railfanning in The Canadian Rockies....by Don Janes

The first train I encountered, a westbound loaded potash train rolling through Canmore, Alberta. It also had mid-train and rear DPU units.

Railroads in the Rockies

     On June 20, my wife and I and another couple set out on a two week Alaska cruise and Alaska interior expedition.   We all decided that it would be a good chance to travel through the Canadian Rockies so we flew to Calgary, AB, rented a car and traveled to Vancouver making overnight stops in Canmore, AB (just outside Banff), Jasper AB and Penticton, BC in the Okanagan Valley.  Since I was the only railfan in the group I knew I wouldn't get too much railfanning in but we all travel very well together and if there is something someone wants to see the rest are very agreeable to take in those attractions.  I was fortunate that the CPR mainline ran right through Canmore and Banff and the CNR through Jasper so it was only a matter of taking a short drive or walk to stake out  raifan spots when time permitted. At our first stop in Canmore I was lucky to catch a westbound loaded potash train and an eastbound empty potash train within an hour of arrival.

     The weather turned a bit the next day but I was able to catch an intermodal train passing the Banff station in the early evening.  Earlier in the day we set out to find the famous Morant's Curve west of Banff along the Bow River.  It is a spot where thousands of photos have been taken of the CPR in the Rockies.  Unfortunately the road was closed for repairs and there was no access to that location but we did find a very nice spot just east of there and got a few shots.

This eastbound empty potash train was really moving through Canmore and there was a UP DPU bringing up the rear

This CP intermodal train was wasting no time passing the famous Banff depot. Unfortunately, the mountain in the background that I really wanted in the photo was covered in mist.

The CPR snakes along the Bow River for miles. Just east of Morant's Curve we caught a freshly painted CP engine on the point of a westbound intermodal train. It had a mid train DPU. see below

      After two days in this area we headed to Jasper, a main terminal on the CNR line to Vancouver.  It was a short walk to the station and yard from our hotel so when I had some free time I took a stroll to see what action might be happening.  CN operates a lot of trains through Jasper in a 24 hour period but we were out sightseeing most of the day but I had some free time in the evening to check out the train situation. The first night was somewhat overcast but I was able to see a few freight trains.

It was starting to rain and getting dark when this westbound was making a lift and getting ready to leave town. Leading is an ex ATSF GE unit 2186.

As soon as the 2186 departed this eastbound led by the 5703 pulled into town with an ex CSX unit trailing

To close out the day the 3071 pulled through the yard with an eastbound mixed freight.

 

CNR 6015 is on display near the station.  She is in beautiful shape.CNR  6060 once held this spot before being restored for excursion service.

    The next day was much brighter and after another day of sightseeing I headed down to the depot to find the eastbound VIA Canadian ready to depart. Only trouble was that they had pulled a freight train into the yard and it was blocking the Canadian's departure from the station.  The Canadian ended up being over an hour late but that was great for me as I got a lot of pictures of the engines and various cars on the train and got to see it depart.
     Later that evening my wife and I went for another walk and I found train 5, formerly the Skeena, parked east of the station ready for an early morning departure for Prince Rupert. It is now unofficially called the Rupert Rocket.  The Rocky Mountaineer had also arrived but the engines and equipment were buried in the yard.

The Canadian departing for Toronto.  It had 3 units and 25 cars this day.

This interesting car was mid train.  It must afford some great views of the Rockies. I am not sure of its origin.

The "Kootenay Park" brought up the rear of the Canadian.

VIA 6415 is the leader on train 5 for Prince Rupert due out the next morning.

"Banff Park" was the rear car on the "Rupert Rocket". The rainbow was an added bonus to the photo.

I was lucky enough to catch a shot of the Rocky Mountaineer several hours west of Jasper as we were headed to our next stop near Penticton, BC.  The train is meeting a CN eastbound freight at this location.

Up to the lake once again!

Not sure if I will get any posts in this week...will see if I am near some internet...George Dutka

B&M Hopper Used in Sugar Service

B&M 5753 in outbound sugar service from Mystic Wharf  during Feb. 1974. Bruce Nelson photo.

After looking at my fleet of sugar service air slides here is a view of a B&M hopper used in sugar service in New England...George Dutka

Paris Jct. Visit 2018

Paris Jct. Section house. I am thinking the signals depart

On our way to the Rapido open house and BBQ Peter and I stopped at Paris Jct. for a look and maybe catch a train. Well all we found was an interesting pick-up truck behind the section house. A truck was also being loaded in the parking lot and the structure has been updated with a crossing signal erected outside the front door...George Dutka

A close-up look at the new addition to the section house.

CP Block Lettering Switcher

The block lettering is still being worn on this old work horse during 1977. I would have thought they had been repainted well before then.

I was wondering how long the CP block lettering was used on switchers. A photo Roger Chrysler posted last week answered the question. I guess if you have purchased one of these switchers from Rapido recently you can run it through a few eras...George Dutka

A New Drop-in Scene

A new drop-in scene has been added to the WRD.

During the last heat wave I hid in the basement most of the time. I completed a few modeling projects including a new drop-in across from the boarded up gas station. This location most of the year has a flag stop B&M milk platform. Here is how it looks now...this now updated the whole main line from WRJ to Bellows Falls. Now to figure out what might happen in the yards...George Dutka

This garage is normally in place next to Elwell's general store across the tracks from this scene.

I added my rusty old car along with a few extra details. Although the garage is at the edge of the layout one thinks the home is located right next door even though it is not modeled.

The Gatorfoam base is all detailed up with everything glued down other than the car and garage as they need to be placed at other locations in the winter season. Along the outside garage wall is a Vermont Maple Syrup sign which came off another building I purchased a few years back. It was in my parts box since then. I think it adds to the flavor of New England by just leaning there.