A Saturday Change of Plans

The SP Clovis branch is well underway at Pierre Oliver's home.

On Saturday the day started out rainy and cool so my trip to the lake was put off till Sunday. My wife's good friend was in town also from Edmonton...meaning she was gone for the day. A quick call to Peter and the two of us began another adventure.

Our first top was the outskirts of London (Lambeth) to visit our modeling friend Mark who has some serious health issues. We thought he could use a bit of a cheering up. He is a master at DCC and had finished an engine of mine. From there we headed to St. Thomas to visit our friend Jeff at Railway City Hobbies. Jeff has an extensive selection of AK paints and I was after another shade of rust. We headed to the back where the consignment shelvings are packed. There is an large collection of $5.00 models and $50 engines...mostly Athearn blue box models. You really have to look through each box as some are assembled with Kadees and a few with steel wheels. In the mix there are a few custom finished models. We both came away with a nice group of rolling stock and an ex-D&H painted CP engine that has been totally detailed. More on that one later. The rolling stock although Athearn blue box covered hoppers are all custom painted and detailed by The Hopper Shop, Toledo, Ohio. Peter and I found them very appealing. So much so I don't advise you go there looking for any.

Part way through our visit at Railway City Hobbies Pierre Oliver aka  Elgin Car Shops - Custom Model Assembly and Finishing came in looking for some paint. He was spending the day working on his layout and was nice enough to invite Peter and I over for a visit. I had not been to his new place yet. Peter and I had a nice visit with Pierre checking out his awesome workshop and layout. The layout is coming along really well with a few areas already finished. It was nice to see the layout in person. Now having visited the layout the photos I have seen on Pierre's blog are in perspective. I really liked how his track plan allows for lots of space between towns and we are looking forward to seeing the layout once further along.

As always we took a drive by the CN yard but nothing was happening. We did get some nice shots of a covered hopper rust bucket...George Dutka

Pierre explains to Peter what is envisioned for this area of the layout.

The area Pierre is leaning on is what he was working on when we arrived for our visit to the Southern Pacific in 1951.

A look at some of the many reefers required to service the customers along the line.

Pierre has some nice plans and photos to work from so he can emulate as much as possible of the branchline.

A look at the workbench and some of Pierre's long weekend projects almost completed. Peter Mumby photo.

Pierre and I discuss AK paints and a few others that Pierre uses to get all those great finishes. Peter Mumby photo.

It is about two weeks away and Pierre (Yarmouth Model Works) has the boxes almost packed for this years New England RPM meet. Don and I will be there also and will be taking a good look at his kits.