Icing Cars at WRJ

CV 415 on train 490 icing cars at White River Jct. Vermont 1922. George Melvin coll.

Another of the interesting photos I scanned in August. I have no idea where the ice house was in WRJ...but an interesting scene. Lots of worker on the roofs of the cars...George Dutka

Green Mountain Route - Visit

This scene has been done for awhile. Don pulled out a caboose hop to add to my practice shot.

On Monday I took a ride to Sarnia to visit with Don Janes. We are working on a presentation for Trainfest this year that we are doing jointly. We needed to get started on it, sorting out hundreds of pictures into a selection that would take about 45 minute.

I also got a chance to try out my new phone's camera a Samsung Galaxy A20. My old phone died on the weekend. I guess you can be the judge if the pictures are any good...I know the modeling is over the top...George Dutka.

I was just playing around with my phone trying out the depth of field. I think this phone is really good.

This part of the scene at Wells River is well underway but some details and scenery still is in the works.

Don has just finished this structure before I arrived. It is from Creative Laser Design and a great little kit.

Another view of Don's new motor car shed. This is the second one he built for his layout.

A look down the spur on the peninsula in Wells River.

FOS Ice House - Updated

My FOS Scale ice house after updating it in August.

I had built this structure about six months ago. I thought it looked really good then. Since then I learned a few new effects and roofing styles. I also have a couple of weathering products I wanted to try on this structure. Now that it is updated I am thinking it has a more well used look...George Dutka

As it looked last winter once completed.

New tar paper roofing made from black construction paper. One window had a flaw in it but I did not have another one that would fit. I left it as-is when first built. I decided to just board it up instead of replacing once one is found.

The sign got some burnt umber and burnt sienna as rust. The walls lower section get a light sponging of AK slimy grime dark and Vallejo rust texture.

The roof joints and walls got some PanPastel and Bragdon powders.

I am finding a lot of my builds are getting to look a bit ratty, maybe I should model a freshly painted structure to go along with this one.

Some BEST pigeons are added to the roof with a few boards also.

Wordless Wednesday No. 341

CV - Oops

No information was found on the back of the photo.

A Central Vermont Oops I scanned from the photos I purchased from George Melvin...George Dutka

Snapshot - August 2019

CP yard London, Aug. 19 2019. The engine is in the sun while the fence is in the shadows making the engine stand out behind the fence.

We were over babysitting last week at our youngest grandsons home which is about 3 blocks from the CP yard. I slipped out for about 30 minutes leaving my wife in charge (who am I kidding). The sun was in and out of the clouds as I arrived at the yard. There are not a lot of spots one can get photos or even see what is in the yard. The power is normally stored at the east end and some gaps in the fence makes for better photos.

As I got out of my car I noted the engine with the sun on it could really make a nice photo. The fence and area I stood was still in the shade of the clouds which almost disappeared in the view. Once the sun arrived at the fence the engine was just not the same as the fence now stood out in the viewfinder...George Dutka

White River Division Rebuild?

Rural scenes such as this one could make up what one would see if the WRD is rebuilt.

I have been thinking of this for sometime now. The layout has been completed, remodeled and extended over the past 15 years. I have noticed a lot of the areas are beginning to showing their age, especially the areas that have not had any updating since about 2004. I really took a good hard look at it last winter after visiting and seeing how aged the NEB&W was. Also my modeling has really improved a lot since the layout was first started such as my scratch-building of structures.

Matthieu Lachance post Thinking out Loud  on Hedley Junction kind of hit a cord with what I have been thinking. I like the WRD but now being point to point really is not what I want. I am not that focused on switching...I did that for much of my 33 years on the CN. I actually like just bringing trains out of staging and running a loop or two around the layout then tuck them away. If I rebuild and keep it really generic I could actually run any era or any of my favourite railroads (which I have a lot) around. Generic for me would be familiar but not exact scenes from out East that could be Vermont, New Hampshire, Mass., Maine, Eastern Ontario of Quebec. I would model mainly farm scenes, mills, maybe a milk platforms or creamery and smaller railroad structures...mainly lots of open area with minimal structures. The layout would be just the backdrop for the main feature...the trains.

Open area that emulate New England or eastern Canada would be the theme. The layout will be the backdrop for the main feature the trains. Many layouts are more about the structures and bridges...is that really what one wants. This scene still exists on the WRD but the trees and ground foam has really faded. I think most of the trees were made in 2003...I spent the whole winter just making trees for the layout. This winter they will be almost 17 years old.

I always have wanted a waterfront scene. I have been planning to build a diorama. Could it maybe replace my Bellows Falls scene. It would be at an end of a branch that any switching I want to do would happen with smaller engines and a location for all of my structures could rest.

I am only in the thinking stages but this might be the direction the WRD will go in the next year. Being a small area it would not take me long to get it up and running and looking better than ever with fresh new scenery with many new structures I have stored on shelves...George Dutka

This scene could be expanded into a larger bridge. I would consider a wooden trestle similar to the Rouses Point structure, but shorter somewhere also.

No engine facilities will be found along the line although rural stations might be out along the line.

My diamonds have been a sore spot on the layout. At times engines run flawlessly but lately my sound fleet have been stalling on occasion, so diamonds would be eliminated. Minimal main line switches will be the norm.

There will not be a duck-under as was once seen here in use. I will take a closer look at the drop-in section Don Janes came up with.

Scenes such as this one could be built into a diorama or sold off.

Trains from any era will look right running over the main line for any era...maybe no ball signals this time.

Newport, Vt. 1980 - Neil Schofield

Train 937 departing Northbound.

Neil Schofield recently has had a little more time to detail some areas around the north end of the yard at Newport, Vt. He thought he would do a little railfanning there. Thankfully, the resident CP police officer was taking the day off: Here are a few views Neil sent me. Thanks Neil...George Dutka

RS-2 waits for its crew.

RS-2 8400 ready to depart toward Richford, Vt.

S-2 7096 resting in the yard.

Power at the house.

New Haven Ry. - Work Service Boxcar

A 1968 view of a NH work service car.

Sometimes we find things interesting in the background of a photo. This was the case here. I cropped the photo viewing a weathered NH boxcar. I really like the weathering effects on this car and I might try to model this effect on one of my many boxcar stored away for decades at some point...George Dutka

FOS Kit of The Month - REA Depot

A lot of detail is added to the freight door platform. This was FOS kit of the month June offering.

This was a neat little structure to build. All went well although I don't follow directions well...George Dutka

Wall, base, roof and doors are all assembled.

Since the doors are modeled open some of the scrap material is used as flooring. I have the one section laid out which was almost a good fit.

Once Hunterline stain and a coat of Floquil grime is applied the walls are painted with powders, PanPastels and chalks. The trim and lower wall section is painted with red chalk and Bragdon antique iron.

The upper areas are a mix of these two colours.

The one small section of the roof I feel did not have enough overhang so I added a small strip.

Small brushes and micro brushes are used for the trim. I pulled a good amount of boards up.

Construction paper roofing is used. I added a bit more details than are included. The doors are modeled open. When I pick up some more figures this fall one will be posed inside the doorway.

I used all the signs included in the kit, even on the rear wall.

All set to be added to my waterfront scene one the planning is done.

Wordless Wednesday No. 340

Lawrence, Ma. Yard Trackage

PanAm yard in Lawrence Ma. on April 2, 2016.

Well when one puts on the telephoto lens the trackage sure starts looking a bit out of wack. Wonder what the White River Division yards look like through my telephoto lens...I am scared to look...George Dutka

B&M - Plan

Are you looking to build a coal trestle?

This is one of the many plans that I got from George Melvin at this years NERPM. The plan is noted on the side as B&MRRHS...enjoy...George Dutka

Bill Moore's B&M - A Second Look

Bill brought his motor car out of the roundhouse for us to see. A very nicely detailed unit which has interior lighting and sound.

Here we have a few more photos from my visit to Bill's earlier this month...check back later today for a second post...George Dutka

A section shed that Bill built. I really like the paint job, or lack of. The weathering is very realistic.

A look at the weathering on the side.

Bill will have a White River Junction scene.

Don and I really liked the weathering done to this reefer, very realistic.

Another look at the nicely built Robertson Paper Co.