Throwback Thursday - A Stelco Relic

Stelco  71 takes a breather at the CN yard in London, Ontario on February 02, 1995.

By Peter Mumby

Many industrial locomotives spend most of their days skulking around behind high fences.  For this reason, railfans don't often get the chance to add photos of these types of units to their collections. 

Stelco 71 is an SW8 built by General Motors Diesel in December of 1951.  Most of its working life was spent at the main Stelco plant in Hamilton.  It was later transferred to the facility at Nanticoke, Ontario to be used as a parts source.  By the time this photo was made in February, 1995, it had probably outlived even this function and was on the way to its final resting place.

Some of the customized details on this unit might be of interest to potential model builders.  Close vertical clearances in the plant have led to the lowering of the cab roof and the exhaust stack.  Spot lights have been added next to the cab door, and both body-mounted and frame-mounted handrails are in evidence.  Oh, and don't forget that distinctive weathering job! 

Wordless Wednesday No. 393

 

 

Snapshot - September 2020

The west end of CN's London yard on Sept. 28, 2020

Yesterday Peter Mumby called me with a heads up...the OSR Guelph, Ont. fleet was in town on its way to St. Thomas to connect with the OSR. It was overcast with rain on its way shortly. I decided to take a chance and headed over to the CN yard. Sure enough the units were still there waiting for #584. Later in the day they will be run over to St. Thomas. The sun partly peeked out from behind the clouds for a bit and I quickly took my shots. I headed over to the CP yard from there but it had really clouded over ending any hopes of nice views there...George Dutka

Peeking by the Station - Bellows Crossing

As the crew chats next to the Bellows Crossing station the power is seen peeking in the background.

 A view from years ago at the Bellows Crossing station on the White River Division. I think the photo dates back to about 2010. The Rutland Car Shop model is of the North Dorset, Vermont station but worked well at this location. As the WRD is getting an update or should I say rebuild I have to think about were I might use this station once again...George Dutka 

Coal Tone - PanPastel

My haul from the NNGC back in 2016.

 Back at the National Narrow Gauge Convention held in Maine I picked up two tones of PanPastels that I had not seen in my area. They are fine and coarse coal. The fine is nice to coat on steam engines tenders and cab. The coarse coal works well on everything else such as open top coal loads, coal dock piles and on the ground at coal yard. These PanPastel really gives the coal piles a very realistic look. One does not need to seal the product as it sticks well as-is. If you had to choose one go with the coarse.

The yellow square is actually an eraser that was offered as a product for removing PanPastel off ones models...George Dutka

CPR Baggage Car

The interior is completed with baggageman installed and some luggage.

 I have had this Rapido baggage car for a long time now. When I first got it I took off the roof and ends painting them Floquil grimy black. Before I put the roof on I painted the flooring at the door opening and added a baggageman, milk cans, crates and some luggage. This really adds to the car when parked at the WRJ platform...George Dutka

One can see my Rapido baggage car in action. When at the platform there looks like there is something happening.

George's Body Shop

Back in the Spring (April 22 2020) on my way home from Don's I made a sidetrip to Petorlia which was at the end of a CN spur at one time to photograph the station. I don't think I had been there in over 20 years and a lot has changed. I came across this neat little block building that was once a body shop. I really enjoy the look of the block colourings on one side. I can only imagine how it looked when in use and signage and auto parts were all around. A neat little structure to model maybe...George Dutka

Throwback Thursday - Wye Oh Wye?

 

Via Dayniter 5713 is the centre of attention at the Thorndale Subdivision wye in London, Ontario on September 22, 1984.

By Peter Mumby
The mainline which skirts the north side of CN's London Yard is the double tracked Dundas Subdivision.  Just west of the yard is the control point known as London Junction, where today's Guelph Subdivision swings off to the northeast towards Stratford and Kitchener.  At the time of this photograph this was known as the Thorndale Subdivision.  A short distance up this line, a wye is situated.  In addition to turning locomotives, passenger trains which terminate at the London station can be turned at this location.  Usually this operation went off without a hitch, but this photo documents an exception to this generality.  Via Dayniter 5713 has stubbed its toe and an assortment of CN employees are surveying the damage.  Just out of the picture, CN SW900 #7203 is approaching with hook 50416 and cabin idler car 58103 from the London Auxiliary train.  The fun is about to start!

Wordless Wednesday No. 392

Ingersoll, Ont, June 2020

B&M at Dover, NH

B&M 3718,4-6-2 P-4-b at Dover, NH Sept 12, 1937 KC Hersey photo. A good look at the water spout in town is seen here also.

 A view from the B&M photos I purchased from George Melvin a couple of years ago...George Dutka

Rutland Ry. Milk on the Move!

 

My detailed Atlas RS-1 is handling the Bellows Falls local. This old engine has had sound added a number of years ago.

The Rutland Ry. crosses the Bellows Crossing diamond with a good load of milk on the Bellows Falls local...George Dutka

This and That

 

A B&M Alco peeks out of the Westboro roundhouse on the WRD.

I finally found my way down to the basement and started organizing the pile that my wife has put down there for me over the past few months. I have got through most of the requests for material I needed to scan. I am hoping to actually do some modeling next week although it is busy with 4 family birthdays including my wife's which requires attention.

On Friday I went to visit my mom at the nursing home on Highbury Ave. I took my camera and swung by the CP yard on the way. First time in over two months that I have been out with a camera and to my surprise there was nothing I found interesting to take a photo of.

This post finishes off the week with a few photos that really did not fit anywhere in the near future...enjoy...George Dutka

A Gord Taylor photo from the Peter Mumby collection of a track mobile which make a great load.

My wife saved this photo from a Facebook post that Bob Hannah noted. Thanks Bob. Battery Supply in London, Ont. during Oct. 1958, in later years became a hobby shop. I think in the 1980's or early 1990's it became Doug's Train and is currently Pete's Trains.

Kevin Smith sent me this photo of 1102 in a later paint scheme from his collection. A Paul Dunn photo. Thanks Kevin.

I took this going away shot on my way home from Don's back in April at Caradoc. For current day modelers there is a siding on the other side of the train, but on this side is a simple rail rack made from two large concrete slabs with rail joiners shimmed under the rails.

I took this photo back in March 1988. I was going through my photos looking for views of loading ramp. This one in Kitchener, Ont. is across from the station and was a bit different from most. It was all wood.

RBOX - Ghost Lettering

Right out of the box an Athearn Grime series boxcar with couplers clipped.

Peter gave me this nice looking Athearn ghost lettered boxcar he found back at the Kitchener show this past winter. I had been doing all the driving at that time which he appreciated. Back in the late spring I decided to take the cars weathering a bit further. The captions tell the story. About the same time as I was working on the boxcar Jim Sloan sent me a message regarding ghost decaling that might be of interest....George Dutka

Hi George.  That was a real nice looking RBOX car on your blog today.  Perhaps you’re already aware of these decal sets, but just in case you’re not, here’s a link to some RBOX ghost decal sets.  Luc did a bunch of the work to get these made available.  They are really nice, very thin decals.  I bought the full set of 6, and have had good results.  I’d have to double-check, but I think they’re designed for use with the Intermountain 5277cu.ft. boxcar, which I think is the same as in your photo.

 https://pdc.ca/rr/catalog/product/ho-scale-rbox-ghost-lettering-decals/62

New

Although not seen with ghosting, here is a couple of  boxcars from my collection. May 14, 2018.

Dec 11, 2015 Komoka, Ont.

I added some AK pencil markings along the ribs and ladder rungs. I thought they were too heavy so I wet my finger and rubbed it along the ribs. Only one side was weathered.

The whole car got a coat of Model Master flat clear. The roof then got a wash of India ink alcohol mix. I then added a few rust marks using Vallejo rust texture and PanPastel raw umber shade.

The finished car. Couplers and wheels are painted cinnamon brown with additional Bragdon dark rust.

A B&M Trailer at Bellows Falls

While detailing my Bellows Falls yard a few years back I added a B&M lettered Athearn trailer to the scene. I had weathered it a bit and added a bit of clutter around it for more interest...George Dutka

Throwback Thursday - Mixing Eras

On July 26, 2002, York-Durham 3612 is preparing to pull its train ahead to the run-around track at Stouffville, Ontario.

By Peter Mumby.

When this photo was exposed in 2002, Stouffville, Ontario was the end point of a Go Transit line that connected to Toronto Union Station by way of Markham.  Two round trips per day operated five days a week.  On the weekend, tourist trains of the York-Durham Heritage Railway ran beyond Stouffville into Uxbridge.  YDHR motive power ran around its consist adjacent to the Go storage track several times per day, allowing for this juxtaposition of passenger equipment from quite different eras.

RS11 number 3612 was constructed by ALCO in 1956 for Duluth Winnipeg and Pacific.  Over the years it also served the Central Vermont, Lamoille Valley, and New Hampshire and Vermont, consistently operating as the 3612.  In contrast, Go 233, a 160-seat coach/control cab, was assembled by UTDC/Lavalin in 1990.

Wordless Wednesday No. 391

1999

Hindsight 20/20

 Do help spread the word... registration for Hindsight 20/20 version 3.0 is now open. The event is September 26th. It's free to attend, but you must register in advance at www.speedwitchmedia.com.

CNR Boxcars

CN429287 in 1973 in Western Canada.

I picked a few boxcars photos from the Bob Bowes collection to post today. Peter Mumby a couple of years ago got access to the collection before it was sold off piece-meal. Don McQueen was interested in scanning some of the prints for us all to see...George Dutka

CN 463592 in Windsor, Ont. during 1935. Built 1-21

CN 470086 seen in Vermont, 1952. The car was built in 12-20 rebuilt 7-36

B&M 1102

B&M 1102 running light on the WRD.

Here are a few more views of my last project back in May. I worked from one photo that showed this engine with the square herald...the only heralds I had to work with. Once I was finished I came across more photos of the engines and realized the grabs on the front of the engine are not correct for this version. It appears this engine was different from the rest of the fleet. Oh well. I don't plan on changing them at the moment but it might happen down the road. It is a great looking and running engine that is getting a good work out on the WRD...George Dutka

Extra 2200 South mentions this engine was renumbered  1160 at one point but converted back to 1102 again before retirement.

The two photos below the model are of the prototype. These photos would have helped during construction.

Pulling a cut of cars off the spur.

Atlas HH 600/660 - B&M 1102

The engine was painted Floquil black, followed by a spray bomb gloss coat. The decals are really old stock I had from Accucal. I used them on the engineman side but the rest fell apart so I used an old boxcar herald on the opposite side. There was enough numbering to finish the job. The couplers are Kadee #158's.

Last November Don and I attended Trainfest and spent the evening operating on area layouts. On one evening Don and I worked the same job taking care of some local industries. Our power for the evening was an Atlas HH 600/660 which I was really impressed at how well it ran and sounded. Knowing the B&M had a few I picked up one at the show then next day. Once home I added some details that better representing the prototype, added new paint and decals...George Dutka

On the shell I added a new horn by the cab, a new front headlight which is an Athearn SW switcher light I had removed while making CN engines. The bell is from Juneco.

Most of the weathering was done with these three products.

The finished model with some extra weathering to the roof.

Building a Wall

London, Ont. 1987, Warren Dodgson photo.

This photo by my friend Warren Dodgson views a string of old CN boxcars located in the back lot of an industry on Bridges St. in London which backs onto the main line and yard. I think the boxcars are still there today but well overgrown and out of view. They were set there to be the back lot fence. As a modeler building a wall using old unused boxcars for an industry might make for a neat scene...George Dutka

Throwback Thursday - In Transit

Bangor and Aroostook GP38s 302 and 303 are resting on the CP shop track at the London yard on May 25, 1996.

By Peter Mumby

There are many reasons why "foreign" power could show up on your home road.  Leasers, detours, and run-throughs are just a few of the possible scenarios.  The BAR GP38s in today's photo have very clean pilots and running gear, so a probable explanation for their appearance in London, Ontario is that they have recently been refurbished and are en route to a new assignment with Iron Road Railways.  Sounds like a great excuse to have some exotic units put in an appearance on your layout!

Wordless Wednesday No. 390

Princeton, Ont.

Branch Line Station on the WRD

My station is seen in place across from the mill. I named my station Wells. I had taken a photo of the Well River B&M sign about 10 years ago. I made a copy and just cut the river off the sign.

My station is now installed with the lights hooked up temporarily. As a drop-in this one will not be as easy to change since wires and lights are included...thinking it might be here for awhile...George Dutka