Completing the Mill

The mill got a coat of Hunterline weathering mix followed by washes of Floquil tuscan red. I normally put a wash of Floquil grime over the Hunterline stains but I went for a darker wood look.

I have shown you the finished Myers mill in an earlier blog post. Here is more of the construction on this South River kit...George Dutka

I highlighted the tuscan red with red chalk were the wood is more protected.

The tarpaper roofing is done in two colors. The shingled area is leftover BEST shingles from one of their mill kits I built last year. They gave me lots with the kit. The roof weathering is done with PanPastels, MIG powders and Bragdon powders.

A close-up of my weathering products and the walls at this point.

There is a template which works well to lay out the loading dock.

Rust Texture is also used on most of the metal parts.

A look at the loading dock. All the details are included in the kit including the pigeons.

Throwback Thursday? - Drive-By Shooting

CN 4136 is operating with 7068 and 7083 in the London yard on April 18, 2021. Terry Nixon photo.

By Peter Mumby.

Normally the photos I choose for Throwback Thursday posts are 15-30 years old.  Today's shots were exposed on April 18 of 2021.  So, what gives?  They were taken by local railfan and retired railway conductor Terry Nixon, and George sent them to me because the three similar units were operating together wearing three different paint schemes, each of which was applied when the locomotives were rebuilt nearly 30 years ago.  So, if you will permit a bit of a stretch, the "throwback" actually applies to the paintwork appearing on the units.  Oh, and there isn't really anything sinister in the "drive-by shooting" title - it simply stems from the fact that Terry was pleased with himself for taking these photos without leaving the confines of his vehicle!

All three of these locomotives are rebuilt GP9s, designated as model GP9RM.  Along with many mechanical and electrical upgrades, a lowered short hood was applied.  CN 4136 of class GR418f was remanufactured in 1991.  At that time the control stand was altered for short hood forward operation.  It was considered to be a road switcher, and was painted in the stripe scheme that was standard on road switchers of that time period.  The most unusual aspect of this paint scheme was that the cab numerals were done in gold with a white outline.  A hint of this gold paint is still visible in today's photo.

CN 7068, class GS418c, was rebuilt in 1992.  Units 7000-7083 were classified as switchers, and although the short hood was designated as the front, control stands were not altered, meaning that long hood forward operation still applied.  This unit was painted in the standard switcher scheme of the period with the large noodle on the long hood.  Like the 4136, it featured gold digits on the cab.  By the time 7083 was completed, the CN North America scheme had been introduced, and the appropriate small noodle with single stripe was applied.  Gone were the gold cab side digits, superseded by the ones of the more mundane light grey colour. 

CN 7068 is still wearing the paint work that was originally applied in 1992. Terry Nixon photo

CN 7083 models the standard paint work of the CN North America scheme. Terry Nixon photo

 

Wordless Wednesday No. 422

 

  

Assembly Line 1949

Some views of what assembly lines looked like during 1949. Building an assembly plant for your layout...maybe make the roof removable and include a view as seen here...George Dutka   

White River Jct Yard - WRD

A view of a couple more Juneco flat kits I lettered for the CV back in the 1980's. My drop-in barn module was added to the foreground of the White River Jct. yard. I see the mountain in the background has slipped down a bit. Amazing what photos can reveal. The mountain is Masonite that is covered with ground foam and tacked to the wall...looks like another chore to add to the list...George Dutka  

GMD Recollections - Variants.

CSXT SD70MAC 4817 was found on the London test track on October 09, 2004.

By Peter Mumby.

SD70 locomotive production started in the early 1990s.  Many variants of the SD70 have been built over the years, with some still available today.  Consider the SD70I, SD70AC, SD70M, SD70M-2, SD70MAC, SD70ACe,  SD70ACe-T4, SD70ACU,......., and the list continues.  Today's photos allow us to compare and contrast two CSX SD70 variants which were under test at or near the London plant in 2004. 

Some testing for GMD was conducted in the yard at Stratford, Ontario, a short trip northeast of the plant along the Guelph Subdivision.  CSXT 4847, model SD70ACe, was photographed on October 12, 2004.

 

South River Model Works O.V. Hooker and Son

By Don Janes

     With COVID still in full swing and no place to go I have pretty well worked through most of the major structure kits that I have accumulated over the years. My current project is a South River Model Works kit called O.V. Hooker and Son. It is based on a building in St.Johnsbury, Vt..  It includes all the things you expect from a SRMW kit including resin brick and stone walls, laser cut wood walls and parts, a box full of metal castings along with other wood strips, roofing material, template sheets and miscellaneous bits and pieces. These kits are quite involved and not really a beginners kit but for those who want to dive into one, an awesome instruction book and two pages of good colour photos are included to help you work through it.  The instruction book contains all kinds of information besides the regular assembly steps. It covers colouring, construction tips and layout placement ideas.

      This kit follows the same basic techniques as other SRMW kits but this building has a very complex roof with several dormers.  When I was looking at the instructions I found the roof looked a little daunting but once I started on it things went together really well.  Everything fit perfectly.  Shingling the roof was the most time consuming job of the whole kit.  

     This structure is meant to be placed against the side of a hill and the lower rear level is below grade ( the reason no doors or windows were added to the lower level), with three stories above ground while the front of the building is a lower grade making it four stories high.  The two upper floors at the rear have porches connected with outside stairways, which make it visually interesting.   

 

These two photos are the front or street side of the building.

This view shows some of the dormers in the roof. There are six altogether.

Here we see the porches and posts added with the stairways connecting them. Note the sun room extending from the end. The ground floor will be below grade when finished.

These two views show the neat looking porch with the fancy pillars and railings.

     Once I had the main structure done I added the wooden extension on the side of the structure.  It consists of two wooden sheds joined together.  The overall footprint of the structure is quite large and requires a fair amount of space to fit it in the layout.

     I added exterior lights above each rear porch doors, over the main porch entrance door and over the loading dock, lower office door and on the side of the shed.  I did add an interior light to the shed with the open doors but not to the interior of the main building as the structure is set back on the layout and interior will not be visible.

     

The photos above show the street side of the building with the extension added, loading dock and canopy installed and some signs added to the walls. The photo below is the rear of the building that will be against the hill.

              With the main structure finished, I am now working on fitting it onto a small diorama that I will install on the layout once it is done.  The rear will face a small hill built against the backdrop.  I will post a few more photos once that is done.

     This kit also included a small wooden building that is supposed to be a roofing company.  I built this structure some time ago and added a side office to it.  It will be a small business in my town of Wells River.  

The three photos above are of the smaller structure included in the SRMW kit and is situated in Wells River.  It still needs to be completed with extra details, signage and exterior lighting.

This and That

This photo I have been thinking of taking for a bit at a local gathering point for railfans. I wanted to try a shot with the crossing jct. sign without a group of cars and fans on the roadway. With lock-down there appears to be none out on Saturday April 17, 2021. That's VIA 71 heading for Windsor, Ontario and on time.

Nothing much has happening lately on the workbench although I do have some projects taking a break. More has been happening outside such as all the doors got a fresh coat of paint and the garage is cleaned out and organized.

I noted in Railpace that the old B&M shop area at Westboro is coming to an end. Funds have been set aside to tear down what remains sometime this year possibly. A riverside park is proposed for the area.

Here is a bit of a mix new and old...George Dutka

I sat in on ZOOM presentation on the GTW.  Here is a wreck at Royal Oak, Mi a suburb of Detroit. Interesting how people where once allowed to walk around the derailment site. Can you imagine if this happening today.

Another GTW derailment, this time it appears everyone is helping themselves to a case of beer.

My work bench lately. I am working on a frt. house which will be reversible showing two different eras.

The frt. house has Tichy ftr. doors on the side but smaller ones are needed on the end which are scratch-built. One door is part open requiring a shorter length.

A CP wb on April 10, 2021 was handling an old grey ex-CDAC boxcar now lettered LW 1002. I think it is beginning to show its age.

A view of my Bragdon Powders tray which comes as a set of four, three rust colours and soot (a black). I use this box a lot during weathering. The set has the powders in little bags which I add just a little to the box as I have a habit of tipping mixing the colors.

Roomettes now has two car interiors which fit into Athearn 50' and 60' boxcar which might help one open up their doorways.

The NMRA has come up with a nice display called the "magic of scale model railroading". It is located in the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento and will be opening next month.

Malcolm Furlow's  San Juan Central that was featured in MR during the 1980's is one of the displays. Charlie Getz was the fifth owner of the layout and donated it to the museum.

Brian Smith found this colourful gondola in the CP London yard on April 21, 2021.

Throwback Thursday - The Engine With a Split Personality

CNR 5700/5703, seen on June 11, 1989, had just become a part of the Elgin County Railway Museum collection during the year prior to the exposure of this image.  The expansive structure in the background is the former CASO station and divisional office in St. Thomas, Ontario.

By Peter Mumby.

CN rostered a small group of Hudson steam locomotives (5700-5704) in its K-5 class.  All were constructed by MLW in the fall of 1930.  Today's photo features an engine which was "a" 5700 without being "the" 5700.

At the end of the steam era, CN had decided to preserve class locomotive 5700, but dismantling was initiated in error.  5703 was retained instead, but was renumbered as 5700 to cover up this mistake.  It became a part of the CNR Historical Collection prior to going to the National Museum of Science and Technology in Ottawa.  In the late 1980s it joined the collection of the Elgin County Railway Museum in St. Thomas, Ontario, where it can be seen to this day.

If you have an interest in CNR steam locomotives, the definitive reference is Don McQueen's eight volume "Canadian National Steam! - A Locomotive History of The People's Railway."  This series is chock full of photos and data of all CNR and CN family steam power.  

Wordless Wednesday No. 421

 

  

Snapshot - April 2021

On the Strathroy sub CN 148 EB approaches Komoka, Ontario on April 8, 2021. This is a telephoto of the head end but the view I was after is below. The sun is on the nose and other side of the train.

This months Snapshot is photos I took from the other side of the tracks (not the sunny side). If the angle is that one is not looking directly into the sun the shots seem to turn out well. In these views there is a good amount of sun on the nose of the engines which I feel helps make the view...George Dutka 

I always wanted to take a shot here from this side of the tracks but was waiting for an overcast day maybe in the winter when the snow from the train would be shooting back from the plow and wheels. But instead anytime I have seen a train here I went for the sunny side view across a field on the other side of the tracks. I like the looks of the farmers roadway, the fence and the crossing sign which is something modelers should consider adding to a scene.

I took this shot at the CN-CP diamond from the shady side. This field usually has a good amount of cows in it...actually there was about 5 here till they heard the train coming...I was down to one. The sun is once again on the nose making for another interesting view from the crossing with maybe a cow and the barn in the background.

Close-up of the view above, April 10, 2021.

Once again I found CN148 approaching Komoka on April 17, 2021. The sun was in and out of the clouds...more clouds than sun but it was out for this view.

I actually was late arriving here and could not cross the tracks even if I wanted a shot from the other side...the gates were already down.