Happy New Year!

 

Winter on the WRD...maybe. Have a Happy New Year! 

Throwback Thursday - Hanging Out With Friends for the Holiday

This photogenic group of CN locomotives was present and accounted for at London, Ontario on January 01, 1988.

By Peter Mumby.

In today's scene we view the CN London shop tracks on January 01, 1988.  Present on that day was a pretty good cross section of the types of motive power used in southern Ontario at that time.  On the left is CN 9408, a 1974-vintage GP40-2LW.  Next we see one of the 9302-9317 group of GP-40 units which had been assembled in 1966/67.  GP9u number 4110, which had been re-manufactured in 1984, was a regular in the London area.  Front and center is CN 2117, one of 20 model HR616 units from 1982 which were on the roster.  Finally, on the far right, we see one of the national carrier's 4500-series GP9 locomotives which dated from 1956/57. 

Wordless Wednesday No. 456

 

 

CP Reefers - Mandarin Orange Express

At a 2019 WOD-NMRA meet Mike Walker brought along a project that he had all the information and parts for.

CP Mandarin Orange Express 40' reefer is a one of a kind car which is painted white and black with a neat looking orange logo applied. This model can be duplicated in HO scale using a number of reefer cars offered and photos that are easy to locate. The decals are also still available...George Dutka   

I picked these up at a train show some years ago in a package deal of kits and parts. I believe they are Sylvan Scale Models parts. The ends are missing but I plan to use an extra National Scale Car kit for ends and ladders.

I think I have everything but the decal to build an accurate model. The photo is in a CP color equipment book I have.

 

FOS Tower

A few photos of the FOS tower that I painted to look like something that belongs to the B&M...George Dutka   

Merry Christmas!

 

CP WB train 235 crosses Komoka Rd. en route to Windsor, Ontario on November 29, 2021. My first snowy scene of the season...Merry Christmas from Peter Mumby, Don Janes and of course me. There will be no new posts till Monday...George Dutka 

 

Wordless Wednesday No. 455

 

  

A Maine Structure - Harrington Homestead

The Boothbay Railway Village is full of historical structures that can make great models.

While Don and I visited Maine in 2016 we toured the Boothbay Railway Village. This structure, Harrington Homestead and Livery Stable is a typical house were a barn could be found attached. Kind of a neat add-on to a rural home that if you model New England fits in well...George Dutka       

The Maine two-footer passes through the scene on Sept 7, 2016.

The New Brunswick Railway Museum and Salmon River Trestle

The Museum Entrance in Hillsboro, NB

 A Railroad Museum in Hillsboro, NB....by Don Janes

     As a follow-up to my post about the former CPR station in McAdam, NB, I am posting some photos of the New Brunswick Railway Museum in the quaint little town of Hillsboro, NB on the shores of the Bay of Fundy, about 25 miles from Moncton. 

     We were travelling to the Hopewell Rocks on the Bay of Fundy when we passed through the little town of Hillsboro New Brunswick and came across the railway museum at the edge of town.  We pulled in and had a quick look around but since our mission was to watch the tide recede from around the Hopewell Rocks we decided to keep going and return the next day.  The museum had a lot of outdoor displays and a large building at the back that housed several more vintage pieces of equipment including a CNR 4-6-0 and a couple of old MLW diesel locomotives but unfortunately the museum had just opened and the doors to that building were still locked. I took a few quick photos then we headed of.

     We returned to the museum early the next day since we had a long way to travel but unfortunately it was not opening until noon so I was not going to get to see the engines in the shed but the weather was beautiful and I was able to get shots of all the pieces outside.  There were no fences around the museum so I was able to wonder around and take all the photos I wanted.

   I am not sure whether the station building, which is the main museum, is an original station or had been constructed in later years.  I believe Hillsboro was on a CNR line but since I didn't get to go in and see its history am not really sure.  I do know they used to run excursion trains here years ago but as far as I can see any tracks that they ran on are now gone. I am really glad I was able to see this museum, if even from the outside. The equipment has obviously well cared for and the grounds are very well maintained.  If I ever get back there I will make sure to be there when the museum is open.

     

One of the more interesting pieces at the museum was this double ended CNR snowplow

This old CNR tender had been converted for MOW service. It was likely off of one of CN's big 4-8-4 steam engines.

This CPR Crane and Boom Car were an interesting display. Both in very good condition

These two CN coaches were on display outside the station/museum building

This old tank car was typical of tank cars used up until the 1960's. Unfortunately I can't make out the faded name on the side.

This old spreader was a very unique piece of equipment

The wooden sides of this CNR gondola is quite faded but the car is in excellent condition otherwise.

It looks they are in the process of restoring this old CNR wood Caboose.

   

  One more place we stopped on the way home was the huge CNR trestle over the Salmon River just outside of New Denmark, NB. It was built in 1910 and is 3920 feet long and is 195 feet high..It is the second longest railway bridge in Canada, next to the longer trestle in Lethbridge, AB. After we finally found the bridge and scouted out a spot to get a good overall look at it, CN was kind enough to send a long westbound intermodal train our way so we could photograph it on this impressive trestle. It truly is a sight to behold.

 

The two photos above were taken looking across the valley from the road below the bridge on the north side of the river

A long CN intermodal train is heading north across the bridge. Photo was taken from a road on the south side of the trestle.

Burlington, Vermont Postcard

This postcard view is marked at Burlington, Vt. but I do not recall this type of  an overpass to the tracks in any photos I have seen....George Dutka

  

Milk Train on the Move.

B&M milk train crosses the diamond on the WRD. Note the mill has been added to the scene temporarily. The RS-3 is a Bachmann model that I added a few more details to.

This might be the last shot I take at Bellows Crossing as I hope to get at changing the track arrangement around at this location this winter...George Dutka   

AK Pencil

AK aluminum is being applied to the hand rails were paint has been worn off. I used it on a number of details on this ITLA kit.

I have been playing around with my AK pencils once again and noted that the aluminum pencils work well to highlight metal that has had the paint removed. I just touch the pencil on ladders and handrails leaving a bit of silver. I think it adds a lot to the finished models...George Dutka 

Throwback Thursday - Golden Boxcar

NAR 050127 was at rest in the CN London yard on March 15, 1988.  By this date Northern Alberta Railways had been folded into the CN system and the car was wearing the reporting marks of another fallen flag.

By Peter Mumby.

Northern Alberta Railways 050127 was designed for lumber loading.  It belonged to the series 050101 - 050170 that had been assembled by National Steel Car in 1979.  Since NAR had been founded in 1929, the distinctive gold colour of these cars was selected in commemoration of the company's fiftieth anniversary.  The slogan on the panel on the lower right corner of the car reads "From the Land of the Mighty Peace."  By 1988, when this photo was exposed, it was unusual to see these panels still in place, as many had either fallen off or been removed for safety concerns. 

Comments:

Hi Jim

My recollection is that Roundhouse may have had that model.

Peter.

 

Wordless Wednesday No. 454

 

     

Snapshot - December 2021

CN EB at Woodstock's VIA station on Oct. 1 2021. This train was running just ahead of VIA 72.

This month's snapshot is a group of photos from my trips out railfanning this fall...George Dutka 

VIA 72 has a dirty looking silver nose engine leading at Paris Jct. Nov. 8, 2021.

VIA 72 passes a string of steel coil cars at Paris Jct. Nov. 8 2021

Alco power! Peter Mumby and I caught the OSR St. Thomas turn just a few crossing southwest of Putnam on Oct  19, 2021. The crossing just behind us is Lewis Rd.

VIA 73 on October 27, 2021 at the approach signal to Fruats which is just behind me. Dorchester is a couple of crossing to the east.

CN 319 is about to go under the Frank Lane bridge with a dimensional train made up of blades built in Gaspe, Quebec by LM Wind Power Canada.The windmill blade train was run on Nov 6 2021.

Mechanicville - Postcard

More postcards. An early era view of the D&H in Mechanicville, NY...George Dutka

 

Loading a Gondola

The right of way is being cleaned up, now a load of used ties are heading back to the work train on the WRD.

If you have been reading the Dec 2021 issue of RMC you would have see an article on how to model a gondola loaded with ties. In the article the tie load is reversible, untreated ties going to be processed and creosote soaked ties returning for use. 

I have an empty Westerfield CN 48'6" gondola looking for a load. Actually I am modeling a work train for my layout and I though maybe I could model a load of new ties going out to a work zone and returning as a load of old ties that have been gathered up. 

I think this reversible load idea is working well for me...maybe a few more cars should be added to the fleet. The load only took me an afternoon using extra ties I have on hand...a nice and simple project that really adds to operations and a new look to my work train...George Dutka

All the items one needs to make a reversible tie load for a gondola. I used a small piece of basswood for the supporting center.

The creosote ties are glued in place. I am now painting the used ties with Hunterline stain and a wash of Floquil grime. Tie plate marks including rust staining will also be added. Since not all ties are loaded face up some are just stained a dirty old wood color.

One side of the tie pile which is per-stained creosote ties which I have a bag full.

The used ties ready for disposal at the pit.

ITLA - Colouring Bricks

The walls are first painted Anita's Woodsy Smoke. Then I drybrushed a light coat of chalk yellow mixed with a bit of white.

I recently followed along with the "New Tracks" Zoom build that was about building a ITLA kit. I normally colour my bricks red but for a change of pace I went with a yellow brick. It actually was going to be reclaimed yellow brick but I got carried away. More on what else I did shortly....George Dutka

Some of the bricks are broken or part bricks which stay a darker tone.