Wordless Wednesday No. 469

 

    

Spring Update 2022

BEST has a new weathering solution which now can be housed in a crate they also are offering.

With family commitments I have not been doing any modeling this year or out trackside. Most of what I posted are projects completed prior to this year or early January. Once again my family is dealing with more health issues which requires my time, so posts over the next bit will not be daily...George Dutka

Check out this coaling tower which still stands in New Buffalo, Michigan. There is a railway museum near by. Kind of looks like the WRJ tower.

A barn near Enousburg, Vt. and the once CV Richford Sub. 1990's.

A vintage Vermont police car that one might want to consider modeling.

Throwback Thursday - Not Your Perfect ABA

The three locomotives look a little out of balance on October 03, 1988 as Via number 72 heads east out of the London station.

By Peter Mumby.

Most model railroaders would not likely think of arranging a set of three streamlined passenger locomotives in this configuration.  It would seem to defeat the purpose of not having to turn the power at the end of its run, and besides - it just doesn't look right!  However, in the prototype world, I'm sure there must have been a good reason for combining the locomotives in this fashion.

F9B number 6631, class GPB-17e, is the youngster in this consist, having been built by GMD in 1958.  FP9A units 6501 and 6512 both belonged to class GPA-17a and were assembled in 1954/55.  Strung out behind these locomotives were the cars of Via train number 72.

 

Wordless Wednesday No. 468

 

Richmond Vt, Creamery about 1938

 

Snapshot - March 2022

I found CP 7019 at the west end of CP London yard ready to go on January 16, 2022.

This month Snapshot is a look at CP heritage unit 7019 in Southwestern Ontario headed for Michigan.  I came across the engine in London, Ontario on a really cold January morning heading west while railfan Ken Borg over in Detroit, Mi. caught it leading arriving the next morning and later trailing...George Dutka  

Ken Borg caught CP T-27 WB at Delray a control point in Detroit, Mi on January 17, 2022. I noted that the BNFS unit at some point was turned before heading through the Windsor-Detroit tunnel so it could lead for a return movement. 

Ken Borg also caught CP T-28 later in the day EB at Delray. That is BNSF 9572 leading.

Brookside Fleet

Here is one of my views of the Brookside milk car fleet that services the White River Division from the 1950's and earlier. A good variation of schemes...George Dutka   

More St.J & LC - 1942

 

It is time to go as the St. J conductor pulls the train signal line.

A few more views from the St.J during the war years...George Dutka 

From the group of photos this one appears to be an early version of a selfie of possibly the photographer. None of the photos note who took the views although the year is marked.

The mixed train crew appears to be posed for a photo.

It appears some puppies are being shipped in the combine.

Rapido SW1200 Switcher - CN Style

One of the newer engines in my fleet is this CN Rapido SW1200 switcher. I can not take credit for the weathering.

I purchased this Rapido DCC sound engine already weathered locally last fall. I really liked how the weathering was done. It actually looks a lot better in person than in my photo. It had been oddly programmed but a visit with Don Janes last fall got it all setup correctly. It is a nicely running engine with some nice sounds. It will be used once I finish my back alley scenes and some local operation happens in the foreground. I can also use it on the WRD when I change the eras...George Dutka 

Throwback Thursday - Incident on the Longwood Sub.

The equipment from the ill-fated Via number 72 sits in the yard at London on January 16, 1988.

By Peter Mumby.

Back in the late 1980s the name "Chatham Subdivision" applied to the CN trackage which joined Windsor to St. Thomas.  At Glencoe there existed a junction where another line veered off to connect with the Strathroy Subdivision at Komoka.  This line was the Longwood Subdivision.  Passenger trains out of Windsor would follow this Chatham/Longwood/Strathroy Subdivision routing to get to London and points east.  The Longwood Sub was "dark" (unsignalled) territory, meaning that all movements were governed by timetable and train orders.

On the morning of January 13, 1988 Via 72 was making its regular mid-morning trip towards London and Toronto.  Ahead of it was CN 9647 East, number 382.  The freight train was not travelling as quickly as expected, but the tail end crew did not alert the passenger train to this fact, either by dropping fusees or by making radio contact.  Also, the dispatcher made no mention to the passenger crew that 382 was going to arrive at Komoka Junction later than expected.  Blowing snow was making visibility problematic, so by the time the tail end of the freight was spotted and the passenger train's brakes were put into emergency, 72 was still doing the allowed 80 mph, while 382 was moving at less than 30 mph.  The freight train was rear ended at mile 2.0 of the Longwood Sub at Komoka, where the passenger train derailed.  As part of the ensuing clean-up, the passenger train was hauled to London yard, where the photos presented today were exposed.

Within a couple of years of this event, CN made some changes to the subdivisions west of London.  The section of the Chatham Sub between Glencoe and St. Thomas was downgraded and renamed as the Paynes Sub, and the Longwood Sub was relabelled as the extension of the Chatham Subdivision.  In 2000 CTC was installed on the Chatham Sub from Komoka to Bloomfield.  Most of the Paynes Sub has subsequently been abandoned.

VIA 6902, class MPA-27, was an LRC-2 locomotive built in 1980.  I have a later photo of this engine dated June 29, 1990, so the damage was obviously repaired and the unit was returned to service.

 

Wordless Wednesday No. 467

Milestone Co-Op

 

A nice looking oil truck in 1942, note the pumps out front of the service station. The gentleman posing with the truck seem to be well dressed. I would think this was a company promotion photo.  

ITLA Kit in the Snow

I placed my newest ITLA kit into my snow scene a little while back...it actually looks pretty good there. Now to get a piece of equipment into the scene...George 

CV Milk Platform

I cropped this photo from the Jim McFarlane collection that Marty McGuirk posted recently which includes a CV milk platform loaded with milk cans.

Marty McGuirk posted a view of Richford, Vermont on the CV this week on his Central Vermont Railroad blog. It is an early era photo which views a milk platform which is something that I have not seen along the CV in any other photos. Or at least did not notice. The milk platform is a nice modeling feature I would think Marty will be adding to his layout since he appears to have already added some nice creameries along the line. Milk was a big part of the Richford Sub...George Dutka 

StJ & LC - 1942

Although the photo views life on the platform one can see what type of equipment was seen along the line in 1942.

A few more views of the St J & LC back in 1942. The photos originally could be found on a WWII site that I don't have access to anymore. I did save some of the views that I have shared with you in the past. Here are a few views of everyday life back then of people along the line...George Dutka 

The end of the PRR car is seen in this photo.

A family travels aboard the St.J.

Not sure the station location but we see what life on the platform was like. A detail one can emulate in miniature.

StJ & LC - 70 Tonner's

These two Bachmann 70 tonners came painted but unlettered. I just added the proper details before touch up painting followed by a CDS dry transfer set being applied.

Not sure if I showed you these two photos before but awhile ago Bruce Douglas did a bit of photo-shopping to these photos...George Dutka 

My 70 tonners have factory DCC without sound. This causeway duck-under is one of the scenes that has disappeared from my WRD layout. I always liked taking photos at this location.

Throwback Thursday - Working the 3M Plant

On August 10, 1987, CP 4223 and friends are making up a short train which will soon be making its way back to the Havelock yard.

By Peter Mumby.

During the late 1980s three trains were made up to operate out of Havelock yard each weekday.  The major train was the Nephton Roadswitcher, which made the daily run to Blue Mountain.  The two smaller trains were the Peterborough job and the train which travelled the short distance east to the 3M plant.  The cars for these three trains arrived early in the morning from Toronto yard.  Regular motive power for this Toronto train consisted of four MLW units, normally a mix of C-424 and RS-18 locomotives.  At Havelock, one of these road units would be set aside for use on "the Peterborough," while the other three would be used first for the 3M run, then later for the Nephton train.  This pattern was subject to change depending on the specifics of the day's work loads.  The 3M job was sometimes handled by the single unit assigned to the Peterborough crew.  By the early 1990s a dedicated SW1200RS unit, usually the 8158, was assigned to Havelock for the use of the Peterborough Roadswitcher.

Today's photo features C-424 units 4223, 4215, and 4203, all 1965 products of MLW belonging to CP class DRS-24b.  They are just heading up the short grade out of the 3M plant.  At the time of this plant's opening in 1960, it was Canada's only producer of ceramic-coated roofing granules.  This facility continued to be a CP customer until its closure was announced for late 2001.

Wordless Wedensday No. 466

 

 

More Weathering!

This weathering job began with my driftwood look first followed by dry brushing of acrylic white.

A look at a FOS kit that has been well weathered. I added nail holes to some areas once the model was completed. I did cut away a bit of the boards in the first couple of rows of clapboard. There was some AK products used to the lower area and pilings...George Dutka

Lots of Weathering Here!

The freight door is boarded up with a Roomette's plywood offering. I pulled up a good amount of boards and cut up many of the lower ones. The paint is almost all gone while the tar paper roofing is looking pretty worn.

A close look at the freight house which I weathered up pretty well...George Dutka  

Roomettes - Plywood Sheeting Offering

Plywood sheeting offered as an extra by Roomettes.

My little yard shed made from ITLA line side kit leftovers is seen next to a sheet of  Roomettes for boarding up windows for a Woodland Scenic kit. I like using these sheeting for other uses such as this shed. The original sheeting has a gloss to it and I wanted the wall to look flat so a color photocopy is made that is a flat finish and very thin compared to the original card stock. It is a tradeoff one makes when working on structures...George Dutka  

Here we see two buildings from Roomettes that has had the plywood inserts added.

 

Throwback Thursday - Switching at Badger

CN (Terra Transport) NF 210 locomotive number 937 is doing some switching at Badger, Newfoundland on August 14, 1988.  The container flats and passenger equipment of mixed train 203 are visible in the background.

By Peter Mumby.

The Via System Timetable effective November 29, 1987 lists train number 203 as operating daily except Thursday between Bishops Falls and Corner Brook, Newfoundland.  There are a number of things unusual about this listing.  First of all, 203 was a CN train, not a Via train.  Since it operated in Newfoundland, it ran on 42-inch gauge tracks. As well, it was a mixed train, and this is probably the reason why no arrival times are listed for intermediate stations, all of which are listed as flag stops.

On August 14, 1988, number 203 departed Bishops Falls on the advertised at 11:00.  Behind locomotive 937 were two coaches, a baggage car, and van CN 6055.  Its first stop was at Grand Falls/Windsor where a group of passengers and two container flats were picked up.  Moving on, the crew took advantage of a passing siding at Badger to re-marshall the train with the van in the proper position.  West of Badger, stations included Millertown Junction, Gaff Topsail, Kitty's Brook, Howley, and Deer Lake.  The train, however, could be flagged down at any point, and several stops were made to pick up people from cabins which could only be accessed by rail.  Word was out that the rail line was scheduled for abandonment at the end of September, so folks were clearing out their cabins.  The baggage car was soon filled with beds, mattresses, and other pieces of furniture.  This consumed a lot of time, and, for this reason, arrival time at Corner Brook was somewhat later than the scheduled 16:00.  Passengers like myself, who were just out for a last chance to ride the Newfoundland Railway, could catch return train 204 which left Corner Brook at 20:30 with an arrival time at Bishops Falls of 01:20 the next day.

CN 937 was one of 38 model NF 210 locomotives built by General Motors Diesel between 1956 and 1960.  It was painted in CN colours, but wore the logo of Terra Transport, the name applied to CN's Newfoundland Transportation Division subsidiary between 1979 and 1988.  Although the railway's last passenger run took place on September 29, 1988, some of these locomotives operated salvage trains up to the summer of 1990.  21 of the NF 210 units were exported to Chile, Nicaragua, and Nigeria.  937, however, wasn't included in this group and was cut up for scrap.

 

Wordless Wednesday No. 465