Happy New Years!

The CN Christmas Card sent out for 2022 to employees and pensioners has a very nice photo. I think I may frame mine.

As the year comes to an end I am looking forward to next year as I have a group of projects planned.  

2022 has been a year with limited modeling time but I did spent a couple of hours yesterday giving the layout a good cleaning as I had not run it much during 2022 due to family health issues. I have some newer engines I want to take for a spin. I realized there are a few issues while cleaning that I have to correct before trains can run and they will be my first projects in the new year.

I hope you also have some projects planned for 2023 to work on through the winter months.

As far as post go there are a few completed to begin the year and lots of ideas for the future. I have a few trains shows I will be attending including the Springfield show at the end of January. If you are in my area I will be working on projects at the NMRA-WOD craftsman workshop tables in Kitchener in March. As program director for the WOD-NFR-NMRA  we will have a February Zoom clinic that some of you might be interested in...I will be presenting the beginning to our series, Detailing Freight Cars. I will pass along the information once we have a set date.

Have a Happy New Years and see you in 2023...George Dutka

3-D Printed Bumpers

Don Janes installed one of his B&M 3-D printed track bumpers which look really nice. We split on an order of these details and I have yet to add mine to the layout. I guess I best get busy...George Dutka  

Throwback Thursday - MEC Boxcars

Paul Dunn photo in 1957. This car was almost new at that time. Bob Bowes collection.

 Some photo inspiration for those looking to add MEC boxcars to their fleet...George Dutka

Paul Dunn photo 1959. This car is about 20 years old when photo was taken. Bob Bowes collection.

Wordless Wednesday No. 507

 

Pt. Stanley, Ontario

CP International of Maine - Weathered

The competed model with most of the weathering done to the roof. A placard was added on the door. Wheels are cinnamon brown then Bragdon powders. The trucks are spray can painted with Princess Auto Cast Iron Gray.

This piece of rolling stock, an IMWX (Innovative Model Works) is a custom built and lettered model I purchased back in the summer from our local St. Thomas hobby shop. I thought it might be a nice model to practice some weathering on and gift to my friend Peter Mumby for Christmas. The captions tell the story...George Dutka  

I began by appling an acrylic wash of dollar store gray on the roof. This was a bit heavier than on some of my other models as I like variation in the roof tones. PanPastel Raw Umber Shade is then applied to the roof.

PanPastel Dark Gray is then applied  to the flat panels followed by a light coat of Red Iron Oxide Extra Dark The sides got a coat of the Red Iron also followed by some PanPastel Blender as highlighting and fading. Vallejo rust texture is applied to the door and lower corners. 

The running board is weathered using AK pencils, dirty white and gun metal followed by a light coat of PanPastel grey.

The model is complete with the roof showing some nice weathering. 

More Christmas Cards!

A few more interesting Christmas views I received this year that I thought you would enjoy...George Dutka

The Vermonter #55 with GE P42DC #93 on Oct. 20 2017 going over the Royalton, Vermont bridge.

Kevin Smith sent the following from his days working for VTR.

There's one tale about a familiar sounding train crew stopping each year around the three bridges area of Mt. Holly.

Seems the guys would ask if any of their fellow co-workers wanted a tree for their Xmas celebrations.

On the way South, a stop was made, and with axes & bucksaws in hand, a few lush evergreens made their way into a boxcar.

One particular year, as rumor has it, the Gen. Mgr. himself asked for a 10' Blue Spruce to out front of his Putney home.

Ever accommodating, the spirited crew obliged with a beautiful, perfectly shaped example of Mt. Holly growth.

The GM was more than pleased, but asked: "Now that came from RR property, right ?"

"Of course" came a quick reply: 

"When it fell."

He continues to say

The tree we picked out was a 30 footer.

The best result was to scope out a tall one & drop it, then take the top.

Yup- on RR property, then...

John Allen Card

Merry Christmas!

The B&A in the Berkshire Hills.

Merry Christmas from Don, Peter and myself. Hope you have a great holiday season and I will have some new posts ready to go following family Christmas gatherings...George Dutka  

This and That - December 2022

My Christmas Card from Geoff Southwood this year views the Turbo. It was taken in the late sixties as the train was crossing Ch. Harwood just west of Vaudreuil QC bound for Toronto. Thanks Geoff.

 A bit of whatever does not fit into my other posts.. It was reported that Lambton Diesel Specialists have GTW 4620, ex-CV4928. That makes two CV engines now in Sarnia, Ontario. Happy modeling and happy holidays...George Dutka

I scanned a few of my winter slide to share with you. Here we see CN 413 at the Komoka diamond January 18, 1994

I finished my can of Tamiya flat clear the other day and got out a new can I have had for a few months. To my surprise the coating was gloss although the can is marked flat. I shook the can a lot but still gloss which is OK as I was almost out of gloss too. I went back to get another can at the hobby shop. To my surprise I was told it was backorder for months. If you need some best get it were you can as supplies are low for the moment.

My digital Christmas card this year from Ian. A great view on what looks like a really cold day. Thanks Ian,

If this model looks familiar you probably seen it in the current issue of RMC. Kevin Smith submission was printed across from a model photo by Don Janes. Good work guys.

Wordless Wednesday No. 506

 

   

Waterbury Station Upgrade

 

The upgraded station has been place in its location and scenery added to the scene

The above two photos show the prototype station in Waterbury, VT

Upgrades To Improve Waterbury Station.....by Don Janes

         Several years ago Model Railroader published plans of the Central Vermont station in Waterbury, Vt.  I had been looking for a station to create a new town on my layout that would follow CV prototype and this fit the bill perfectly.  I guess I am what you would call a proto freelance modeler.  I try to create scenes to give the feel of the location I am trying to model but do not try to create exact replicas of the entire area I am modelling.  For example, all my stations are models of actual stations in the towns I model but the rest of the scenes are freelanced.  With these plans available, I contacted professional model builder Rich Cobb and asked if he would be interested in building this station for me using the plans from MR.  He had built my model of the Rutland's North Bennington station for me many years ago and did a great job.  Rich kindly agreed and a few months later the finished model arrived, built to full scale size.  The station sat on the layout for a few years until I recently got around to finishing the Waterbury scene.    

These are two of the photos that Rich sent me while he was building the station.  Most of the windows had to be modified to match the plans.

      While I was waiting to finish the scene I did an internet search and reached out to fellow CV modelers for more prototype photos of the station so I could finish the scene as close to the real thing as possible.  Upon closer study, I noticed a few things on the model that needed to be modified.  These included the chimneys, lower roof supports and mostly, I wasn't really fussy about the shape of the tower dome.  It just looked too "fat" compared to the prototype photos.  I didn't sweat it too much as I know it would have been quite a difficult thing to build but would like to replace it if I could.  I set about replacing the roof supports and large arch beams at the baggage roof end but the dome remained the same.  I also removed the windows and repainted them a cream colour which I think is closer than the white Rich used.  While I had the windows out I repainted the structure with a darker shade of brick red.  I built new chimneys using Monster Model Works brick columns and some strip wood.

The photos above show the new, heavier  roof supports, arched beams and repainted windows and doors.  The original dome still in place.

     A few years ago I was talking to my friend and fellow CV modeler, Marty McGuirk, at an RPM meet about the Waterbury station as I knew he had a model of it also.  I mentioned the dome and he said he had a spare dome that he would send me. When the new dome showed up I was very pleased to see how closely it matched the dome in the prototype photos.  It was just what I was looking for. I carefully removed the original dome and to my delight, the new one fit almost perfectly. I just had to do a little sanding and filing and it sat right over the tower walls.  Now the station looked a lot more like the real thing.  To top it of, Bernie Kempinski, of Alkem Scale Models, who I believe built Marty's station sent me some parts to build the ornamental finial on the top of the dome, which finished it off nicely.  With the new dome added, the station was ready to go once I got around to doing the scenery.

The new dome with finial added made a great improvement to the station

           The final step was to add a train order signal to the lower roof of the station above the operators bay.  I had an old Alder Models (now out of business) train order signal that I cut down and added to the roof. All that was left to do was to add some station name signs and posters to the building.  I am really pleased how the finished station looks. The following photos are the station in the finished Waterbury scene.

Kit Makeover Part Two!

I added some of my PanPastel green tones to the walls and doors. The loading dock got some gray tones which resemble weathered wood. Lots of signs and details finish off the scene. It was nice there was a bit of a base to add some weeds and details to.

A couple more views of the model...George Dutka   

The back sides of the structure got some interest with two signs.

Kit Makeover!

The completed model which I think was part of a Walthers offering.

I picked up this model at the Woodstock train show just to practice some of my weathering and detailing techniques on. If you visited the WOD-NMRA Craftsman Corner at the Nov. Kitchener train show you would have seen me working on it...George Dutka  

This is how the structure looked when I brought it home.

The basic spray painting of the model was done before going to the train show. The roof is done in silver while the base is Home Hardware Camo Coat olive. I rusted up the roof seams with Vallejo rust texture.

Tiny Railroads

 

I took this photo of the shop along Main St. from the location of the ex CN Cayuga Sub. Interesting my directions were just go over the tracks and it is on the right hand side. I know the tracks have been up for decades so I wondered why they commented on over the tracks. Well to my surprise the tracks are still there crossing the road. I guess the next road job will see these removed.  

While on the WOD-NMRA November get together in Pt. Dover there was three layouts open for viewing on the way home. I learned at one location that there is a hobby shop near by in Delhi, Ontario. I thought I would make a stop by on my way home. The hobby shop has more estate offerings than new products but there was a nice selection of modeling products. I picked up a couple of AK stains I had not seen in the past to try out. If one is looking for buildings or vintage rolling stock there was a very good selection. The owner of Tiny Railroads is on Facebook but does not have a Web page...George Dutka

Snapshot - December 2022

Power for the holiday train has some big flags and a Christmas wreath on the nose.

This months snapshot is of the CP Holiday Train laying over in London, Ontario Dec. 1 2022. I could not make it down to Richmond St. to watch the show on Nov. 30, 2022 but it was nice to see it the next morning in the yard waiting to depart westbound to Chatham and Windsor...George Dutka

One could find the CP Holiday train parked next to the roadway along the edge of the yard. It stayed lighted up all the time so passers by could enjoy the sight.

Richmond St. in London which is next to the CP station was closed for the CP Holiday train to stop, blocking the roadway for a performance from the car that has a stage. Visitors just stood on the sidewalk and street to watch the show.

Wordless Wednesday No. 505

 

   

Oxford Models Auto Additions to the WRD

The red pickup is a Dodge B 1948 version while the Chrysler woody wagon is 1942.

Back at the Kitchener train show a few Sundays ago I picked up two more Oxford models that I thought looks interesting. As if I need more autos...it is nice to have a few extras I can drop into a scene when I take a photo. I also like to change autos out on occasion just to keep the scenes looking fresh to me...George Dutka      

Some flat finish and rust spots will be added shortly to bring these into the 1950's. If I remember I will show you how they look once completed.