Shiny and Clean

Brian Smith sent me this clean looking car which he saw down in Florida. I thought I would share it with you...George Dutka

Snapshot - February 2023

January 20, 2023 at the west end of CP yard in London, Ontario.

Not that often around here do we see the orange "Every Child Matters" CP locomotive. This  is only the second time I have come across this engine. Although it was an overcast and rainy day it was leading and worth a shot...George Dutka  

BEST - Vetero Stain

One coat of Vetero stain applied. I applied three coats to get the tone I wanted.

I had seen this stain in ads and thought I would try out one of the tones. I chose aged barn wood. I found one needs to put a number of coats on the wood to get a darker appearance. Wait till it dries between coats. It seems to be a longer process than using Hunterline stains but gives you better control of the tone...George Dutka

Springfield Display

CSX Responder Incident Training boxcar Jan 28, 2023. 

Not sure if CSXT actually placed this piece of rolling stock out front on display along the way to the entrance to the Springfield train show. If not it was in a great place to take a photo next to a quick lube parking lot...George Dutka  

More of Springfield

Jack Ellis of BarMills was giving an interesting clinic on structures which I sat in on...good place to rest my legs too.

I missed purchasing a kits and paint I was looking for as some of the regulars were missing. Atlantic Scale Modelers, Creative Laser Design and Minuteman Models who stock Scalecoat paint were missing. When I got back to my room I looked up the last two and found their web sites are gone. Not sure what happened to them but will miss their kits and products. Those looking for ITLA, they were not at Springfield although their table had ITLA displays and all day clinics happening by Craig Brotman. It appears other Canadian companies such as Fast Tracks, Hunterline and Mt. Albert Lumber did not attend...George Dutka  

This is one of the walls Jack Ellis passed around for the group to view.

Train Troll had a nice display of crates which I found interesting.

They are offered in different scales.

150 Years of Operation

Dave Harding brought along his handcar to do a ceremonial crossing, this time with RR permission.

On Tuesday I snuck away from the mother in laws to take in a ceremony in Aylmer Ont. at 2pm commemorating 150 years of operations on the Cayuga Sub. There was my friend Andy and myself that were CN engineman that worked the line, a CN sectionman while the rest were dignitaries, rail buffs and current shortline employee's that work the line and of course Dave Harding from the St. Thomas Railway museum who set up the afternoon...George Dutka 

The town crier from St. Thomas was on hand to begin the afternoon event.

Off they go west from the main crossing in Aylmer.

Wordless Wednesday No. 515

 

  

Prototype Corner - Call to Action

MMA 23537 was rolling in to Quebec St yard on March 19/21

By Peter Mumby.  

Quite often an advertisement appears in Railfan & Railroad magazine under the heading "Call to Action."  This ad states "Thousands of railcars including both new and historic fallen flags have been vandalized with graffiti over the past decade.  Help stop this crime.  Report any suspicious trespassing to the railroad or local police."  It goes on to list contact numbers for the top seven class one railroads.  I myself have never observed graffiti "artists" at work, so I have never been in a situation  where I would consider making such a call.  By showing you today's photos I am in no way condoning the work of these taggers.  As a railfan photographer I am merely recording what I observe and, love it or loathe it, graffiti has become a large part of today's railway scene.  Anyone modelling the time period from the mid-90s until the present has to give some serious consideration as to how much of this "artwork" should be included on his or her layout.  Both of the cars presented here today were photographed on CP trains passing through London, Ont. during March 2021.  By the way, if you want the CP contact number, it is 800 716 9132.

TBOX 66801 put in an appearance on March 22/21

February 2023 - This and That

Another great view of Ships Island in Goderich harbour. This time we are looking west. I had posted a few views awhile back of this location which would make a great diorama. Photo from Bruce Douglas.

Just a few things that don't fit into any category that I have been working on. A mix of prototype and modeling inspiration...George Dutka  

This is Donut Dip a great place to get a donut in West Springfield, Mass. I was just getting my morning coffee and apple fritter for my drive home at about 630am. I think this structure could make a great model...it has a retro look to it too.

Looking west from Highbury Ave. in London, Ont. before the overpass went in over the east end of the CN yard. The date it 1952. The train is on the main line while the track on the left is the yard lead called the south. It was always funny when working the yard that we had to go north from the yard to get to the south. The main line was between the south and north sidings with them just going by the short one word name.

I really like the looks of this FOS offering which is from their kit of the month club. Too bad us in Canada can't get these models. 

Here we have a view on Kevin Smith's layout of his B&M switcher handling a cut of cars.

I showed you the front of the Westboro section house last month. Here is the side and rear of the structure.

Jim Sloan had this two page photo published in MR Trackside Photos, March 2023. Congratulations Jim.

Sunset Motel - Blair Line

The office is now completed.

A friend of mine asked if I could build this motel for him. I normally don't built kits for others as I have so many projects of my own on the go but I had not worked on a Blair Line kit before so I was kind of interested to see what was in the box. This is a retro model so it was kind of fun to work on. The kit is not all that hard to build although much of the painting has to be done before assembly as the model is tab and slot construction. The walls have to be glued to the roof and walls to hold them all together. So here is the office which I built first...George Dutka 

The Blair Line web side photo of the completed kit.

The what is in the box photo looking at the office parts being painted.

CV Alco Switchers

My two Bachmann Alco switchers, a S-2 and S-4 are parked out front of the WRJ station in a photo I took back in 2013. They both have extra detailing, paint and decaling. Both have DCC and sound.   

 

CV Alco 8015

This photo might be a builders photo.

Don Janes asked if I had any photos of CV 8015 as he plans build a model of a CV Alco. I had a few which I thought I would share with you...George Dutka   

No data for these photos.

Westboro

The freight house is already in place. It was mounted on a piece of Gatorfoam. I now was looking at adding an additional piece of track on the other side of the building to finish the scene. This was how it looked back in February 2014. How time flies.

A look back at my rendition of the Westboro freight house. I was working on adding a short piece of track to the other side of the building. It is not connected just a prop to add more interest when I take photos of the scene. The kit was part of the Elwell general store offering by BEST but I think someone else now offers this structure as a separate kit...George Dutka   

Wordless Wednesday No. 514

 

    

Train Order

Retired CN dispatcher Gary Pembleton passed along this CP train order that one can get a chuckle from...enjoy...George Dutka  

Inspired!

Cut and paste works well to decide if a structure will work on a layout before construction begins. Kevin Smith photos

Kevin Smith sent me a few photos of a gas station he was inspired to build after seeing the Texaco station in Fridays post...George Dutka 

"Thank you, yet again for sparking an idea for my pike. I'd been trying to figure something for a small, empty lot next to the depot remains. Some kind of gas station/service garage/shop structure that has seen better days.

Your recent blog post with Peter's submission of Robin Long's photo of the semi-neglected Texaco station got the juices flowing. I photocopied the walls of a Pikestuff garage-machine shop kit, stuck them to cardboard and mocked up a short version. I do this with all my kitbashing ideas to see how they will work out before cutting plastic...Kevin Smith."

Weather-beaten addition to the WRD!

One of the cars I have added to my contemporary fleet when era's begin to change forward. It sure looks like it has been around for awhile.

I purchased this model a few years back from a collection being sold. It is a lot more weather-beaten than something I would do but it think it looks great. Just a bit more inspiration for those that love to weather...George Dutka   

Rutland Ry Oops!

There always is an option for use of damaged equipment as seen here on a Rutland Ry. boxcar. Phil Jordan photo collection.

Kevin Smith sent along this interesting photo with the following comment...George Dutka

Phil Jordan sent along the above picture. Apparently, a Rutland Ry. crew doubled a grade after stalling and on the way back to their train ran into it. The damaged boxcar was then used in MOW service to transport a small bulldozer...Kevin Smith.

Modeling Insperation

This Texaco station which I don't think is still in use as a business sure would look great on a layout.

Peter Mumby passed along this neat photo from his friend Robin Long taken in Cherry Valley, Ontario west of Toronto. I think this could make a great model...George Dutka   

Throwback Thursday - EMDX GM 70

GM 70 is showing off a lot of exposed piping near the east end of the CP Quebec St yard in London on Oct 30, 2004.

By Peter Mumby.  

EMDX locomotive GM 70 was built in April of 2003 as an SD70 Ace test bed for engines meeting tier 2 emissions standards.  In today's photos it is being added to an eastbound CP freight train at McCormick St in London, Ontario on October 30, 2004.

The other side of the locomotive presents a bit of a contrast.

Wordless Wednesday No. 513

 

     

CV Wreck Train

CV wreck train at St. Johnsbury, Vt. on Aug 11, 1978. Bob Sheridan photo.

I received the photo above from Ian Stronach with the following comment. If you know more about the view please share it with us...George Dutka  

"I came across this photo on a Facebook page taken by Bob Sheridan. It is an entire CV auxiliary train in the CP yard in St J. The crane is the 4250. Do you know if this was from St. Albans or New London, were I believe the CV kept their big hooks. What was it doing in St. J? Speculation is always dangerous. Had it been cleaning up a wreck on the Richford brand having had to approach it from the north side or perhaps leant out to the SJLC which spent a lot of time on the ground. Was it on its way back to CV at WRJ. Who knows but a neat picture"...Ian Stronach.

LV - Wrong Way Door Car

My two LV wrong way door cars both with different doors, ends and roofs. One is a West Shore Line car while the other is a F&C kit.

I have two different versions of the LV wrong way door car. I also showed you another version that Don Janes has in his collection.    

These 40' wrong way door cars began in the 1910 era as double door auto cars which were later rebuilt in the 1930's in various batches using of f the shelf parts making each rebuild a bit different. They seemed to have found it easier to leave the left door in place which is more in the center location and block in the right door.

These cars lasted into the 1960's in interchange service making them a great model for many era's to include in their fleet...happy modeling...George Dutka

This is Don Janes model of the LV car. I believe it is a F&C offering. Today F&C offers all the versions.

This model is the West Shore Lines model offered by Central Hobby Supply years ago. I used AK neutral grey (filters) as the base coat on the roof.

My two models which are both different in features are a nice addition to my layout.

This model I built a number of years ago from a F&C kit that I purchased at Springfield. I may get it back to the workbench for some PanPastel and roof weathering. 

Prototype Corner - CN "Baton Rouge."

CN 3144E, number 148, is rounding the curve at MP 10 of the Strathroy Subdivision on June 11, 2021.

 By Peter Mumby. 

CN 148 is an eastbound double stack train bearing both international and domestic containers which usually passes through the London area around mid-morning.  On June 11, 2021 a nice surprise appeared near the head end in the form of CN business car "Baton Rouge."  As implied by the name, the car had an Illinois Central heritage, previously operating as the 10/6 sleeper I.C. 800210.  Before that it was I.C. 3530 "Cook County," and it began life as NKP 207 "City of Peoria."

First up on the train was the business car "Baton Rouge.