FOS Free Kit - Big Lou's

What's in the box or should I say package.

One of the free kits I worked on this past spring and summer was another food shack. This time it is Big Lou's. I changed the roof to appear as metal with a copper patina to it. A nice little kit that went together very well...George Dutka 

The walls went together quickly.

The model is ready for paint and stain. The cardstock roofing is pretty thin so I added a bit of bracing to keep things straight.

Some of the MIG paints I used on this model.

The kit comes with a nice stencil for the large wall. I used MIG paints for this.

 A close up look at the weathered walls and lifted and cut boards.

Over the stained walls I dry brushed MIG and dollar store white to highlight the board edges.

Green teal acrylic paint is applied to the roof. It is a flat finish.

The roof got some rust spots and a coating of Bragdon dark rust.

The finished model. On the counter I added Mini Print 3-D printed bottles as ketchup and mustard containers. 

Hickson, Ontario

Hickson, Ontario May 18, 2023

I found this interesting building while taking some backroads to the Kitchener area back in the spring.. Hickson was the end location of the CN Hickson spur running out of Woodstock during the early years I worked on the CN. There was a wye across from the station in Woodstock that took you there. The line from Hickson to Stratford was abandoned in the 1930's and also from Woodstock to Pt Dover. 

I recall some of the older conductors talk about fall sugar beet trains running up to Hickson during their time working on the railroad...George Dutka

I always have liked the looks of smaller block buildings. This one has a bit of appeal to me with the weathered front door and one boarded window. More interest is the hydro meter and stack next to the front doorway.

It has a silver colored steel roof.

A smaller structure that could make a neat little model.

Throwback Thursday - MMA #1

MMA #1 is on an eastbound CP freight being switched at London, Ontario on January 03, 2008.

By Peter Mumby.

I know that the "experts" will tell you that for a model railroad to be a more convincing representation of the prototype, your modelling efforts should predominantly feature mostly the "plain vanilla" freight car models.  But every once in a while you encounter one of those cars that just urges you to make an exception to this rule - after all, some models can simply occupy your display case!  MMA #1, to my mind, is just such a car, a standout due to its unique car number, its bright colour scheme, and its power to evoke BAR boxcars from days gone by.  

Wordless Wednesday No. 546

 

    

September This and That

A Kadee PS hopper ready to get the treatment. I have been using Panel Line black a bit lately and will fill you in on the product shortly.

A fall look at some modeling that I started back in the summer. Most of my projects are still on the go as my modeling had stopped to take care of my wife. But as time goes by I will show you what I did. I do have a lot of finished projects from early summer and spring to show you this fall. I also included  some prototype stuff here also...George Dutka  

I took this photo back in the summer of how the hopper looked at the time. Nothing has changed yet but once I get back modeling it will be finishing off...it will not take much. This car will have a very rusty roof. The panel line has been applied to the sides but not the ends and hatches.

This is a scene that once stood on John Blatherwick's layout of a town he called Brattle Falls. It is a combination of Bellows Falls and Brattleboro. The scene looks a bit like the backs of the buildings near the Brattleboro station. John once had family living in Brattleboro although he lived in Toronto were he once worked as an architect. John has since passed and the layout has come down. Back in the 1980's and 90's I would meet up with John at CVRHS and Rutland conventions. I had visited John many times at his home in Toronto but never photographed it. He always wanted it to be further along before any photos were taken. Ed Freeman passed this view along to me some months ago.

I took this photo using my phone from the current Classic Trains issue. It is of the GT yard in Island Pond during the 1960's. I had built one of the GT boom cars which I see in this photo with the fish belly frame, but I also noted they had a boom car similar to the Tichy kit unaltered I used.

On a visit to WRJ on May 4 2000 I had a chance to photograph Guilford power doing some work around the yard and by the station.

CP 6404 leads the way at the overpass on Hyde Park Rd. here in London, Ont. on Oct 13 1993. I scanned a few of my fall views last year and hope to show you a few this fall. 

This fall this might be a meeting to attend.

EX-CV Boxcar

 

Ex-CV in 2023.

Here is what a CV boxcar looks like these days...is that something that one would like to model...George Dutka     

Otter Valley Pop-Up - Extra Photos

Once the show was over the Soundtraxx representative put on a clinic. I could not stay that late but I am sure it was interesting for the group.

Just a few more photos from the Otter Valley pop-up last Saturday...George Dutka 

At the pop-up John Sharpe showed us his motorized rail bus which originally was a TH&B 1939 Studebaker bus. He did a great job adding power to the model. 

The Sylvan kit that was used to make the railbus.

ITLA kits can be built in many different versions. I really like how this one looks...I have an extra kit that I may turn into this structures design but with a New England name.

Sylvan's O scale display.

CP International of Maine - PS 1

My newest CP boxcar is ready for service on the WRD.

I received this Kadee PS-1 boxcar from Peter Mumby as a gift maybe a year ago. Might have been Christmas or Birthday. I thought I would get it ready for service with a bit of weathering. The model is well detailed and looks great right out of the packaging. I had been using Tamiya panel liners for about a year now...but only occasional. I thought I would use it on a number of models that will pass across my workbench this year...more in the captions...George Dutka   

A similar view of the prototype from my files. I don't have any data for location or year. It looks fairly new in this view.

Black panel line is applied over an acrylic coating which in this instance is Proto Paint Flat Haze. I apply it over one of the rib lines then rub much of it off using Tamiya lacquer thinner. One can not get too far ahead with the liner as it will dry on you and not come off well. A Q tip dipped in the thinner works the best for removing the excess. Don't rub to hard or you will go through the acrylic underbody coating.

Ceramcoat gray is painted on the roof followed by PanPastel raw umber shade and iron oxide red extra dark.

In-between the seams the panels are lightened a bit using PanPastel blender to resemble faded paint.

The roof is seen as a subtle change once the PanPastels are applied over the acrylic gray.

One side door is part way open showing some Canadian merchandise assembled from Aberdeen Models sheeting.

More Otter Valley Railroad Pop-Up News

InterMountain was giving out $20 gift coupons good for the day only for any of their products.

The morning began with coffee and donuts during setup. If you visited the show and store and spent a good part of the day there Lorne had Pizza and pop brought in for the low cost of a dollar a slice, If you were manning a display your lunch was free which was a nice treat. During lunch time celebrity polka king Walter Ostanek kept the tunes coming. He is well known through Ontario and Canada.  

Intermountain had two boxcars that caught my attention, a X-29 which I believe is the old Red Caboose model but improved. A Milwaukee boxcar with roof hopper doors used in the beer making process is another interesting upcoming model.

Nick from ITLA had almost every display model he has out for the day. It was interesting to see a couple of the models he is working on. One an interlocking tower will a full interior.

I did not realize but Otter Valley had tables set aside for modeler to bring what they were working on...a kind of RPM feature. If I had known I could bring some current projects to show...I need to follow Facebook pages better. There was a small selection of engines and rolling stock setup on display.

I like to thank Lorne and his crew (the girls worked hard to keep the storefront line moving) for including me in the days events and for hosting such an event that was really fun to attend, meeting so many of the manufacturers that I normally purchase from. I still have a bit more about the day later in the week...George Dutka

The WOD-NMRA also had a display recruiting new members.

The larger of the ITLA dioramas with many of the details being 3D printed.

Intermountain boxcar-hopper is an upcoming model that I am sure many will want.

Intermountain new release will be this X-29 boxcar.

A view of the rolling stock table.

Being a nice and sunny day having extra railroad stock and the food outdoors worked out well. A tent was set up to keep the entertainment in the shade.

There was always someone checking out the CN motor car.

Pizza went over well especially when it was only a dollar a slice.

Polka King Walter Ostanek kept the tunes coming for well over an hour.

Wordless Wednesday No. 545

 

Ex CV Komoka Ont.

3rd Annual Otter Valley Railroad Manufacturer Pop-Up Show

I brought along a few of the models that are featured in my book for those who wanted a close-up peek. Paul Hurly photo

On Saturday I attended the 3rd Annual Otter Valley Railroad Manufacturer Pop-up Show in Tillsonburg, Ont. signing copies of my White River Productions book. Lorne had got a box of my books for his hobby shop and by the end of the day half were gone. It was great meeting modelers that had seen my work in RMC with one doing a three hour drive one way to meet me which was very nice. 

I took photos of as much as I could before the event, but my day seemed to be full considering I walked in just as the show began. There were a lot of manufacturers there, some that had traveled a good distance. Set up next to me was Bowser with a lot of information regarding their new CN and CP RS-3. He had traveled here from Pennsylvania the day before. 

I did pick up the new Rapido RS-11's in both the CV and DW&P paint scheme once the crowd died down in the store. There was a line of at least 15 modelers all day long paying for their finds. I have yet to try my Alcos out. On the other side of me was Clare Gilbert and his display of Sylvan models. He had about a half dozen new products that have yet to be released.

More about the Pop-up tomorrow and check out Otter Valley's Facebook page for more about the day...George Dutka

The Rapido crew talk with the Bowser representive prior to the Pop-up show.

Intermountain had a nice display of new and upcoming models. More on these tomorrow.

Aurora Miniatures had their current models on display.

Otter Valley has a nice line of rolling stock of their own available now with a few more on the way. 

The Sylvan Scale Models display at this years pop-up. There seemed to be lots of interest in Clare's kits.

Rapido's new RS-11 were on display and also on the hobby shop shelves.

Otter Valley was handing out flyers for their new CN transfer caboose project.