Throwback Thursday - CN North Bay

 

The CN North Bay station was photographed on August 29, 1990.

By Peter Mumby.  

First opened in 1916 by the Canadian Northern Railway, the North Bay railway station served passengers until 1990.  From 1921 until 1990 it served as a Union Station along with the Ontario Northland (originally Temiskaming and Northern Ontario) Railway.  In 1986 ownership of the facility was transferred to Via Rail, but the cancellation of all Via service through North Bay in 1990 made this a short term arrangement.  By the mid 1990s CN had ceased all freight activity on this line and the trackage was subsequently removed.  The structure still stands today as a heritage station.

Wordless Wednesday No. 604

 

       

Coke Cooler

I saw this Coke cooler for sale in an antique store in Muskoka this summer. I took a few view of it as the wear and tear on it was interesting and maybe something to add to our modeled cooler or signs...George Dutka      

Snapshot - November 2024

A freshly painted GTW boxcar is covered in tagging. What a shame...what is happening to our society?

While out with Don Janes on November 12, 2024 we stopped at Woodstock about 1230 to see what might come by. It was not long when a CN EB passed the station with two units and a variation of rolling stock. One of the cars near the head end caught my eye. It was a GTW (CN) boxcar that was newly painted. It still had a nice shine but the taggers had already done their job with many spray can markings...I really hate these days of defacing equipment and buildings...George Dutka 

CN EB at Woodstock, Ontario Nov. 12, 2024. CN 5696 is showing its age.

November 2024 - This and That

We were all given a shopping bag at Rapido's 20th Anniversary day. There was a very nice bus poster, a pin, a ticket for the day and the updated listing of models out or just about to be released. 

Just a bit of what I saw or found out the last few weeks. While visiting Pat Rivard's O scale layout recently I found the height of his layout was very impressive to view. Pat has the rail height set at 54" which is something I am considering for an upcoming On30" module. I have a 6' long N scale diorama which I might mount on the wall at that height also. 

While visiting Otter Valley Hobby shop with Don last week we were told that spray can paints are being restricted entry into Canada. So if you are looking for paint or for both Don and I flat clear and gloss finish, you better stock up while you can. I am sure at some point that will be all straightened out...but for now this can be a pain...George Dutka

I built this milk platform kit recently that had interior bracing which one adds to the interior walls. I thought it should be accessible to see so I made the roof removable. Some signs, milk cans, signs, a broom, a shelf for milk can billing and newspapers are found inside. More on this structure shortly.

I am working on four Pola relay boxes for another diorama. They all got a bit different style of paint and weathering. Here is one on the layout. Another post will follow regarding these.

This relay shanty is done with a darker base color.

Don and I stopped at Otter Valley Railroad on Tuesday and I picked up two new Rapido offerings. One is a PRR X23 boxcar while the other is a B&O FGE R7 reefer.

The PRR X23 is modeled as it looked after 1940.

The B&O FGE R7 is modeled as it looked after 1954. Both are nice looking models that will get some paint and PanPastel weathering shortly.

I have a wooden kit model I purchased already built decades ago that I finally got around to working on. I changed out the door to look like what I have seen on a John Nehrich model and prototype photos.

This wooden model is no where as nice as the Rapido version but I will decal and finish the model shortly. I did have a decal set aside for this model maybe a decade to two ago...nice to be motivated once again.

Rapido - PRR X31A Boxcars

My main weathering was to the roofs of these two Rapido models. The sides are kept clean looking.

Here is a view of my two Rapido PRR X31A boxcars. I purchased a single and double door boxcar awhile back. I found a couple of views with one being in color during 1952 which views these cars with weathered black roofs. I guess as the paint failed the black (primer or coating beneath?) is showing through. I decided to copy what I could see in this view.

It appeared there was some roof coating failure which resulted in a darker tone which I found neat to model. This was done using dollar store acrylic paints as a wash than overcoated with a brown shade of PanPastels. I think I used two tones for this coating. Each car was done a bit differently...George Dutka        

Rapido 20th Anniversary Celebration

This is the entrance to the radial museum.

On Tuesday Don Janes and I attended Rapido's 20th Anniversary Celebration at the Halton Radial Museum. Don and I have never been there and did not know what to expect but it turned out to be a lot of fun. They had trolleys running all the time. Don and I rode on two different trolley's. We checked out the Rockwood train station and all the equipment in the large structure. I was surprised how big it was and all the interesting trolley's and rolling stock found in there. We got a ticket for burgers, fries and onion rings at the food truck and there was also cake and drinks inside the station.  

Inside the station there was Rapido displays of what is coming up next and what has just been released. One could get a Rapido Christmas mystery box there too if you had $300 plus to spend. Some engines and rolling stock was also on the sale table.

I thought we would only spend maybe an hour there, we were almost 3 hours checking everything out and riding the trolley cars. There is lots to see, this is a sampling of what we saw...George Dutka.

One could go for a bus ride as the Rapido bus was on a schedule. 

The streetcar that followed the one we were on passes the replica flagstop. The original is inside the museum building as they wanted to preserve it as the structure is well worn.

Don is about to board our run back to the station. Part of the original ROW is actually part of the museum's trolley line 

The original Meadowvale flag stop is sheltered.

This will be a big job for the restoration department.

Hard to believe this was still in use up till 1965. Your boss sure did not like you if he sent you out on this in the 1960's instead of the powered motor cars.

Rapido supplied cake, treats and drinks in the Rockwood station. I think maybe 200 attended by the amount of cars in the parking lot. The lot was full.

The food truck was setup on site for burgers, fries and onion rings for the gang. Don and I went over late once the crowd died down...so it turned out to be our supper too.

Throwback Thursday - Ontario Northland FP7

A 1984-1987 series FP7Am locomotive was present in the dead line at North Bay on August 29, 1990.

By Peter Mumby.  

Ontario Northland’s FP7 locomotives, numbered 1500-1521, were assembled by GMD between 1951 and 1953.  Over the years these units powered the majority of the railroad’s passenger trains.  In 1977 the railway acquired four TEE (Trans Europe Express) train sets to operate in Northlander service.  This experiment was not totally successful - by the early 1980s the decision was made to replace the power units with rebuilt versions of the FP7 which could operate with the remaining TEE passenger equipment.  These locomotives went into service numbered as 1984-1987.  One such diesel was photographed in a dead line at North Bay on August 29, 1990.

Wordless Wednesday No. 603

 

     

A Station is a good thing!

Farmers Market Station May 11, 2024...mothers day weekend.

Farmers Market Station found on the Waterloo Central Railway is located at the loading point at St. Jacobs, Ontario. Our NMRA division visited this location back in the spring for a train ride and having a station located there adds to the railroad atmosphere. I feel although the station is a miniature sized replica, it serves a purpose as on our layouts...George Dutka    

Our train is arriving on a heavy overcast day.

White River Division - Views

A CP Van hop over the White River trestle. That is a Rapido engine and True Line Trains van.

Just a couple of my views of the layout. One from a few years back and one about a year ago...George Dutka

One of Peter Mumby's geep's is doing some work in town today. The weathering on this model is very nice and I hope to copy it on another unit I have.

November 2024 - Update

The Stratford station is getting an update and repairs to both sides of the structure. Oct. 6, 2024

October was a busy month for me with very little time to model. Between trains shows, some travel and many sunny days for railfanning it will be nice to get back downstairs when the weather changes. It has not actually changed yet...global warming maybe? We have had a record high the other day.   

I just had an open house here of the White River Division for our local railroad club. Our group has been shrinking due to our ages, so the crowd is about half of what it was back when they visited prior to Covid...maybe 2019 or 2018. 

Now that club visits has passed I am preparing for the changeover of my Bellows Crossing scene. Did not want a mess in the middle of visits. Many of the small details have already been removed...will post some photos as the project gets going.

On Nov. 12th Don Janes and I will be heading over to the Halton Ry. museum for the Rapido open house. They will be recording some of the trolley sounds there too. Maybe November is going to be busy too...George Dutka  

The guys are checking out the layout. It has a been a few years since I was last open to our club. Maybe before Covid. 

The London Model Railroad club I belong to was over for a visit on Nov. 6th. This is a good portion of the club these days.

A photo shoot of my small fleet of Whiting milk cars.

I set up this scene to photograph the Maine style freight shed and my MEC Alco that was built by Bruce Douglas. The freight shed is now on RMC associate editors Justin Franz's layout.

I took this photo back in 2017 of an updated Athearn switcher with a Juneco switcher kit that was modeled decades ago.

Peter Mumby sent me this view of his engines that Steve Bratina took home this week. Steve is selling them at local train shows. The next show is Ancaster, Ontario this Sunday. Steve took the photo of Peter's engines outside on his CASO diorama.

 

Weekend!

Look at what the CPKC police are using here in London. 

Hi all, I will be away this weekend and I am not taking my laptop, meaning no posts till Sunday night or Monday. I will though post in the morning before I leave...have a great weekend...George Dutka 

October 15, 2024 London, Ontario

Throwback Thursday - Modelling Multiples

 

CP 381743 was sitting at the Quebec St yard in London, Ontario on July 01, 1989.

By Peter Mumby.

Pressure Unloading hopper cars CP 381743 and 381747 were built by Procor in 1968.  More than twenty years later they were still together, appearing as consecutive cars in a train stopped at CP Quebec St in London.  Some car types we wish to model in multiples, and when doing so it is probably worthwhile to highlight some individual differences even when they are only minor in nature.  On these two cars the predominant weathering shades are different and there are subtle differences in the location of data markings.  As well, 381747 has a couple of prominent rust lines on the right side near panel weld locations.  Maybe a pair of these cars would look good on your layout!  

CP 381747 was coupled next to 381743 in London on the first of July, 1989.