Happy Halloween!

 

On Halloween the WRD is running late as trains are operating with a skeleton crew.

Snapshot - October 2025

A nice mix of BERX power at Rotterdam Jct. Oct 10 2025

This month's Snapshot was a stop I made at Rotterdam Jct. on Sept 10, 2025. I was surprised to see a nice string of power but I had to be quick to get my shots as they were shoving back into the yard. I just pulled over to the side of the road by the chemical plant. I was going to hang around for a few minutes to see if the train would pull out again but a security man from the plant opened the gate and was walking out in my direction...so I just drove off. I got a few shots that I was happy with...George Dutka 

Rotterdam Jct. Oct 10 2025. Wish I could have got a closer look. Hard to see much from the roadway.

There was a few new crossing electrical boxes in the yard.

Throwback Thursday

 BNSF 101

 by Peter MacCauley 

GP60M BNSF 101 was delivered from GMDD as ATSF 101 in May of 1990. Transitioning to Burlington Northern Santa Fe, the wide nosed unit would be renumber BNSF 101 after the 1995 merger. Interesting that the four axle unit is still sporting ATSF ‘War Bonnet’ paint in Peter’s 2004 photo. In 1998, while still in original paint, ATSF 101 was involved in a serious altercation, suffering significant mechanical and fire damage. Post wreck repair, No. 101 was repainted in silver and red War Bonnet dress, albeit with ‘BNSF’ insignia. No. 101 would not receive the BNSF ‘Swoosh’ orange and black scheme until 2017.

The train shown is NS327 (Buffalo to Talbotville) passing under the Barwick Street overpass in St. Thomas. NS327 was a daily freight conveying body panels from the stamping plant in Buffalo NY to the Ford auto assembly facility in Talbotville. Note the coupled high cube boxcar. Sadly, the need for NS327, and its eastbound counterpart NS328, evaporated with the closure of the St Thomas Ford plant in September of 2011. Following razing of most of the assembly plant infrastructure, the empty property was acquired by Amazon and repurposed as a fulfillment center.

BNSF101 appears to still be active, seemingly assigned to local freight duties; far from the high profile intermodal duties the high horsepower unit was originally deployed into.

Wordless Wednesday No. 651

 

Palmer, Mass.   

B&M Troop Sleeper

My friend John asked me about the B&M troop sleeper. He purchased a kit with brass etching sides and  the car it fits on. He was wondering if anyone has views or plans of the underbody details. I used a Walthers model for mine B&M car and did not change any of the underbody details. Don Janes did the same. Does anyone have any information regarding this car. I do have plans for the sides and ends I purchased decades ago while in New England...George Dutka 

Komoka Station - Fall Colors

Fall colors at their best at the CN Komoka station Oct 19, 2000. 

Welcome Fall! I took this photo 25 years ago of the Komoka CN station which is now a museum in the Komoka community center park. It still is in great shape and I hope it stays that way. One can't get this kind of shot today as there is orange fencing around it the last few years while repairs are in the works to I think the platform.   

Sylvan Scale Models produced a model of this station a number of years ago which one can still find at the local trains shows on occasion...George Dutka 

The Komoka station today. The big tree out front is gone and the paint has faded to a pale pinky brown. Oct. 17, 2025.

Yard office/tower on the WRD

MEC Bangor, Maine yard office looks comfortable in the Bellows Falls yard at the moment.

I placed the yard office into the Bellows Falls yard for a photo shoot. It actually looked really good were I placed it but of course it can't stay there. But for now it will till I get all my views completed...George Dutka

I added some details to the upper floor of the structure.

October 2025 - Update

Just finished the MEC Bangor, Maine freight/yard office this week. I began this back in the spring and it spent a lot of time waiting for the project to continue. It is a Monster modelworks kit.  

Well RMC has a new modeling book coming out shortly. I was surprised to hear that a couple of my articles are included. This fall (October) I got some railfanning in east of Toronto mainly in the Newtonville to Coburg area. I also have done a bit of modeling finishing the Monster modelworks MEC yard office tower...George Dutka

A new book from RMC and White River Productions that is coming this winter. 

The morning EB train passed about 930 which is a combination of the Montreal and Ottawa train. Oct 15, 2025 Lakeshore Rd. Lovekin.

Local out of Belleville L519 has just spotted some cars around the wye in Cobourg, Ont. and is retuning to it's train on the service track. Oct 15, 2025.

L519 is back on it's train and will leave once the VIA EB passes.

I took a photo of the VIA lineup at Cobourg so I could keep track of the trains due in the area.

VIA  #643 WB Oct 15, 2025 Cobourg, Ontario

Later in the day a CN EB passes me just before I headed back to my hotel room on Oct. 15, 2025. Riley Rd crossing which is one road location west of Lovekin. 

ITLA - Alleyscape

I like how the structures have been reorganized in the scene with a gap between the far two structures.

One of the new structures that Nick of ITLA is near releasing is a back alley scene that he calls an alleyscape. I began building the pilot model  at the Springfield train show. I have posted about the alley scene last winter. I recently gave Nick the completed structures back as he will need these going forward for display at shows. Here are some new photos Nick took of the structure recently. He is making a few changes to my model as he is coming up with some added details that everyone would want. Nick will be offering some extra add-ons from Mini prints...George Dutka 

Throwback Thursday

Keith MacCauley

C&O 4823 

 GP38 C&O 4823 was delivered from EMD in July of 1970. Transitioning to the Chessie System conglomerate the four axle unit would be renumbered CSXT 2123. Cast off, the venerable locomotive would be de-engined and rebuilt as a road slug.  Finding employment with shortline goliath Genesee and Wyoming, the unpowered unit would be assigned to their Quebec Gatineau operation as QGRY 801, and appears to still be active. GP38 C&O 4828 would follow 4823 from EMD some two months on. In similar fashion, renumbered CSXT 2128, prior to leaving Chessie System employ. Along with rebuilding (perhaps twice; to GP38-2/GP38-3) subsequent identities would include IORY 3804, CORP 3804 and CEFX 3804. Based on the cooling fan configuration, the trailing Chessie decorated unit appears to be a GP40-2.

The EMD built trio is shown traversing the shoofly built by CP to facilitate Hyde Park Road underpass reconstruction; quite the elaborate, albeit temporary structure. Judging by the background, I believe an eastbound move. Note the coupled string of forty foot boxcars, especially the script marked; rolling stock long since having disappeared from North American freight car fleet. I gather that this was the period of significant motive power shortage on behalf of CP; lots of leased power on the property. I wonder how long this period of infrastructure rebuilding lasted?

Wordless Wednesday No. 650

 

Pt Hope

 

Wooden Trestle - Lovekin

VIA WB October 15, 2025. This bridge has large concrete blocks at each end of the bridge which makes a nice place to stand if one wants to include the bridge in a photo.

I was east of Toronto last week for a few days railfanning and doing tourist things. I stopped in at the wooden trestle were Lakeshore Rd crosses the tracks. The level crossing of the CPKC is also there and is called Lovekin as they have a two track portion of main line there. Here are a few of the views I took from the bridge while away...George Dutka

This could be a good spot for a WB in the afternoon from a dirt pile in the CPKC parking lot along the edge of the rise next to the CN tracks. Oct. 15, 2025.

A CN WB on the morning of Oct. 16, 2025 had a helper unit in the middle of its train.

I think I saw more high rails on this trip than most. Oct. 16, 2025.

This view of an EB was taken by John Vincent on March 16, 1995 or 30 years ago with CN 9402-5313. John posted this view on Facebook last week, thanks John for allowing me to repost it here.

Early morning EB approaches Lakeshore Rd. Oct. 16, 2025.

If one was to model one of these bridges it appears they had a yellow painted top of the railing. A bit of it can be seen on my visit. Oct 16, 2025.

A CN EB passes under the bridge on Oct 16, 2025

Real Rails Train Show

Lots of station kits are offered by Monashee Laser Engineering. 

I could not take in the Real Rail convention but I did attend the train show yesterday. It was a very nice show with many manufacturers you would not normally see in my area. Also got a chance to catch up with some of modeling friends living a distance away...George Dutka

Clare Gilbert had some great deals on his vehicles.

Rapido booth

Black Cat was there.

A partly built MEC kit was one of the offerings.

Otter Valley has a nice display including their test model of the CN flat top transfer van.

Kind of a neat system for N scale modelers for building a small layout. They also offer structure kits. They are from Montreal area.

Some of Peter Mumby's engines were on display and up for sale.

CP model which is offered as a kit. by Monashee Laser Engineering.

Jeff of Twenty Models was there with his models which are CPR models from the 1920's

Peeking Through the Trees

In the CPKC yard, Dec. 13, 2924.

A few views I have taken around London using some of the trees as staging to enhance the  view...George Dutka             

Dec 14, 2024

Feb 8, 2025 along Pine Street. Track 24 CN yard.

Feb 22, 2025

The Ridout station sign is hiding in the brush while WB VIA 71 departs London VIA station on April 5, 2025.

The CN London local has IC 9607 on the lead May 11, 2025.

At London, June 21 2022

CPKC WB pulling from Quebec St. yard in London, Ont. Aug 7 2025.