Rolling Stock - A Look at Some Old Projects

A Tichy kit which became a D&H model back in 2012.

The next 5-6 days will focus on rolling stock, model and prototype. To begin  with we have here a look at some of my old projects. I was going through my photo files looking for a particular view and thought I would show you some of my past projects. Some cars I have posted about others have yet to make the grade...enjoy...George Dutka

An Atlas model I was working on a number of years ago. It is an updated Branchline model. The finished Branchline model is seen in the background. I am thinking this style of kit might be a great candidate for adding National Scale Car details to.

Peter and I worked on a box full of shells using detail parts we had on hand to come up with some nice looking models. This is one of Peter's finished models.

Our finished shells.

Here is what I began with for the model viewed above including a prototype photo to work from.

A F&C 36' boxcar model I built a few years back. It is seen here in regular service on the WRD. I like using as many shorter cars as I can which makes my trains appear longer, which is nice on a smaller size layout.

My finished Tichy kit.

This Rutland RPO car is not an exact replica but a model that John Blatherwick lettered back in the 1980's. I purchased it from his estate about a decade ago. John was a New England modeler living in Toronto. I added new grabs, better stirrups and a coat of Floquil grimy black to the roof. The sides had a bit of weathering already that I touched up. I think John blocked some of the windows at some point.

Details added and ready for paint. This is one of the shells Peter and I worked on a number of years ago.

Wordless Wednesday No 329

GMD Recollections - All in the Family

BN 9580 and mates are about to be added to a westbound CP freight at Quebec St yard in London, Ontario on April 01, 1995.

By Peter Mumby.

The BNSF merger was officially formalized in September of 1995.  At this time GMD was in the midst of producing SD70MAC locomotives for BN, and this run continued unabated after the merger.  These two photos bracket the 09/95 time period, providing before and after views of these units in their as-delivered appearance.

BNSF 9862/9864 are in the process of being placed on the head end of CN freight 511 at London East on December 31, 1997.

CP What?

 CP yard London, Ont. May 2, 2019

Last week I stopped by the CP yard in London for a look. There was this freshly painted CP boxcar but the reporting marks left me puzzled. When I got home I e-mailed Peter Mumby a copy of the photo who passed it along to Don McQueen who filled us in...George Dutka

From Don:
"CP funding for equipment in the USA using short/regional lines which apparently have a more favourable tax base ...Nebraska Kansas & Colorado is the latest jag for CP - 1000 cars I do believe. Another similar arrangement includes NOKL with CN."

Mt. Albert Display - Schomberg, Ont.

Two HO scale kits offered at the narrow gauge meet.

At last months Schomberg narrow gauge show Mt. Albert (one of the sponsors) had a nice display of their two HO scale kits being currently offered. Unfortunately their bundles of wood which has been a item many look forward to purchasing was missing...maybe next year...George Dutka

The lumber yard had this nice looking cut off saw which I thought I could use on my layout. Only problem it is not sold separately.

The details are 3D printed. Note the fence and jig to assemble it.

More Views of Small Brick Garages

I even added a pigion to the wreck. A different angle of the lean-to.

I had a few extra views of the brick garage diorama that I thought I would share with you...a second post for today...enjoy...George Dutka

The two garages I got for a dollar each. The right one is done and sold a short time later to a gentleman who has a good collection of my models. The left shed if the focus of the post. The awning became the roof to the lean-to. The roof was glued on with an odd overhang on one side. I was able to remove it easily. The brick walls got a coat of dulcote before weathering. I did not repaint the brick.

The roofing was painted dollar store black with some soot Bragdon powder added which has a bit of rust tone to it.

You may have noted the original doors and windows are gray. I did not paint them green. That is PanPastel green that is applied to the details. It sticks well and give them a well worn look. PanPastel green is similar in shade to Floquil depot olive green.

A couple of views of the other garage. I posted about this one back in Nov 2016. This wall with the big cola sign actually was a mess. The plastic was cracked and lots of glue gobs I could not remove. The sign fixed it all very quickly.

I added the structure to a piece of Gatorfoam and detailed it up before it left to its new home. This structure sure makes for a neat little addition to a layout.

Big Barn

I don't like the looks of Creative Laser Designs roofing. The roofing was flipped over. The underside has a nice smooth finish. I added strip wood for the seams. Some small breaks are cut in using a hobby knife.

In New England there are many big barns still standing and something I was hoping to include on the WRD. Creative Laser Design offers one I started a number of years ago. The plan was to use it to block the view on an expanded duck-under before the design changed and the duck-under was permanently removed. The barn is now built but not totally finished as I am not sure how I will use it. I really like the looks of it, but will it fit in somewhere.

This post is actually about the roof of Creative Laser Design kits and what I did to my barn. The roofing included with most of their kits is not all that nice looking. I decided to flip it over using the smooth side and add stripwood. More on how I built the barn and finished it will follow in another post.

Check back this evening for a second post...cheers...George Dutka

Using my chopper I cut up stripwood and glued it to the smooth surface of the roof.

The roof is done but some rust still needs to be applied. I recently have been working on a new technique for rusting roofs. I will post finished photos when I get it done.

South Troy, NY

Some interesting weathering on the doors of this structure that is part of a current scrap metal dealer in South Troy, NY Nov. 2018.

Here is a little structure I found interesting when Don and I followed the line south out of Troy during our visit to the area for the Albany Expo. It was pouring rains all morning so the views are taken through the cars side window. Think this could be another building to model. I will have to stop back on a better day and get a few more detailed views...George Dutka

The brick building is attached to a block garage which makes for an interesting complex.

Small Brick Garage

My little AHM model that has been built into a diorama and normally rests on top of my book cabinet.

Two years ago I found two of these small brick buildings that where dollar finds at a local RR flea market. One I built and covered back at that time. The second one viewed here was also built back then but has taken me sometime to get it onto the blog. It has become a diorama that rests on my bookcase. Since then I got a third part model of this same structure which should have been a side attachment to the AHM fire hall kit I covered last year...not sure what will become of these parts yet...George Dutka

The basic structure. The weathering will be toned down shortly. Today I do it totally different, not sure if better but I find it very simple.

The base is cut and some details laid out. The tires and box is a Bar Mills detail.

I added some signs to the structure and also a lean-to made from what was once the front awning.

The box on the side is a Bar Mills detail. Some ground foam, static grass and real dirt are used to finish the scene. I dug deep into my details box to find as many different tires as possible.

The base has scribe lines added, then painted a gray concrete colouring. A lot of my extra details are included in this diorama. One can see all the different tires laying around. The roof has a few pigeons included. Note the lean-to that is the front awning and a couple pieces of scrap lumber.

The rear wall. The tire pile is a neat detail that I wished I got more of from Bar Mills. There are a few different styles of tire piles in the package and they all have been used around the layout. The pigeons are from BEST and some junk is added to the roof such as license plates, signs and boards.

Newspapers are found all around the garage and are photocopies of FOS offerings in their kits. I added a smoke stack from my parts box and a dog. Note how thick the roof material is. In future projects I will change this out. I liked the texture of what one sees, but I have some better ideas to try out on a future garage.

The structure has a variety of signs from different model manufactures. Many are from RailroadKITS.

Wordless Wednesday No. 328

Peel Ice & Fuel - Brampton, Ontario

April 20, 2018

I found this smaller ice house on the ex-CP line to Orangeville, Ont. just south of the diamond with the CN in Brampton, Ont. I thought it was kind of a neat little structure that one can model quite easily...George Dutka

B&M Yard Office - Green Mountain Route

Don just installed a new train order office at the end of the WRJ yard. It is at the junction where the mainline splits behind WRJ Yard. It used to be the WRJ yard office on his old layout.  It really fits nicely between the mainline and yard lead. Don Janes photo.

Don sent me these views of his old B&M yard office that has been added to his White River Jct. yard. The model if actually from his old layout being repurposed, and I think he has done a great job of it...George Dutka

The structure is an American Model Builders laser kit. The train order signal was scratch-built. The arms are some Don cast from a South River Model Works part. The little shack beside it is just a little plastic kit Don had laying around. Don Janes photos.

Don has done a nice job pulling up some of the boards and the roof looks great. Don Janes photo.

This view is from Don's old layout. I took it with my old pocket camera during a visit in December 2008.

Switching of Seasons

The WRD is now in the 1980's

I am in the process of changing seasons on the layout...it is starting to look a lot more like the 1980's for this summer on the WRD.

Next week is all about structures model and prototype...George Dutka

A CP NB heads through the countryside on the WRD.

Seen in a recent post, Guilford no. 691 is my newest addition to my contemporary fleet. Arriving in the mid-1980's, it is put to work right away.

A Vermont Ry. local rolls by the Danby, Vt. coal dealer.

Canadian National Boxcar Weathering

A Sylvan kit built and weathered by Ryan.

Ryan Mendell recently posted on Resin Car Works Blog how he weathered a Sylvan CN boxcar. It is very interesting and might be worth checking out...link below...George Dutka

Canadian National boxcar weathering

 Resin Car Works Blog HO scale freight car builds

Check out Ryan's web site for his new model railroad offerings...he has a cool new tool.

  www.nationalscalecar.com

Guilford (B&M) - Athearn SD-39

WRD just added more power to it's late 1980's or early 1990's era fleet.

I recently picked up a Guilford Ry. engine for my summertime fleet. Peter's B&M engine has been returned for annual service maintenance and could return at a later date if a power shortage arises. To move my era forward I added an Athearn SD-39 to my roster. It is a Economi DCC and sound unit. It runs and sounds great and being on sale within my budget...George Dutka

My model rests on a book photo ( Guilford 5 years of change ) of #691  in 1987 still in an all black scheme. The engine is ex-N&W, nee Illinois Terminal.

My engine rests on a photo of B&M 692 in new paint. Guilford picked up engines 690-692 in 1985 from Illinois Terminal.

B&M 691 is seen in the White River Jct. yard. It is pretty new looking at the moment, but will get some fading and rusting spots shortly.

CARM - SuperMeet 2019

The CARM convention is not too far off.  I thought I should mention this event happening in my area. This years CARM meet is in the London - St. Thomas area over the May long weekend, May 17-19th. More on this can be found on the CARM website or at the link below. Unfortunately being the long weekend our family gathers at the lake between our boat our children's cottage and trailer, (our kids are all in the same area so we travel between locations) so I will not be attending...George Dutka

www.forestcityrails2019.com

GMD Recollections - B Unit Bonanza

ATSF GP60B units are on delivery at CP Quebec St yard in London on August 23/91.

By Peter Mumby.

The CP shop track in London, Ontario played host to this bevy of B units on August 23, 1991.  Identifiable are ATSF 345, 343, and 344.  The unit at the far end of the row will have to remain nameless.

Wordless Wednesday No. 327