Before and After

by Keith MacCauley 

GP38 C&O 3890, an early example of the angular four motor unit, was delivered from EMD in December of 1967. Introduced in 1965, with production starting in January of 1966, EMD’s GP38 and companion GP38-2 would prove to be popular, long serving locomotives. Numerous examples are still in service, some serving past the half century mark. C&O 3890 would be renumbered CSXT 2090 prior to being retired and removed from the roster. Post Chessie life the venerable unit would be rebuilt for commuter service as GP40-2H CDOT 6697, perhaps still active. Chessie would have paid duty on 3890 in order to permit operation in Canada. No doubt operating crews would have preferred the weather in Richmond Virginia, located some six hundred miles southeast, then that of London Ontario.

Wordless Wednesday 645

 

  

Small Old Barn

A neat old bard that is worthy of modeling. Jim Sloan photos.

A message from Jim Sloan that I thought you like to see...George Dutka  

I saw your blog (as always) today and liked some of your barn pictures.  There's a small old barn on Hwy 22 just east of Sarnia that I've been having an eye on every time I go past for a few years. You may very well have seen it yourself anyway, but here's a couple of pictures you might like from last October. South side first, south and east side is 2nd, south and west side is 3rd.

Rotterdam Junction - Map

Note the turntable is found off the industrial spur lead.

This is a Facebook find of a B&M diagram of the tracks located in Rotterdam Jct. The revised date is 1979, a neat item to see...George Dutka  

The following is from Dean Splittgerber regarding the turntable at the far end of the spur track. He sent me the satellite image that shows the outline of turntable filled in at the very end of the plant. 

"I had a distant uncle that worked in the junction at what the old folks called the varnish works. He said there was a turntable there and so did Steve Myers who is a B&M railfan from the 70’s and early 80’s. The problem is the turntable would have been inside the plant which was always off limits."

One can see the outline of the turntable in the center of this image. It is filled in with either asphalt or concrete.

Rockingham - 1966

 

Another view of Rockingham Jct. which as one can see on the sign just reads Rockingham which it was called. We see the B&M phone box is now on the ground and not in use in 1966 and the freight house still had the Rockingham sign also above the middle door. Note the power in the background on the connecting track between subdivisions. I had posted other views of this location last week if you want to check back. Thanks Dane HG Malcolm for letting me post this great view of Rockingham...George Dutka   

MEC Pulpwood Car

I picked up this second hand gondola from Broughdale Hobbies this past winter that looked a lot like the model that I purchased. An Ertl low sided gondola or a F&C kit would be the correct model for this project. I am looking for one of these cars to built a correct version of the MEC car. 

I purchased a MEC car at Springfield this year that was custom built. I normally don't spend money on these type of items but it looked really good and I thought I could build my own copying what was done. Mine was going to be an empty car with the wood board flooring. Well here is my start. I have finished the car and will show you more photos shortly...George Dutka. 

The ladders and grabs are shaved off and trucks and couplers removed. Steel wheels will be added.

Next came cutting the sides down as seen here. It was a mix of razor sawing and chipping away with a hobby knife. The floor or new deck will then be sanded down a bit.

Throwback Thursday

by Keith MacCauley

M-630 BCOL 722 was delivered from Montreal Locomotive Works (MLW) in December of 1972, the last of a group of nine; BCOL 714 – BCOL 722. Among the first locomotives acquired by the newly renamed ‘British Columbia Railway’ (formerly Pacific Great Eastern Railway) No. 722 would be the last standard cab six axle MLW supplied to the railway. Subsequent six motor units from MLW (BCOL 723 – BCOL 730) would be equipped with so called ‘Safety’ cabs and known as M-630 (W)’s. While British Columbia Railway (later BC Rail) was an ardent MLW supporter, BCOL 730 would be the last six axle unit supplied by the builder. In 1990, after only eighteen years of service, BCOL 722 would be retired and sold to GE. This timing would coincide with GE supplying the first six axle Dash 8-40CM’s; BCOL 4601 – BCOL 4622. GE would subsequently convey the big MLW and several of her sisters to Mexico where they would toil for N de M/FNM for several years. 

Wordless Wednesday No. 644

 

   

WRJ B&M Yard

 

B&M 1505 enters the B&M WRJ yard on a snowy day during 1968. Dane HG Malcolm photo.

Dane Malcolm allowed me to post his photo of the B&M entering the yard at WRJ. Above the yard looks pretty full as the train is on the last pull through track east of the main line. Did not know there was a structure across the main track from the yard office, interesting. A second view gives one an overall view of the yard in 1966....George Dutka

WRJ 1971

Paint Brushes

I have been using these brushes for a bit now. I actually purchased a second set of three. I got mine at the hobby shop in Paris, Ontario which is closing next month.

I had shown you these brushes sometime ago. Well I have been using them regularly and I really like how they apply my paints. The fine tips make it really good for small details and acrylic weathering on freight cars. They keep their shape too after a number of washings...George Dutka  

I used these Red Sable brushes for the finer detailing on the roof and sides of  my Walthers kit. As you can see in the photo I have some AK gouache that I will tell you about shortly.

Old Structures

On my way to the lake one of the barns with a lot of neat openings and a new metal roof. Aug 18, 2025

What is it about old structures from yesterday? They seem to sparks our imagination, creating visions of what once was, how they were built, maybe a bit about the pride of the people who built them and worked the farms and fields surrounding them. Do you notice the background things? Now to model some of these neat looking structures. All photos are from 2025...George Dutka

A barn along hwy. 3 near Aylmer, Ont.

Note the vines on the end of the structure.

Not all the boards are still attached.

Another barn I pass on Hwy 3 on a regular basis is way past its prime.

As you see in the photo above lots if failing on the structure and something one can model.

This barn can be found near the OSR shops in Salford. No paint is seen and the roof is quite weathered.

Flag Stops

If you read RMC you would have seen my Perspective piece on flag stops this month. Next month in RMC you will see some views of my models. Anyhow here is a view of two B&M flag stop structures I use on my layout...George Dutka 

Arlington, Vt.

by Bill Badger

I was measuring Arlington station and suddenly realized there were some interesting lumber yard structures. No measurements made, just photos.

I'm not trying to document plain buildings, just capturing the look. I had to loose about 1/3 of the big warehouse and thanks to Glenn's nagging I loosened the facia and bowed it out about 3/4" to leave room for trucks at the loading dock. 

I've been saving pad backs for years and now I get to use them. Rattle can red paint and they are good to go, at least until I build the real model. 

Wordless Wednesday No. 643

 

     

Labor Day!

 

From Facebook today.

Dwight Smith

Dwight A. Smith, age 100, of Tilton, N.H., passed away Aug. 8, 2025, at the New Hampshire Veterans Home with his loving family by his side.  

Dwight was employed by the Boston and Maine Railroad from 1947-55 in Boston, then in Concord, N.H. From 1956-59, he served as general manager of the Springfield Terminal Railroad and Cheshire Bridge Corp in Springfield, Vt. He returned to the Boston and Maine Railroad as Regional Sales Manager in Portland, ME from 1960 to 1972.

In 1973, Dwight moved his family to Conway, NH where he co-founded and managed the Conway Scenic Railroad (CSRR) from its inception in 1974 until his retirement in 1990. Steam locomotive number 7470 was formally named Dwight Smith by the CSRR in August of 2019.

Dwight started taking photos of trains in his teenage years and thanks to Bill Willis, his amazing collection lives on in the Dwight Smith Photo Collection on Facebook. In 2020, Dwight moved to the New Hampshire Veterans Home in Tilton, NH.

From the Dwight Smith Facebook page. No other details.

B&M - Rockingham

B&M 1572-1575 cross the diamond on Oct. 25, 1967. It is not often one see the back of the frt. shed. I had modeled the roof a charcoal tone which I see is a lighter grey here in this view. Guess I best pull out my PanPastels again. The freight house was torn down in the mid-2000's.

I want to thank Ted Houghton for allowing me to post his photos of Rockingham. Ted was quite fortunate to catch action on his visits and on one occasion two train at the diamond at the same time. I have visited this location once in 2016 with Don Janes. It does not look anything like what we see in these views.

This location can be easily modeled with kits of both B&M structures available from BEST models. I have already built the freight shed, now to track down the station. I am not sure how I will display them once completed. Maybe a diorama or maybe included on the layout...George Dutka  

Two trains at Rockingham B&M 1572-1575 and B&M 1566 on Oct 25, 1967. Photo by Ted Houghton

C-9 with B&M 1571-1572 Dec 18, 1967 Photo by Ted Houghton.

D-6 with B&M 1566 on Oct, 25, 1967. Ted Houghton photo.

Rapido NH Trailer

My completed trailer with only light weathering applied.

A few months ago I purchased a Rapido NH Trailer. I gave it a coat of flat finish then applied some AK and PanPastels. Think it turned out well...George Dutka   

AK gouache grime an acrylic weathering paste was also used.

The completed trailer in use on the WRD.

I used a light wash of Tamiya panel liner on the side ribs.

Model Hobby Businesses Closing in Canada

This post is directed at our Canadian Modelers. Here in Southwestern Ontario we have two model train business closing. Paris Junction Hobbies at the end of October and Yarmouth Model Works which has already closed. Other Canadian model railroad business such as Otter Valley and ITLA are currently not shipping to the US which will really effect their business. This trade war is a nasty thing that probably will not go away till maybe the next election at best. Our hobby on both sides of the borders are being effected.

I think as a Canadian modeler we best look at supporting our Canadian modeling business so they can stay afloat till better times arrive once again. Maybe buy a laser structure kit for a change and give it a try, or a model car or truck that you always through of building. Maybe a piece of rolling stock and some weathering powders to play with. Don't forget MiniPrints they have a lot of neat 3-D printed goodies that can change the look of your layouts...George Dutka

Paris Junction has been around for 20 years. The owner could not find a buyer and plans to retire. Don and I stopped in there about a month ago and I know he was frustrated with shipping to and from the US. Getting books and magazines over the border adds a lot to the price modelers have to pay on a monthly basis. 

Pierre has shut down his rolling stock kit business which had a very good following in the US.

Wordless Wednesday No. 642