The Back Alley - Modeling Something Different

A building flat that looks a lot like one might find on the wrong side of the tracks.

I did something different two weeks ago and it only took about 4-5 hours total. I took a building flat someone started (and I got for a buck at a local train show) and modeled a building rear...three seedy businesses in one...a tattoo shop, burlesque side door business and a scrap metal dealer specializing in maybe not so legal metal finds. I was not sure what this structure was going to be at first other than the L J Kingsley Co. building (sign from an old MR). I used this sign emulating the original owner. 

The structure has ITLA parts, broken plastic glass, window wire mesh, Bar Mill and FOS signs, Roomettes plywood closures and spray-bomb paint, PanPastels and AK stains. I think it turned out better than I had expected considering there was no window castings or doors to begin. This of course being a building flat, the strip club can only hires flat chested girls...sorry guys.

Now to build the rest of the building flats for a seedy back alley scene. I am going to use Jim Sloan's layered paper mock-up he did for me using my photo of a closed structure in Brucefield along with a few other structure scraps I have on hand. This I hope to use as a background when I photograph some of my rust buckets and other modern era models...George Dutka

This is what I began with.

Some Walthers goo is used to secure the walls. I made a new styrene roof and floor. A back wall will also be added.

The heritage of the structure will be this sign that is being weathered with PanPastel blender. The back is sanded down to thin it down a bit. A heavy coat of glue is applied and the sign is pressed well to the brick.

Most of the paints and powders used on this project is seen here. The walls are originally coloured with a spray bomb coat of auto body primer from Princess Auto.

The signs are a mix of BarMills, FOS and Roomettes card-stock. I used Roomette plywood to board up the windows from behind. Some of the windows are seen with broken glass, one has a wire mesh over the opening. The doors are also made from Roomette materials. The big door is to Bull's salvage while the regular door is to a tattoo parlor.

The side door is the main entrance to the burlesque side door business. The signs are from FOS.

Throwback Thursday - The Other White River

On September 11, 2002, Via 6205 is about to lead train 186 east out of White River towards Sudbury.

By Peter Mumby.

To date, the year 2020 has not been kind to Via Rail Canada.  First came the rail blockades by pipeline protestors which resulted in the cancellation of scores of scheduled trains.  Now the global pandemic has severely impacted public transportation, resulting in a 50% reduction in trains in the busy Quebec City to Windsor corridor.  Unaffected, however, are the regional services in northern Quebec, Ontario, and Manitoba.  These involve routes through sparsely populated areas where few alternatives to rail transportation exist.  The equipment in today's photograph operates on CP's Cartier, Nemegos, and White River Subdivisions as Via trains 185 and 186 between Sudbury and White River, Ontario.

Via 6205 was assembled by Canadian Car and Foundry in May of 1958 as CN D205.  This RDC-2 later became CN 6205 before being passed on to Via.  At the time of this photo its maintenance was being handled by NRE in Capreol. 

The photo was taken on September 11, 2002, shortly before train 186 was scheduled to depart for Sudbury at 09:30.  A group of fishermen have already loaded their cases of beer and other provisions in the baggage section.  A canoe and several replacement windows to be delivered to a remote camp had been slid into place a half hour earlier.  If people were bound for Franz, Woman River, or Biscotasing, this train was the only way to get there.  Station stops in this remote area north of Lake Superior often were made at the end of a pathway leading into the bush.  If meets with transcontinental CP freights were made in a timely fashion, the Budd cars should arrive in Sudbury at 19:00.

Wordless Wednesday No. 368

Brian Smith layout and GTW Boxcar

A view on one side of the scenic divider on Brian Smith's layout.

Last Friday Peter and I visited Brian to deliver the motorcycle shop. Brian has come a long way with his layout. It is now operational with scenery and structures beginning to be set in place. While viewing the layout there was a really nice GTW boxcar modeled with doors open. This car was built by Jim Sloan who then sold it to Brian. A really nice addition to his fleet...George Dutka

Jim Sloan modeled this GTW boxcar with it's doors open. There is a lot of details inside including wall scratches added. One can see banding wire hanging down from the door opening sides...a really nice touch.

The boxcar roof is nicely weathered.

The interior scratches and bands can be viewed here.

Brian sent me this photo of the motorcycle shop with more bikers in the scene.

H.P. Hood & Sons - Milk Car Model

A new addition to my milk car fleet, a wooden can car from F&C.

At the Kitchener train show last weekend I purchased this F&C kit already built. There are still a few models left from the late Bob Bowes. This is the last milk car which he built. I do have too many milk cars already but at a reduced price of $10 I decided to add it to my collection. It was originally priced at $25 last year when his collection went up for sale. I was not sure at first if it was numbered or lettered correctly although I know Bob built his models using prototype photos. I could not find any record of 822.

H.P. Hood's used 40' milk cars leased from GPEX numbered in the 807-849 series. Cars known through photo evidence are 807,808,809,811,813,814,815,817,818,823 and 824.

I began by clipping the pins on the Kadee couplers then painted acrylic cinnamon brown. It took two coats of flat finish from a spray bomb to dull the surface. I then used PanPastel raw umber shade along the bottom edges and end along with the roof walkway. I very light coat of PanPastel blender was used over the entire car...George Dutka

The F&C as it appears when I got home from last Sunday's train show.

My model placed by the prototype picture from 1952. This is in Railway Milk Cars Vol. 2 by Robert Liljestrand and John Nehrich.

Last Sunday

I am getting started on my next FOS project. I brought along a few of my models as displays. Peter Mumby photo.

Peter Mumby and I attended the Kitchener, Ontario train show working the WOD-NFR Craftsman Corner. Peter was working on some PanPastel weathering of covered hoppers while I began another FOS kit of the month project.

With such a large crowd the COVID-19 was on our mind. I washed my hands and used sanitizer more times than I ever have in the past at shows. Little did we know this would be the last model railroad event for us this season. It appears most railroad event are cancelling. There are still a couple of events this spring to respond.

Our friend Jeff Grove of Railway City Hobbies had a large estate collection of rolling stock at the show that we spent too much time looking at. Both Peter and I came home with some really nice modern era rolling stock...some which was nicely weathered and detailed...George Dutka

Peter working on his fleet of covered hoppers.

Clare Gilbert of Sylvan Scale Models shows off some of his new vehicles to John and Steve at the WOD booth. One can see three of our group working at the workshop in the distance. They are  Roger Chrysler, Pat Rivard and Peter Mumby at the far end.

This is one of the models I picked up, a GTW Athearn boxcar that really was faded down nicely.

Both sides are different, one side is fairly clean of graffiti while the other side is messed up. All the graffiti is hand drawn, not decals.

This needed a second look!

If you can't find a boxcar to put your graffiti on why not just paint your own boxcar on a wall.

While checking out the CP yard and a quick trip over Quebec St. to get a closer look at the locomotives on Monday I came to a quick stop when I saw this graffiti on a warehouse wall. Its not often one sees graffiti painted on a wall over top a mural of a Railbox boxcar. Kind of neat. When I checked out the building it turned out this is the rear wall of an art shop...George Dutka

An overall view of the parking lot.

Paris, Ontario - Layout Tour is now Cancelled

I am wondering if this modeling season is about over for attending events.

National Scale Car - CP Boxcar

My finished NSC mini-kit ready for use in my contemporary fleet.

This is kind of a different project for me. I purchased two boxcar mini-kits from Ryan Mendell, a CN and CPR version. Both are basically the same other than the decal. What one gets is the ability to construct a proper CN or CPR car. I began with the CPR model. I used a Branchline Yardmaster series kit to begin with which worked out really well. Peter Mumby and I are working on one each during our Monday workshops. Peter is doing the CPR car using a Branchline model and I am working on a CNR mini-kit using an InterMountain model...George Dutka

 www.nationalscalecar.com

The NSC parts including the CPR decals.

Here is what one gets in the CPR mini-kit and the Branchline yardmaster series boxcar I began with. I also had to change out the roofing which I believe is a Front Range roof from my box of freight car leftovers. The roof was a very good fit without issues.

The Branchline under frame with the NCS mini-kit. There are under body details included in the kit which I applied to my model.

The ladder is cut off and sanded, new door added and ends. The Front Range roof fit snug without issues. I did leave the molded on grabs on the side to remind me this is a Branchline model. I think they are the best looking molded grabs I have seen.

Rapido Steel wheels are added to the trucks, Kadee couplers are set at the right height. The proper ladders are included and tack boards are on the ends. The roof for the CP 140950-141699 series has a diagonal panel roofing. The boxcar paint used is an auto body primer from a spray bomb.

One door is modeled closed while the other is part way open. The two stirrups are ones that one needs to bend. One needs two and there are extras. I did break my first attempt but the next two are good. I did add a bit of glue to the bend joints to better strengthen. The brake wheel is a Kadee part.

The decals are included with the kit. I followed the locations of ACI label and wheel inspection symbol found in photos from the 1980's. I have a group of chalk mark decals for the New England area which I also applied. After a flat finish is applied PanPastel powders are applied lightly to the center of the panels. AK pencil gun metal is rubbed over the seams also.

Air hose bags are applied to each end. I also bend uncoupling levers. I added tack board labels to both doors.

Throwback Thursday - Overview From the Overpass

This photo of Ontario Northland SD40-2 units 1732 and 1731 was taken in North Bay, Ontario on July 09, 1984.

By Peter Mumby.

Modellers really appreciate overhead views of locomotives and rolling stock.  In this shot of Ontario Northland units 1732/1731, you get a clear view of nose and roof colours and weathering.  A wealth of details are apparent on the 1732, including awnings, marker lights, and ditch lights.  Bell, horn, and antenna locations are clearly visible.  Note the double vertical rear light on the 1731, with the red light in the lower position.  A winter window appears on the engineer's side of the cab.

Wordless Wednesday No. 367

Motorcycle Repair Shop

I used my Motorcycle Roomettes interiors kit on this model. The sign out front and the interior inside the open door are part of that kit. The front of the structure is a motorcycle store while the rear is another business which repairs bikes.

My friend Brian Smith asked if I could finish off his bike shop. He had done most of the construction. The roof needed doing or redoing and details and weathering updated. It is a JL Innovative Design kit that I believe is now discontinued. I don't normally take on any other projects as I have a lot to work on of my own. This kit kind of looked like a nice change of pace and I had it done in about a week while working on other projects...George Dutka

This was the photo Brian sent me when he asked if I was interested in finishing off his kit. Brian is a biker so he really wanted a good looking shop on his layout which put some pressure on me to get it right.

Here is what showed up on my workbench. The roof was removed and replaced, the front awning was replaced and more bracing to the interior was added.

Brian had done a pretty good job weathering up the walls but I though it was too bland being all gray. I added a bit of yellow-gold chalk to the walls which brightens things up a bit. The two new awnings are made for FOS paper corrugated siding. AK and Vallejo stains are used. The trim and windows got a coating of green. I could not pull the windows out so they are carefully painted in place. Some top trim was added to the false front wall before painting.

I went to an Indian Motorcycle shop to get some information and possibly something that could turn into signs. The logo from a business card worked well on the fence and the Indian head became a sign on the rear wall.

The roof is  heavy stock styrene then covered with construction paper coloured and weathered to become the roofing. The door is cut and modeled open. Woodland Scenic fencing is used. Two bikes are included and are from Woodland Scenic while the chopper Brian supplied from his stock. Gatorfoam is the base. Some Tichy barrels and hammers, Juneco garbage can,  F&C blocks some boards and newspapers add to the scene. I decided to mount a roof sign on this side and two smoke stacks on the other.

Inside the door I used a Roomette's motorcycle interior. It is not an exact fit but with some cutting and bending it worked out OK. The toolbox bench in the left corner is a locomotive battery box repurposed.

The biked began with a coat of Princess Auto Cast Iron than some silver, and tan paint is applied. The headlight got a dab of white and the seat a tan chalk coating. This bike sure needs some repairs as oil is dripping onto Brian's nice concrete pad. This was done with AK fuel oil.

Each side has some sort of motorcycle signage. The rear also got some rubbish leaning against the wall.

The Harley sign is a photocopy from a sign in a NMRA magazine article I posted about a couple of months ago. Wire is added to one window, some signs from my stockpile and license plates and so on add to the clutter around the door. Note some more oil stains are found in front of the bike and also around the bottom of the barrel.

A meeting of the minds.

The gang, Robin on the left and on the right is Clare Gilbert from Sylvan Scale Models, Glen Annis, Bill Badger, Andy Greenlees and Ian Stronach. Some of the gang is hidden.

The Friday of Springfield a gang of 10 gathered at the W. Springfield Outback. This is an annual thing for whoever can make it. There was seven of us from Canada, two from the US and one from England. At the end of the evening Robin from England stood up and said since there are 8 of us from the commonwealth maybe we should toast the Queen. There is a first time for everything...George Dutka

At the other end of the table hidden in the photo above is on the right Peter Mumby, Derek Osborn of Osborn Models and his wife. Of course you can't see me as I am hiding behind the lens. On the left once again is Ian Stronach, Andy Greenlees and Bill Badger waving.

Old CNR Station - Ottawa

The roadside view of the main entrance.

I had been to Ottawa before but this January was my first visit to downtown. I spent one day walking around the parliament buildings, and market area. One of the building I passed was once the train station. It is currently being used by the Canadian Senate while their building is being refurbished...George Dutka.

A view from when the station was new.

On the canal side of the station there is a big drop to were the tracks once were.