Framingham, Ma 1969

On the B&A one sees leased BAR power in use during 5-1969 Framingham, Ma.

 A couple of slide views from the George Melvin collection from 1969. I am not sure if he took the photos as the photographer is not marked on these two...George Dutka 

B&A train #590 during 5-69 in Framingham, Ma., George Melvin photo or from his collection.

Bruce Douglas - St J's

Bruce Douglas has a small display of his St. J's power and caboose on his work bench. These are models he built in the early 1980's using what was available. Although he does not model trains these days (S scale trucks) he does have another St. J engine on the go. At one time he had a layout modeling Northern Vermont. Bruce along with Gord Taylor used to make annual trips to the Northern Vermont area, but due to age, health issues and Gord's passing Bruce has not been to Vermont since the 1990's...George Dutka 

Bruce tried to get the colours as close to the prototype. His brother mixed up Floquil caboose red with a bit of orange.

Visiting St. Marys, Ontario

Looking east towards the St. Marys Jct. station. Oct. 14 2020

On Wednesday I made a trip to Stratford for a short and social distance visit with my friend Bruce Douglas. On my way home I stopped in St. Marys were two CN stations remain. One is used as a VIA stop and houses an art gallery and clock shop. It is in very good shape. The other is at St. Marys Jct. a location were the CN Forest Sub once joined the Thorndale Sub. This route took one to Sarnia via Granton, Parkhill and Thedford. The station has been fenced off for decades. I had not visited this location since 1992 making a return visit anticipated. The station is now under renovation with fencing removed from three sides. I believe it will become a micro brewery. The GTW caboose alongside might be a future ice cream shop. The area is really built up since my last visit with a subdivision a short distance away. I nice park across the road and a dog park right next door...George Dutka

A new steel roof has been added to the Jct station. The fence is mostly down and it appears services are being run to the structure.

The caboose on display on site may become a business also.

The St. Marys VIA station with the limestone base water tank in the background makes for great photos. The long trestle is found behind me.

Roadside view notes an art gallery and clock shop are located inside the station.

I was really surprised to find the CN-GEXR yard almost empty. It is a larger yard and had been used for car storage for years. I believe many of the tracks had been upgraded.

The Back Alley

Another look at my back alley scene. Here we see the boys playing summer ball out back of the rooming house and next to the local liquor packing house. These two buildings are leftover pieces from my parts box with no front walls at the moment....more to follow...George Dutka   

Blue at Westboro

 Seems like the era has changed with a lot of B&M blue on the shop track...George Dutka   

Throwback Thursday - Know Your GEMs

CN GR-17 number 4506 was resting in the Rectory St. shop area in London, Ontario early in 1988.

By Peter Mumby

Most railways group similar locomotives together by number series and class.  The system of classifying diesels evolved as various models were acquired and evaluated.  CN developed its classification system according to manufacturer, type of unit, and horsepower.

                                                                                                              The first letter in the class designation referred to the manufacturer.

G - the unit was manufactured by General Motors Diesel (or EMD in the US).

E - the unit was manufactured by General Electric.

M - the unit was manufactured by Montreal Locomotive Works or its successor, Bombardier.  Locomotives built by ALCO in the US were also designated by an M.

The second letter indicated the type of unit such as

R - roadswitcher; P - passenger; and S - switcher.

The digits indicated horsepower in hundreds.

Additional lower case letters indicated the order in which particular sub-groups were received.  Originally there was no indication of the number of axels, probably because a default of 4 axels was assumed.  In more recent times, the digit "6" has been added to the classification of modern six-axel power.  The CN classification system also applied to locomotives of GT, CV, and DWP. 

Here are the classifications of the three locomotives in today's photos:

CN 4506 is classed as GR-17h, meaning General Motors, roadswitcher, 1700 hp, and a member of the eighth group of these units acquired.

CN 3688 is classed as MR-18c, meaning MLW, roadswitcher, 1800 hp, and a member of the third group acquired.

CN 2514 is classed as EF-644a, meaning General Electric, freight, 6 axels, 4400 horsepower, and a member of the first group of these units.

It is interesting that, under the CN classification system, different looking locomotives could be in the same class.  For example, both the SW-1200 RS and the 4-axel GMD-1 were GR-12 units.

CN MR-18 number 3688 was teamed up with 3738 and 4530 at Windsor on June 14, 1986.

CN DASH 9-44CWL number 2514 leads 5780 through downtown London.

Wordless Wednesday No. 395

 

Inspection Train to Sarnia

A passenger extra headed to Sarnia out of the London, Ont. station with me as part of the train crew. I remember walking aboard the engine to talk to the engineman. The cab was so clean you could eat off the floor. When CN's VP is aboard all is first class.

I think Peter passed this photo along to me taken by our friend, CN employee and railfan Chris Martin. Chris at one time worked in the engineering department in the London CN tower. He than had access to get shots of anything out of the ordinary. On this occasion I was working the tail end spare board and was called for this passenger extra running from London to Sarnia and return. I was either the conductor or brakeman. My father in law our areas Master Mechanic was also on board to ride the head end. I don't recall who was all on board but it was high up CN brass...I believe the VP was the most senior official. Anyhow the run went well. Once the group de-trained at the Sarnia station we wyed the train and headed back to London. It was a long time ago and don't remember all the details...George Dutka     

Happy Thanksgiving

My workbench last winter when I was assembling a FOS free kit. I will cover this one shortly.

If you live in Canada as I do, Happy Thanksgiving. This is a this and that of what I have learned or done...as one can see not to productive yet. I have yet to get much modeling started. The Bellows Falls yard is dusted, cars added and track cleaned, so part of the layout is ready to go. I also accomplished a small weathering job for my friend Gary Crowther of a Menard's model. Was nice to get a close view of an offering from Menard's. I have two FOS kits of the month ready to work on that will fit into my Bellows Falls scene. My photos tell the rest of what's up...George Dutka

Tichy sent out an e-mail of additions to their decal line. This CV one will come in handy for car lettering such as a couple of CV hoppers that are about ready for lettering and numbering.

I had not realized that Milton Co-op creamery in Vermont had their own leased milk cars. I think this is a car I might build this winter. I have an undercoated model which I got from Don.

Here is a view of Ken Karlewicz and his great New England Oct. 2020 Railfan article. If you get to see Ken give a clinic you won't be dissapointed. He regularly attends the NERPM.

Although this sign is a bit out of focus it could work for a station sign.

FOS has a new feature kit which included this nice block building. I wish manufactures would offer more block buildings.

On my spring run up to Palmerston I came across this garage with a motorcycle mounted above the door. It might have been a shop at one time. Something to add to a building maybe.

 

My friend Gary Pembleton took down his N scale layout last winter. He was not planning at rebuilding it and offered the structures that I built for him to me, thanks Gary. Here is the view of the box of structures. I plan to build a second N scale diorama that will connect with the ones Peter and I built at some point...maybe I will get started this winter.

This past spring Trains offered this interesting special issue for the 1940's. The article that caught my attention was a Phil Hasting feature on the St. J.

Here we see a Menard's structure that I weathered a bit for Gary Crowther. The shingles got some highlights while the signs are rusted up. It is a wooden assembled kit with many plastic parts.

On the flat roof the metal seams are rusted up, some pigeons are added and some patches and boards.

B&M 3806

 

B&M 3806 on train 246 in Portsmouth, NH nearing Doer St. One of the views I purchased from George Melvin.   

White River Division Milk Run at Fairlee

The ball signal is being set to let the milk run cross the Bellows Crossing Diamond.

This is a view I took with my Canon pocket camera some time ago. I just set the camera on the tracks. CN 6767 is the power of the day and a Rapido model. At the time of the photo my Fairlee freight house was in use at this location. My B&M Alco is an Atlas model that will switch out the propane cars in town...George Dutka  

A Barn Diorama

The barn used in the scene is an Alder models kit. Much of the details are Juneco.

When I rebuilt my WRJ yard a barn and pumpkin patch had to be removed. I cut it out carefully mounting the scene on a piece of Gatorfoam for future use and displays. It has worked well for photo ops also. Check out the Nov. 2020 RMC to see what I am talking about...George Dutka 

It took me sometime to track down a producer of pumpkins in HO scale. This group of photos focus up close at the patch.

The figures are from Woodland Scenic and the fence is scratch-built.

Throwback Thursday - H.B.Bowen

Sleeper H.B. Bowen was a part of the consist of the "Empress" steam train as it worked its way toward Montreal in the summer of 2004.  It was photographed at Smiths Falls, Ontario, on May 28.

By Peter Mumby

Henry Blaine Bowen was Chief of Motive Power and Rolling Stock for Canadian Pacific Railway from September of 1928 until May 1949.  It was during his tenure that some of the most iconic CP steam locomotives - Hudsons, Jubilees, and Selkirks - were designed and constructed.  It was most appropriate, then, that when CP was assembling a consist for its "4-6-4 2816 Empress" display train, a piece of rolling stock should be named in his honour.

If you look carefully at the lower right side of this car, you will note the reporting mark and number BCOL 1711.  This piece of equipment actually belonged to BC Rail and was on lease to CP.  Named "Caulfield" it had been briefly used on the "Whistler Northwind" excursion train until that service was annulled in 2002.  The car had originally been constructed as CN "Enfield" in 1954. 

Wordless Wednesday No. 394

 

  Gord Taylor photo no date. 

TH&B Covered Hoppers

A view from 1956

 A few TH&B builders view from the Bob Bowes collection...George Dutka   

1956

1956

A view from 1980

The BAR arrives on the WRD

 

A pair of BAR geeps head past the pumpkin patch during this 2013 photo shoot.

Peter on our past Monday get-together's that have not happened in about 7 months now would on occasion bring over some rolling stock or engines...kind of a show and tell. On this occasion it was the BAR fleet that arrived...George Dutka 

This barn scene was removed later in the year to make way for the WRJ yard.

B&A - Framingham

A derailment in Framingham, Ma. 5-2-1969. Photo is marked as Richard B. Gassett from the George Melvin collection. Kind of neat to get a look down at the roofs of 1969 boxcars and a wire load.

I recently scanned a few slide for Peter Mumby and at the same time scanned a few slides from the 1960's through 1980's I purchased from George Melvin at the NERPM. Not sure which have been taken by George, but some are marked as other photographers. There actually are 200 slides in the group and for $10 I though was a great value. I will keep scanning the collection...posting them from time to time...George Dutka 

OSR at St. Thomas

Peter are you about done, I need my photos while the sun is out...just kidding.

Brian Smith called me on Wednesday morning to confirm that the string of OSR power had arrived in St. Thomas overnight. 584 had brought them over. Here in London at the time it was raining. St. Thomas 30 minutes away Brian tells me it is part sun and clouds, no rain. A quick call to Peter Mumby and we met up at the CN yard to check out the OSR motive power fleet up close. It was great, more sun than clouds...at least while we took our shots. Not long after we were finished it really clouded over and a few sprinkles had arrived. St. Thomas yard can be a great place to get a good look at equipment. Security is minimal at least for the time being...George Dutka

OSR caboose bringing up the rear.

Peter and I walked the whole line getting some great sunny views of each unit.

As in the first view the best location to get an overall view of the fleet was from the old St. Thomas loading dock. One wonders how many of these will remain in the OSR fleet.