Bellows Falls Joint Freight House

The Bellows Falls freight house on the WRD. I took these photos with my phone recently.

A few more views of my Bellows Falls frt house which was built by Don Janes for his past layout. I did add a bit of PanPastel weathering to the structure and of course a lot of dock details...George Dutka   

Looking up close the Campbells shingles look like a really worn roof with a lot of them lifted. It has been a long time since I last installed their shingles on a structure. At one time they were the norm on our projects.

I folded up a couple of cardstock Canadian stores crates. The Simpson's crate is from here, London, Ontario where the company began.

The loading dock got a lot of details. Many are by Juneco.

Throwback Thursday - Prototype Kitbash

 

CNA 412450 was rolling through Komoka on May 22, 1995.

By Peter Mumby.

Here is an example of a kitbashing project that could be emulated at your own workbench.  From the truncated lettering of the herald and slogan, it appears as if one vertical panel has been cut away on either side of the original door opening to accommodate the larger replacement door.  This car would later have been fully repainted in boxcar red paint, but the existing mixture does a neat job of illustrating the car's history.  

Wordless Wednesday No. 548

 
  

Ballasting

Having some fun during a ballasting project! 

I set up this shot the other day while building test modules for ballasting...that's blended ballast from Scenic Express. Happy Thanksgiving...George Dutka    

New Wheels and Bearing Caps

A new wheel bearing is seen on this car. April 1 2023 CN race course yard.

While out railfanning this spring I came across a group of cars next to each other being switched that have had some wheel work done to them.  Not often do you see a few in a row. This detail is something modelers don't emulate very often but it does add interest to ones models...George Dutka  

On this car the wheel had been changed out with a new roller bearing cap applied. Note how much rust is found on a new wheel.

On this tank car it appears the wheel and bearing cap has been just replaced. The other wheel seems like it is fairly new also.

Milwaukee Kadee Covered Hopper - Finished

Tamyra panel line black is applied using the small brush in the lid of the bottle. The thinner is used to remove excess black using a Q tip. The car was first sealed using Proto flat haze an acrylic product.

The Milwaukee covered hopper is now finished. Kadee notes on the box the car is from the 98800-98999 series of 200 cars built in 1958. It also notes the car should have an Ajax brake wheel.

The hopper received a treatments that I had not used all that often but really like. I really like the looks of Tamyra panel line in both black and gray. One should apply it over an acrylic gloss coat so it does not effect the lettering and paint originally applied. I have been using flat on my cars but when gloss is used the coloring flows on a lot better. One should not rub the surface to hard with the thinner when removing some of the coloring as it can wear off the acrylic coating.

For rust spots on the sides I used Pigma Micron pens. I have 05 rust and o3 black. I used one color on each side. What you do for the rust spots is touch the pen on the side of the car, then drag a damp brush down from the dot. The rust spots look nice and fine. Pens are found at Michael's. 

The couplers and wheels are coated in AK decay deposits for abandoned vehicles. The hose bag couplers are colored silver with MIG paint. I decided at this point I should fade the center of the panels a bit more. This was done using PanPastel colorless blender...not a lot is required...George Dutka

Adding rust spots and steaks using Micron pens.

The PanPastel and Bragdon powders applied to the model.

Rusting up the roof

These little paint trays come from Dollar Tree, one gets a few in a package.

A look at how this Kadee covered hopper is turning out. I added a coat of Proto Paint, Flat Haze prior to beginning this project. Some Panel Line black is applied along the ribs on the car sides before beginning on the roof. The roof is painted dollar store cinnamon brown. 

I then added some AK dark rust deposits and Vallejo rust texture to the roof prior to Bragdon Powder soot and rust. I then applied Panel Line black to the roof hatches and running boards. A touch of PanPastel titanium white is applied to the hatches. I am planning on showing you the finished car tomorrow....George Dutka   

The finished roof. Here is a tip while applying powders to the roof. Tip the car on an angle so the powders do not land on the sides. If you don't the top half of the car will have a hint of powder.

 

Throwback Thursday - Get Your Photos While You Can

CP 1700 was working alongside Ogden Road in Calgary on July 11, 2006

By Peter Mumby.  

Built in 2006, retired in 2006.  That was the story of CP's four model GG20B "Green Goat" yard and transfer locomotives from Railpower Technologies.  These were hybrid units converted from older GP9 diesels.  CP 1700 (ex-CP 1600/8690) was one of four such locomotives, all of which were assigned to Calgary yard. 

Wordless Wednesday No.547

 

Otter Valley

     

DWP RS-11

DWP 3609 is about to arrive at Bellows Crossing with a Central Vermont 1960's era freight.

As mentioned before I deicide on a Rapido RS-11. I actually have two. I have been tied up with non railroad duties but recently got the DWP unit out of the box and gave it a run on the WRD. It runs and sounds great. There are a few minor changes I will make to the engine following views of the engine I have of it when operating on the CV...George Dutka

Toronto Railway Museum

Steamwhistle Brewing occupies part of the old CPR roundhouse, now a museum in Toronto

A Visit To The Toronto Railway Museum....by Don Janes

     On Sept.16,2023 my wife and I attended a Toronto Blue Jays ball game at Rogers Centre in downtown Toronto.  We stayed in Oakville (about 20 miles west of Toronto) and took a GO train into Toronto Union Station, just a short walk from the ball park.  Just outside the stadium there is a great railroad museum which was built on the grounds of the old Canadian Pacific roundhouse and coach yard site.  When I hired on the railroad (CNR) in 1972 this was a bustling place but as the CPR exited the passenger business, all the VIA operations were transferred to the old Canadian National Spadina roundhouse and coach yard site, which as it happens, is now where the Rogers Centre is located.

     It was a beautiful day when we boarded our go train for the ride into Toronto.  While waiting for the GO train, I saw three trains come and go from the Oakville station in about five minutes.  We arrived in Toronto about two hours prior to the first pitch so we wandered around the museum and had a nice lunch at an outdoor bar next to the ball park.

    This is a very nice museum located in a park like setting with lots of display pieces spread around the grounds for people to look at.  There is also an inside display area but I ran short of time to get in there.  The grounds offer several places to eat or get a drink before attending a ball game.  Since there was a ball game this day the place was packed but I was able to get a few decent photos.  Below are some of the displays you will see if you visit the museum.  It is well worth a visit to check it out.  By the way, the Jays won 3-2 over Boston in 13 innings.  

Here we see VIA #73 and a westbound GO train arriving at Oakville at the same time.

This is our GO train arriving on track 3

This structure is the old Cabin "D" tower that once stood at the junction of the Weston Sub and Oakville Sub controlling movements in and out of the west end of Toronto Union Station

     

An old Wooden TH&B caboose 

The tall glass towers loom behind this old CNR wood caboose

This old CNR GP-7 #4803 is starting to fade and is need of a fresh coat of paint.  Somewhere I have a photo I took of it sitting at the diesel shop at MacMillan Yard after receiving a fresh coat of paint.  That must have been close to 30 years ago so she has stood the test of time quite well

Here we see the old CPR coal tower that was moved from its original spot which was to the right of the photo. in the background is the Rogers Centre, home of the Blue Jays and site of the former CNR Spadina Roundhouse

One of CPR's old Baldwin switchers in the sharp maroon and gray scheme. Unfortunately there was a fence around this area and construction going on.

CNR 4-8-4 6213 rests under the coal tower

Another view of the TH&B caboose

Several pieces of equipment with the Toronto skyline in the background.

CPR S-2 switcher 7020 in her original paint scheme

Another view of 6213 under the coal tower

     

Just as a closing note, if the museum or ball game aren't exciting enough for you, you can always hang out by a rope at the top of the CN Tower and watch the game from there. Personally, I liked my second deck, third row seats behind the Boston dugout.

      

Big Lou's - Another Look

FOS free kit Big Lou's.

Another look at the free kit from FOS. I missed getting it the first time it was offered as a free kit but made sure to put in an order when it became an offering for a second time...George Dutka   

I pulled up a few boards and modeled the back and sides a bit more worn than on some of my other food shacks. 

The kit came with material to make a tarpaper roof but I went for something a bit different adding a metal roof. 

 

FOS Free Kit - Big Lou's

What's in the box or should I say package.

One of the free kits I worked on this past spring and summer was another food shack. This time it is Big Lou's. I changed the roof to appear as metal with a copper patina to it. A nice little kit that went together very well...George Dutka 

The walls went together quickly.

The model is ready for paint and stain. The cardstock roofing is pretty thin so I added a bit of bracing to keep things straight.

Some of the MIG paints I used on this model.

The kit comes with a nice stencil for the large wall. I used MIG paints for this.

 A close up look at the weathered walls and lifted and cut boards.

Over the stained walls I dry brushed MIG and dollar store white to highlight the board edges.

Green teal acrylic paint is applied to the roof. It is a flat finish.

The roof got some rust spots and a coating of Bragdon dark rust.

The finished model. On the counter I added Mini Print 3-D printed bottles as ketchup and mustard containers.