Modeling a BAR GP-7

My new (purchased it a few years ago) engine BAR 67 on my workbench is a DCC and sound Atlas engine next to Peter's custom painted and detailed Atlas engine he purchased from our friend Luc Sabourin of Sarnia at least a decade ago. Luc was modeling his home road line up in Maine at that time that was using leased BAR power. He had custom decals made up for his line.

I currently have on lease for when the era changes on the WRD two BAR Geep's from Peter Mumby. You saw one in this weeks Wordless Wednesday. One a GP-7 and the other a GP-9. I actually want to use them to help get the detailing right and maybe inspiration for the weathering. Both these engines look very good and well used. More on these later...George Dutka  

BAR 70 an Atlas GP-7 is seen drifting past the general store located at the Bellows Crossing diamond.

Throwback Thursday : 44-Tonner

Ex-GWWD  44-tonner number 101 was working on the siding at the elevator in Kent Bridge, Ontario on May 27, 2006.  This siding parallels the CP Windsor Subdivision mainline.

 By Peter Mumby.

The subject of today's photo is a 44-ton locomotive that was assembled in 9/49 as Greater Winnipeg Water District number 101.

After many years of service to its original owner, the unit headed east to Ontario as OSRX 101.  Shortly thereafter it went to W. G. Thompson & Sons, still retaining its original number and its GWWD paint work.  From 1997 to 2006 it was assigned to the Rodney/Blenheim area.  After that it was transferred to the elevator at Kent Bridge where it posed for a photograph on May 27, 2006.  

Wordless Wednesday No. 560

 
   

Snapshot - January 2024

The dead line at Mac Yard, Toronto of retired CN switchers on August 3, 1987. George Dutka collection.

This months snapshot is a slide I scanned last fall of a nice string of switchers that were retired. I always liked operating these engines in local yard and transfer runs in the London, Ontario area. These low hp engines did not have the pulling power of the 1200 road switcher units but they were quick to react when kicking cars and reversing gears. When training as an engineman in yard service these were what was assigned to the top end and roustabout yard jobs...George Dutka  

Happy New Years!

Happy New Years! All the best to all going forward into 2024...George Dutka    

CV Steam

A great view of CV 452 on the Green Mountain Division. Photo and modeling by Don Janes.

I always liked the view of this CV engine on the WRJ turntable on Don Janes layout. He took this photo back in 2011, but I don't recall seeing it running lately on his layout with all those new diesels that he is showing me on my visits to his layout. Is steam on the decline...George Dutka  

Another view of Don's engine taken back in 2011. 

Throwback Thursday - All Aboard for Goderich

RLK 1400 was sitting just west of the VIA station in Stratford, Ontario on September 26, 2003.

By Peter Mumby.   

At the time of this photo, September 26, 2003, RLK 1400 was operating in push/pull fashion with ex-Essex Terminal 0-6-0 number 9 on a "Heritage Steam Train" excursion.  The steam loco and passenger equipment belonged to SOLRS (Southern Ontario Locomotive Restoration Society) which at that time operated out of the Elgin County Railway Museum in St. Thomas.  On September 25 the equipment had gone to London via the CN Talbot Subdivision.  Earlier on the 26th the F unit had been added to the train at London, then it assisted in moving the consist to Stratford on the CN/GEXR Guelph Subdivision.  Minutes after this picture was exposed, the train headed up the GEXR Goderich Subdivision with the excursionists in tow.

FP9u 1400 was ex-Via 6303.  It had been built in London as CN 6523 in 3/57.  On loan to SOLRS for the above-mentioned series of excursions, it was operating as a Goderich Exeter Railway locomotive.

Wordless Wednesday No. 559

 

    

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the WRD crew, Peter Mumby, Don Janes and George Dutka.   

Old CN Trailer

Want to model something that currently is used for storage. This trailer has been here for years behind the CN London East yard office. I believe it might have been a refrigerator trailer as the end seems to be boarded up where a unit would have been...George Dutka  

Throwback Thursday - Fuel for Thought

CN 390 is getting a fuel top-up at the east end of the London yard on March 21, 2006.

By Peter Mumby.

Perhaps today's photo will provide the inspiration for one or two of you to set up a little refuelling vignette on your layout.  CN 5746 East (#390) has stopped on the south main of the Dundas Subdivision at CN Highbury in London to take on some much-needed fuel.  Presumably the crew called ahead to the London yard office to make arrangements, because the tank truck has made the trip from Dowler-Karn Fuels in St. Thomas.  Dowler-Karn is a major supplier of fuel in this part of Southwestern Ontario.  As an aside, the head office in St. Thomas is also the location of the Dowler-Karn Museum, home to a large collection of vintage fuel pumps, signs, oil cans, and vehicles.  Check it out if you are in the area!  

Wordless Wednesday No. 558

 

  

 

CV Rapido Hoppers

I have one CNR that has a bit of weathering applied and two new CV models.

Rapido has just released a second group of hoppers. This time they have included the CV as part of the run. You might want to get yours quickly as they seem to be disappearing fast...George Dutka  

Just out of the package.

The brake wheel needs to be changed as these cars did not have stem winders.

New and Old - MOCX Hoppers

MOCX 499180 look a bit on the rough side these days. Nov. 13, 2023

Two views of MOCX covered hoppers found in a cut of cars at the CP yard London. One is an old and rusty side car while close by to it are two very new additions to the fleet. So which one are you inclined to model...George Dutka  

A very new addition to the MOCX fleet. CP yard Nov. 13, 2023

December 2023 - Update

An undated photo of CV RS-11 3611. I have seen photos of this engine with green handrails, but here we see them painted yellow. Note the cab window cover has been removed and DWP orange is seen around the edges. Other views show this painted over. The walkway striping is not yellow but reflective tape yellow. Some re-railers are yellow but these appear to be black...either painted or dirty. Also note the plow attached to the front has yellow striping. Things to consider if you have a Rapido RS-11.

A bit of stuff that I found interesting lately or in my files. I have been caring for my wife for the last few months that has kept me out of the basement modeling. I still have a lot of projects to get back to and a number I completed in the spring and early summer to share...so keep checking back. Peter has a few scans left for his Thursday's post while Don has been threating to complete a railfan post from this fall excursion to Pennsylvania.  

Regarding yesterdays blog post about B&M - CP RDC operations, it would be great if one of you happened to have taken a shot of the actual last through train to Boston in January 1965 of the Alouette or know of someone that did. We would love to see the view.  

Recently Don and I were talking about both having an article in the current December issue of RMC. That also happened in the January RMC issue a couple of years ago...the milk issue. About a decade ago we also came up with a WRJ topic that ran side by side as two articles in RMC. Just as I was finishing this post the CARM Canadian arrived and the current issue has articles by both Don and I...who knows maybe we will do a book together someday...George Dutka

No data on this view of CP 8400. The smoke is pretty impressive. Not sure but I think it maybe a Gord Taylor photo I scanned from the Peter Mumby's collection.

I showed you an October view of this scene awhile back with no train. It was the perfect time with cows in the background field and geese eating the leftover corn that had just been harvested. I returned a few days later. This scene was not to be as on Oct. 24, 2023 an eastbound freight passes by with no cows and geese anywhere to be seen.

On the header page of RMC web site both Don and I was featured at the same time...thought that was interesting to see as we have done a number of articles either together or for the same RMC issue.

Otter Valley Railroad included this little sticker in my last order that arrived in the mail. They always seem to have some goodies in the packaging.

B&M - CP RDC Day Train

Two become one at Wells River, Vt. during May 1960. The Montreal and Berlin, NH trains are combined here each day heading south. The northbound train is split apart here here also. Jim Shaughnessy photo.

Ken Patton's photos this week at St J mentioned the day train as being the Red Wing. This was the information supplied as the captions included on the photos. Geoff Southwood noted that this might not be the case as that train travelled at night. I am not all that familiar with this operations so I did a bit of a dive into some of my books, magazine articles and historical society. The two prior Red Wing posts have been altered. I also asked Geoff what he knows about this train as by 1964 most photos just mention the train as being the "day train". Here is what Geoff passed along...thank again Geoff.

"The Canadian Pacific timetable for October 25, 1964 to April 24, 1965 shows the train as “The Alouette” southbound as #32 and northbound as #31.

Boston & Maine curtailed its long distance service in the first few days of January 1965.  Canadian Pacific could not get permission for abandonment of the service on its line and so the train continued to operate between Montreal and Wells River for some time.

The Canadian Pacific timetable for April 25, 1965 to October 30, 1965 continues to show the train as “The Alouette” southbound as #32 and northbound as #31 but terminating in Wells River.

The closest timetable that I have for the B&M is Time Table No.8 effective October 25, 1964 and it shows the #32/31 service but makes no mention of it being the named train The Alouette.

If you have a copy of the “B&M Bulletin” Volume XXIV, Number 4, on Page 39 the magazine published a slide that I took of B&M RDC-2 6210 and CPR RDC-2 9108 departing Montreal West Station in early January 1965.  I never dated the slide so I do not know whether this was the last appearance of a B&M RDC in Montreal.  Someone somewhere must have taken a picture of the actual last run.

Kevin Holland’s book “Passenger Trains of Northern New England in the Streamline Era” on page 148 says, “Canadian Pacific pooled RDC-1 and RDC-2 units with the B&M to handle the roads’ jointly operated daylight Boston-Montreal through schedule from October 1956 until its January 1965 discontinuance.”  This is somewhat corroborated in my B&M July 8, 1956 timetable which shows both The Alouette day train and the Red Wing overnight train with standard locomotive hauled consists.

As an aside, back in the days when the NHL original six teams rode the rails, and when the Bruins visited the Canadiens for the traditional Saturday night Forum game and then moved to The Garden for a Sunday night game, it must have seemed odd that the Canadiens and Bruins boarded the Red Wing for their journey.  I do recall an article that mentioned that the teams had to be separated in different cars of the train!"

One should note that the nocturnal Red Wing was discontinued on October 24, 1959. The station stops made at St J for the Alouette during 1962 were southbound #32 at 1304 and #31 northbound at 1656. The splitting of the RDC's at Wells River, Vt. began in 1958. One or more RDC's went to Montreal while the other to Berlin, NH...George Dutka

This photo was a Christmas card Geoff used years ago. This shot was taken of CPR RDC-2 #9108 on Train 32 at Highwater, Quebec on March 25, 1965. It was bound for Wells River. It was snowing that day and he had rode it from Montreal to meet a friend on Easter Break. Geoff Southwood photo.

Throwback Thursday - 399 Encore

Wisconsin Central 3026, the trailing unit on CN 399, is set to lead the power back to its train at London, Ontario on January 04, 2007.

By Peter Mumby.  

Last week's TT post featured a photo of CN freight 399 which was taken on January 04, 2007.  Today's photo, in which CN 5521 West is operating on 399's schedule, was exposed the following day.  A clear signal has just been received at London Junction and the power is set to return to its train on the south track.  This time the trailing unit is GP 40u WC 3026, an EMD product of 10/66 which had originally been assembled as MILW 192.  Most recently it had worked for Algoma Central Railway as AC 190.  It had become WC property after control of the ACR was assumed by Wisconsin Central.  The special paintwork on this locomotive featured a state map with the superimposed logo "Wisconsin - 150 Years & Rolling."

Wordless Wednesday No. 557

 

         

The Day Train - Another Look

Boston bound, Ken took a few steps back from the station platform to catch an overall view of the single unit day train. Note the CP train in the yard with a caboose that was once offered in HO scale brass. I am lucky to have a model of both the B&M RDC and the CP caboose. Maybe I can setup such a scene someday.

Another view of yesterdays post by Ken Patton's trip to St J during Dec 1964...George Dutka  

Boston Bound Day Train at St J

The CPR-B&M day train running between Montreal and Boston was by this time during the winter of 1964 a single B&M RDC2, unit 6210. Ken Patton photo.

I have been working with Ken Patton on some views for the CVRHS Ambassador and he kindly allowed me to use a few of his other views once again here on the blog...enjoy...George Dutka