Weathered Covered Hoppers

Ex Rock Island

I was at the top end of the CN yard in London, Ont. back on Sept. 24, 2025 when I noted a string of very weathered covered hoppers. Kind of neat for the guys that like weathering...George Dutka  

GTW

Section Tool House

I mentioned this structure before. It is a simple project and moved ahead of a long list of jobs. I got an early start at pulling it apart so I can paint the walls a boxcar red tone. Probably red oxide primer from Home Hardware. The door will be modeled open and the roof will be construction paper tarpaper in a gray tone. I will change out the roof stack with a caboose style one...more to follow...just a quick look at what I am up to today...George Dutka

Throwback Thursday - BNSF 9750

by Keith MacCauley

Burlington Northern Santa Fe SD70MAC BNSF 9750 was built by GMDD London in April of 1996. Note the Burlington Northern emblem on the nose and the large BNSF along the hood. Initially combined via a holding company in September of 1995, on December 31, 1996, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railway was formally merged with the Burlington Northern Railway to form the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway. No doubt the sixteen-month transitional period explains the dual identity marked on the elegant AC unit. Based on online photos BNSF 9750 is still active, albeit now wearing the orange/black/yellow so called ‘Swoosh’ scheme. Of note, during the repaint BNSF lowered the headlight from above the windshield to the nose.  

Wordless Wednesday No. 655

 

 Coburg, Ont.

    

Snapshot - December 2025

 

This months Snapshot is my visit to White River Jct. Vermont on Sept. 12, 2025. First off it was nice to get a look at the NECR heritage unit while still very clean looking. Switching past the station really gave me a chance to get up close. VRS was in town too as it was still early morning. They were switching in the B&M yard which is very overgrown for one to watch other than at Nutt St. I did catch them at the station prior to leaving...George Dutka   

A nice sunny day on Sept. 12, 2025. I actually had really nice weather for the entire trip which was a treat. Note the platform is being worked on. Passenger boarding happens behind were I am standing.

Other than a new sign the Polka Dot Diner still looks as it always has.

Polka Dot Dinner how it looks today. Not the diner we all knew. Don and I have had a lot of breakfasts there over the years.

Vermont Rail Systems 207 prior to leaving town.

Lots in the NECR yard this day including two old CV work cars.

The VRS leaving town northbound. I could not chase as I was heading to Connecticut for the CVRHS convention the next day.

White River Junction, Vermont

An overhead view of CV 4927 from Peter Mumby's collection of CV photos.

A few views I scanned recently of White River Jct. A couple are from the collection of Peter Mumby...George Dutka       

A photo I scanned from I think my George Melvin prints. Dated 1963.

No data for this one but I believe it is a copy from the CVRHS collection. Neat 1950's scene to view at WRJ.

A photo of the B&M from my collection of photos. No information.

Snapshot - November 2025

 

I took this shot in 2000 of what I think was a run from Bellows Falls to Rutland, Vermont. East Wallingford, Vt.

This months snapshot is a couple of views of the section house on the Green Mountain Ry. 25 years ago...George Dutka    

May 2000

MEC Bangor Yard Tower

The back wall got a ladder to the roof a downspout and electrical box. 

Once I was done with the basic construction I went back and added some details to the two walls one does not see as they are pretty plain. I added downspouts leftover from the back alley build ITLA and a ladder to the roof. I could not find one with a cage around it which would have been better, but that can be changed out in the future. I also added a ITLA electrical box and a Mini Prints 3-D printed gas meter. All for now...George Dutka

Downspout, 3-D gas meter, some piping and weeds.

All done for now! 

Throwback Thursday - CN 5507

by Keith MacCauley 

SD60F CN 5507 was delivered to Canadian National from GMDD London in February of 1989. The cowl bodied locomotive would represent the last design development initiated by the then government owned railway. Seeking to improve cold weather performance, CN reached back into EMD’s 1960’s catalogue and specified FP45 style hood geometry, albeit with a twist; the so called behind cab ‘Draper Taper’ rearward visibility notches. In continued pioneering fashion, the perceived enhancement would debut with the BBD (formerly MLW) HR-616 in 1982. (In 1973 MLW had previously launched the CN developed so called ‘Safety’ cab on their M-420). In ‘Monkey See – Monkey Do’ fashion, both GMDD and GE would follow suit with their own cowl version; respectively SD50F/SD60F, and DASH 8-40CM. Despite their ingenuity, none of the ‘Draper Taper’ variants would enjoy extraordinary longevity. First to go would be the HR-616’s, mostly due to previously experienced Alco/MLW woes. In similar fashion, the GMDD SD50F’s would succumb prematurely, with 50 series reliability issues a contributor. While both the SD60F’s and DASH 8-40CM’s were mechanically solid, none were upgraded or otherwise rebuilt. No doubt the cowl induced increased maintenance costs contributed to their eventual, somewhat premature, demise. Although several SD50F/SD60F’s would find employment beyond their original owner, No. 5507 was not among them. Just shy of three decades of service CN 5507 was dismantled in 2018.

Wordless Wednesday No. 654

 

   

Rutland Ry No. 405

 

Rutland Ry No. 405 at Bellows Falls during Oct 1982. I scanned this photo that my friend Chris Martin took and used as a Christmas card some years ago...George Dutka  

On the Layout!

My new Rutland Ry motor car shed is on the layout. Some details still need to be added around the door...George Dutka 

November 2025 - Update

LW 1002 December 19, 1999 in the CP yard London, Ont. Peter Mumby photo.

I am away for a week to the Bahamas beginning Sunday. I am not taking any electronics with me so there will not be any posts the coming week or after this one. Till then try to stay warm...George Dutka  

Some views I took this year around the CPKC yard. In the CPKC yard London, Ont. Aug 21 2025

CPKC yard London, Ont. May 8 2025

An patch job CN boxcar with COER 174007 reporting marks found in the CPKC yard Aug. 21, 2025

CPKC yard London, Ont. Aug 21, 2025 

Two donuts on this one. That would have taken a lot of work and paint. Looking through the fence in the CPKC yard London, Ont. Nov. 2 2025.

CPKC WB Nov 8, 2025 this car is pretty new paint with a lot of graffiti on the side.

CPKC WB in London Nov 8 2025. To a modeler the weathering is kind of neat on this car with faded brown.

ITLA - Alleyscape

  

VIA Siemens Venture Trains

 

 

by Keith MacCauley

Recently I had the opportunity to travel from Toronto to Montreal and back, both ways on VIA’s new Venture Trains. Some observations as follows.

I was fortunate enough to travel in Business Class (VIA 1), which included bar service and a meal. The onboard Wi-Fi was steady with only minimal interruptions. The interior of the premium Venture coach was bright and airy with a mixture of light and dark grey colouring along with simulated wood grain accents. The washroom was basically airliner like in size and appointments. Leg room is plentiful with decently padded seats arranged in a two/aisle/one arrangement. A total of four electrical outlets are available at either seat arrangement. To me the ride is not quite as good as that of LRC coaches and suffers from a more or less constant rocking/oscillating motion. Thinking that this movement attribute is related to push (locomotive at rear of consist) rather than pull operation. Top speed noted on the overhead display console was 160 KPH. Only a couple of pet peeves. Similar to the refurbished LRC VIA 1 coaches, half the seats face forward, while the other half face backward. Guessing that regular coach fare is configured likewise. I understand that turning train sets is costly, however reversible seating (available on Amtrak Amfleet coaches) was invented over a century ago. Surely, a modern-day version could be engineered. Not sure that one can book forward facing as along the way I noted Venture train sets configured both ways; locomotive leading, locomotive trailing. As reference, the seat reversal is between rows eight and nine. Much more annoyingly, the seats do not recline; again, surely a modern-day version (as was included in the VIA 1 LRC upgrade) could have been specified. Overall, to me, a very worthwhile expenditure of hard-earned tax dollars on behalf of VIA. Regrettably, unlike the LRC train sets, not designed or built in Canada (incredibly, the BBD built LRC passenger cars are more than forty years old and well beyond their service design timeframe for an aluminum bodied transportation structure).

Another Detailing Job

My finished version on the left. Not sure if you can see the seam were the two roof sections join.

I picked up this section house at Broughdale's Hobby here in London, Ontario a couple of weeks ago. They have a back area in the store that is second hand stuff and you might find something interesting. If you are an Algoma Central fan you will find lots as there is a whole stack of engines and cars for this road. 

I rebuilt one the same section house models for my Bellows Falls yard some years ago. I thought the structure was a kit-bash as it had a seam in the roof but it appears it must have been a kit offering by someone decades ago. This one is in a lot better shape than the one I started with before. Well we will see how it goes...George Dutka  

It appears there is a bit of difference as the one I just got has a door in both ends where mine has two windows at one end.

My model with the door open makes a more interesting structure to view.

The roof seam as this could be be built as two structures  or combined with an center insert section.

Before I begin taking the structure apart. It is not glued well so should work out well. I will remove the large door and roof and chimney as the roof joint to the walls has a large gap. The window plastic glaze will be removed also and replaced once painted.