Friday, 1 August 2025

Not a Train to be Seen

Things have been pretty quiet around the railroad here.  This weeks post will serve as a case in point...

Nothing happening at the grey warehouse.

And no freight cars at the transload either.  I've got to come up with a name for that place.  I've been thinking of calling it Affiliated Transfer, or something like that, and making just a small sign to place here.

Over on the GTW, the spur at Midwest Plastics on the left is also vacant.

All the gondolas are "gon" from Ferrous Processing

And Tri-State Paper as well as the GTW main and run around siding have no trains either.

Truth is, I've just got all the freight cars cleared off so that I can give the track a decent cleaning.  Again.

Have a great August 1st long weekend.

Friday, 25 July 2025

A Potash Covered Hopper

It'll just be a short post this week.  It's summer and I haven't been spending much time at the trains.  I have been working slowly on a Potash covered hopper for Brian.  I say slowly because the white artist oil paint that I've been using has sure been taking it's time drying.  Like, 2 or 3 days of drying time each time I add a little bit.

The only "before" picture I took of the covered hopper was this one below. I don't really think I've ever seen this happen before...opened the Intermountain/ box to begin weathering of this cylindrical hopper for Brian and had a bit of a surprise.Found both of the air hoses laying loose in the box, and one of the trucks had completely fallen to pieces.

Anyway, here's a couple of looks at what I've done so far to the Potash hopper.

I just used tacky glue to hold the broken truck together.  It seems to be holding at least for the time being.

I don't think I really like the graffiti too much, but it's a decal so I might just lift it off by re-wetting it and then lifting it with a soft flat brush.

That's all I've got this time.  Have a good week.

Friday, 18 July 2025

Chain Link Security Fence is in Place

I finally got the chain link fencing that I posted about here a couple of weeks ago (June 27th) in place in front of my Tri-State Paper industry along the GTW line.  I'd imagine that management at the Tri-State plant feels the place is much more secure now.

Anyway here's how things are looking as far as that little project goes.

Here's a look at the place without the fence.

The whole thing can be lifted out to be taken over to the workbench, leaving quite a gap along the backdrop

Might as well have a picture of the industry as it sits on the bench.

Still on the bench, and sorry it's so hard to see but the fence is in place.  I've dropped some scrap paper along the spur too, mostly in front of the loading doors.

So here is my Tri-State Paper industry back on the layout right where it belongs, and with a couple of boxcars in place.  I know it's pretty hard to see the fencing, but it's there.

A better up-close look and the fencing is actually visible in this picture.

And a close view from the other end of the spur.

Changing gears now to our 1:1 world, I happened to be fortunate enough to be on the platform here in Sarnia last Saturday July 12 to catch NS engine 7692, an ES40DC, leading Train 716 eastbound just after it run out of the St.Clair River Tunnel
Except for the buffer cars, the whole train was black.  On the near track, the track inspector is in his truck waiting for 716 to clear so he could continue on through the tunnel.

Have a good week everybody.

Friday, 11 July 2025

CP Cylindrical Hopper Weathered

Thought I'd just show photos of the freight car weathering project I worked on this week for Brian Smith.  Brian provided the car, but inspiration for the weathering on this one definitely came from a similar car that was done by Rob Arsenault.

Although not a copy (well maybe a bit), I offer thanks and appreciation to Rob Arsenault for this one.

I faded the whole car first, then masked off most of it and sprayed SP Red for the large patches.  Then faded the sides again, including the patches.

The walkways are done by brushing on a couple of different AK Interactive rust colours.

Walkways turned out well

B-End

The other end.

The dark streaks are Burnt Umber and Burnt Sienna

And I set the car out on the layout for a few photos too.


I like this picture the best

That's about it for now.

Friday, 4 July 2025

New Scrap Load

I bought this nice Chooch Industries cast resin scrap load for a gondola from a modeler in BC last week.

Doesn't look like much here, but some rusting will fix that.

I brushed on this assortment of AK Interactive weathering colours.  I think it looks more orange and quite a bit brighter here than it should.

I've darkened it down somewhat here by brushing on couple of applications of an India ink/alcohol mixture I keep around now.  That's a weathering technique I learned from George Dutka at his White River Division blog.

The new scrap load (bottom in the picture) along with another different Chooch Industries load that I've had for quite a while.

And so with a dirty and rusty looking scrap load in ZVBX 97337, the GTW has arrived to switch it out from the Ferrous Metals & Processing site.  Looks pretty good in the gondola.

Generally in the summer I try to post a picture or two of freighters passing by here in the St.Clair River.  This is self-unloading bulk carrier CSL Laurentien (723 feet in length), downbound from Lake Huron as it enters the river.Laurentien on its way to Becancour, Quebec on July 2, 2025.  Not sure what the freighter is carrying.

Have a good week everyone.

Friday, 27 June 2025

Two Small Projects Underway for the Layout

Started working on a couple of minor projects for the layout this week.  First up here is some chain-link fence, using the fence posts from Walthers kit.  I tried to use the metal wire that comes with the kit for the top and bottom horizontal chords, but the pieces are rather short, and they're not straight so they are a bit difficult to work with.  So, I'm using used guitar B-strings instead.A look at what is included in the Walthers Chain-Link kit. Their short pieces of wire, underneath that is the fabric chain link mesh provided, and the plastic fence posts and gates.


This is the fence jig that Brian Smith made for me some years ago.  It's real handy to have around to help get the fence posts evenly spaced.  Also in the photo is a section of fence that I did make using the wire and mesh that comes in the Walthers kit.  And above that is the piece that is still in progress using the guitar string for the horizontal chord.

The fence I'm making is intended to be put in front of my Tri-State Paper industry, so it'll be about about 49 inches or so in length.  I don't think combined the two pieces above are going to be quite long enough to cover the entire length needed.

A look at the Tri-State building.  Some fencing here should really improve the appearance.

When I do get the fencing installed between the GTW main and the paper plant spur I think the Tri-State Paper industry will look at least a little more convincing. And I'll probably add an entrance gate across the railroad spur as well.  I'll be working on this more in the week ahead.


And the 2nd little project underway here is an oil tank.  This simple Rix kit has been lying around here for too long, so I've finally put it together.

Here's a quick look at where things stand with this project so far...
I didn't build it as the 43 foot height.  I went with just 4 sections vertically, which totals up to about 28 scale feet in height.


With the tank assembled, it'll be time for paint.

Sprayed with a nice flat white, and then added the weathering.

I'll be putting together a bit of piping as well to go with the tank.

Have a good week everybody.

Friday, 20 June 2025

RBOX 31224

I recently came across this RBOX photo by Colin Reinhart.  I liked the white paint-out across the bottom portion of the boxcar, and the white spray painted reporting mark, and thought I could maybe try to do something like this with one of my RBOX's.

The car I used is clearly not the same model, but I'll just call this modelers license and plunge ahead with it.

The number of panels/ribs is different than the prototype photo, but the colouring of the car is about right from my previous weathering of it.  As a first step, I painted black overtop of that red primer that I had on the door.

I made this styrene mask to help soften the upper edge of the white paint patches.  The styrene spacers, which I've outlined in black here just so you could see them, fit in between the boxcar ribs and raise the edge just a bit off of the model.  Flat white for the paint.

In this view, I've sprayed the flat white on the right side of the model, and it's taped in place on the left.  Also the door is masked so as to not get white paint on the black 'cuz that wouldn't be good

Some looks at the finished project...
I used a white paint pen and some patience to try to sort of emulate the similar scribbled marks on the prototype picture.

The graffiti is decals by Blair Line.  The reporting marks are decals from the Microscale Stencil Lettering set.

A look from the B-end.

To finish up, I also darkened the tack boards to show some wear, and added rust on and below the door track.

That'll be all for now.

Friday, 13 June 2025

Double-Door Boxcar

I used to see PDRR boxcars going to and from the paper plant in Port Huron, Michigan fairly often.  As I remember though, they were painted in a boxcar red or sometimes in yellow. Most of the prototype PeeDee River boxcars are now owned by UP and marked BKTY.

This one of mine is an old Roundhouse model that I weathered.  I didn't follow any prototype photo for the weathering, but I think it looks believable, so I'm more than pleased with the way it turned out.

Happened to catch this PeeDee River RailRoad boxcar this week at door #4 at Tri-State Paper.

Below are a few more photos of this boxcar from my files:
 This view shows lets us see some graffiti on the inside of the boxcar
 
It makes for kind of a nice change for the layout to have a freight car rolling around with the doors open

A view of the brake end of the boxcar as it sits at the local team track

I like this particular photo even thought the boxcar is on the other side of the chain link fence.

I'll close out with this view
The roof is certainly showing it's age

And that'll be all for this week.