lineside structure redux

The shed is complete enough to appear on the layout. As a concession to available modelling time, the tarpaper roof was simulated using 320 grit wet/dry sandpaper, cut grit side down with a guillotine. Gray dust is Bragdon Enterprises weathering powder.

Very glad I checked the paint scheme before painting; only the window sashes were Yellow, the window frames were #11 Green. Once the proper style of window has been obtained, I'll be able to add the sash details.

Possible & probable improvements/additions:
- correct 3-tab shingles
- oil tank & chimney (Scale Structure Ltd. p/n #2411 HO tank casting)
- replacement of side-sliding windows with proper, 6-pane style
- window glazing (microscope slide covers)
- sign board
- rain gutters/eave details
- a speeder to pose in front

I took some liberties with the construction; not having pictures of the structure in the timeframe being modelled forces me to fall back on both typical & assumed building methods of the era.

a small lineside structure

This speeder/MoW shed is based on the one at Madoc, ON. I've added an extra window to the back wall of the "lunchroom/office" end to add a bit of visual interest as our modules are viewable from both sides. Siding is 6" wide scribed sheet that I found in a box of leftovers. Door and windows are Grandt Line castings (note the especially old black plastic door).

In the 50's the shed was heated by an oil stove so a suitable oval tank will need to be built outside the structure and a metal chimney will be poked through the roof. Later in life the shed lost the chimney (for unknown reasons) and the sides were covered in Insulbrick. Luckily, I'm modelling the 50's so I won't have to deal with the incredibly ugly appearance of Insulbrick siding.

going loco

On the subject of getting lucky, after three-plus years of searching I was finally able to acquire an unbuilt S Scale Loco & Supply 2-6-0 Mogul kit (by Simon Parent). If I don't make a complete hash of the assembly, it should look something like this when finished:



Loco variety seems to be somewhat problematic in the S Scale world. There are not nearly as many choices as in almost any other scale. This leads to a lot of modification of ready-to-run hi-rail equipment into simulacra. For the most part, this is an acceptable approach to increasing one's roster. It can, however, present a problem when trying to achieve maximum fidelity to the prototype.

Once the Mogul is well underway (or indeed complete) I will be looking to obtain one of the MLW Services 4-6-2 Pacific conversion kits. The larger engine would be necessary to pull the heavyweight style passenger equipment typical of the mid 50's timeframe.

still going strong

South Simcoe Railway locomotive #136. Ex Canadian Pacific 4-4-0 built in 1883 (photo taken Canada Day, 1998). Short excursion runs from Tottenham northwards and return during the warmer seasons.

caught in the act

Trillium Railway #110 (ex CN S-13 1000hp) switching Interlake Paper on the Port Colbourne Harbour Railway in St. Catharine's, ON, March 2005. Accessing this customer requires street running up the tracks visible on the right. From the general reaction of the motorists on the roadway, this was not an everyday occurrence.

Two of us chased the short train (loco, 2 boxes, and a bright yellow caboose!) from road crossing to road crossing as it wound its way up the escarpment grades. My companion had just finished telling me that he'd never seen a train on this particular track section when it came into view. We didn't want to pass up the opportunity to take a few shots.

Of course, I didn't take any pictures of the other side of the loco. "Buck fever", I suppose.