Brickworld Chicago Bound

Well, not me anyway. My New Haven Coach-Smoker is finally lettered up and on the way to Illinois to join a New Haven passenger consist. I look forward to seeing photos of the full train. I must say the New Haven heralds over the trucks seem a tad small for 1:48...

Steam at BFNE '16

Double Heading a fast freight with CN 5288 and GT 3406

Steam at BFNE '16

Double Heading a fast freight with CN 5288 and GT 3406

Steam at BFNE '16

Double Heading a fast freight with CN 5288 and GT 3406

Steam at BFNE '16

Double Heading a fast freight with CN 5288 and GT 3406

Steam at BFNE '16

Double Heading a fast freight with CN 5288 and GT 3406

Steam at BFNE '16

GT Locomotive Lineup

Steam at BFNE '16

GT Locomotive Lineup

NELTC at BFNE '16

MEC 401 Was a solid performer. Looking forward to seeing it run with twin 400.

Steam at BFNE '16

The little engine that could. Powered by a single M-motor at 3:1 gear ratio, this thing could haul anything I threw at it except Train 17 up the corner grade.

Steam at BFNE '16

GT 3406 and CN 5288 side by side. Despite two very different classes and wheel arrangements they share a remarkably similar appearance.

Two weeks to Brickfair

3406 is still on the workbench. Should be good to go in time. Runs nice on the test track.

Brickfair NE D-24

While it's starting to look quite nice, it has some disappointing structural flaws. The cab sags and this is probably my explodiest design to date, even after I spent the morning rebuilding the boiler. It will probably need a complete redesign of the boiler after the Bartlett show in June. Also 24 days to show, this isn't finished, 3406 (my primary freight) is half-built, and I still have some layout modules to attend to. For those just tuning in: Canadian National #5288, J-7-b class pacific. Frequently ran cross-border trains on the CV and GT-NE. Now lives at the Tenessee Valley RR Museum.

Canadian National MB-63-A Mail Express 7810

The class of MB-63-A lightweight mail express cars were Canadian built with half destined for service on US Subsidiaries. The 15' Mail Apartment was specially fitted to meet the requirements of the US Postal Service. CN 7810 was a signature car of Train 16/17 running between Portland, Maine and Montreal, Quebec and the postal contracts it served were a large if not majority source of the revenue for its run. Unlike the other cars I've built. This one retains the pre-1954 single tone green. While the car did eventually receive the sharp 3-tone scheme, it wasn't until after the line had been dieselized. Also of note in this class is Central Vermont 35, which I'd partially built once before. There's some minor differences including the single window in the mail apartment, 3 vs 4 windows on the large doors, and some underside details. All lettering on this one is printed by Tommy Armstrong. With that my cars for Train 16/17 are done AND Brickfair, NE D-28.

Canadian National PB-79-A Lightweight Coach-Smoker

Done except lighting and pinstripes. Roadname and Car Number printed by Tommy Armstrong. Special thanks to Sam who had more yellow 6x8 plates in his bricklink store than anyone else in North America. Cool when you can buy from a Flickr contact. I'll be looking to do more professional photos of this consist soon.

41-BNO-11 Trucks

For my PB-79-A, but potentially other lightweight passenger equipment. Used Matt C's excellent Osgood-Bradley Truck design and updated the frame and façade to look more like this prototype. Subtle differences, I know. Not sure if the nomenclature is a CN thing, a broader railroading one, or simply a part code used by Rapido's model trains. Anyone have more info? Also, if anyone else has attempted this prototype, I'd love to see your MOC.

Canadian National PB-79-A Air-conditioned Coach-Smoker

Second in a series of lightweight coaches built by CC&F in 1954, these cars quickly became signature cars of the Central Vermont Ambassador and Grand Trunk (New England) Train 16/17. Needs more accurate trucks than the Osgood-Bradley stand-ins, but otherwise ready for build. Full interior and underside.

CN 5288 WIP

After some debate over whether or not to do a MEC Pacific, I've decided to stay the course with CN 5288. She'll replace the CV #601 model at the head of the Ambassador and GT Train 16/17. Still some work to do around the pilot truck and tender. Q: Vinnie, it looks like you took your S-1-f model and slapped it on a Pacific chassis. Surely you're not that unoriginal? A: I think Montreal Locomotive Works had the same idea over a century ago. In fact, the first time I saw a photo of a J-7-b double heading with an S-1-f, I thought it was two Mikados. There's some minor differences, but the two designs seem to share a lot of common features.

Crawford's Station WIP

The station at Crawford's in Twin Mountain, New Hampshire. 1:48 scale from plans in the August 1983 issue of Railroad Model Craftsman. Present day Conway Scenic Railway colors. I just wanted to get a feel for the footprint and architectural elements.

Now Available

Printed by Tommy Armstrong Brick Engraving. These custom bricks have the Canadian National roadname used on their massive fleet of passenger cars from the early 1930s up to the adoption of the familiar CN wet-noodle logo we know today in 1960. The font is from the Canadian National Railways Historical Association, and printed across 22 studs of olive green bricks, it is approximately 1:48 scale or 8-wide. If anyone would like to order, I'll have some available. They're $9 a single set or $16 a pair plus shipping worldwide. Just contact me by Flickr Mail.