A little scenery and boom its back!

Yes, tearing up a completed section and putting it back together took longer than I thought but finally it's done.  I'm talking about the track to the helix from BY.  I did the ballast last night because it needs several hours to dry so I did it before I went to bed..  Completed the scenery (grasses and weeds) this afternoon and just put the trees back in order just now.  Now the scene is complete and I can move on to other items.

I find I get really distracted once I get in the layout room.  I have some signals that I need tested that came off the layout last year.  The wires are not marked well so I will be doing some figuring out of them.  I was going to do that tonight knowing all I need to do is the trees for the area I have been working on.   But, I find myself working on a few car cards.  Where did that come from???  I did get to the trees...

The shack is still by the tracks.  Lighter ballast in the new area.  I'm calling it done.

The object of the bridge is help conceal the "hole" to the helix.  

VMID #299 staged for a photo in the new scenery.

Are we hauling coal on the Midland?  Looks that way.  I'm in the process of building a small unit coal train for transfer to the F&NN.  Should be about 6-7 cars. 

Continue reading →

Model Railroading Fun for Little and Big Kids!

One of my first memories was watching my dad unpack a new train set he just bought. He set it all out on a shelf and warned us not to touch it as it wasn't a toy. Then he brought in a large piece of plywood and we all got to help plan out track and scenery and it became a great family project!

We never did get to run that train although I remember the joy on my dad's face as he ran it. Now its my turn. I have a 9 year old boy and my husband, son, daughter and myself added on to the set that Santa brought. Every time I go into the playroom my son has a whole story line going on. He'll watch a documentary in the background and act it out on his layout. Using the same or similar locomotives and cars and rearranging the buildings and creating mountains with crumpled paper, or a farm with his sisters animals. Its amazing to watch. My favourite is when my husband brings in one of the trains that his father used to run and the two of them are lost in that world of imagination and creativity.

This is one of the sets my son bought with Christmas and birthday money. (I did chip in a bit)

Over the last five years many of the old model railroaders have passed on or just cannot carry on the hobby and the hobby industry started panicking about how there will be no one to sell model railroading too. I have to say, that's not what I am seeing at our Chinook & Hobby West stores (address' at the bottom of this blog).

I get to see adults and kids everyday and the wonder in their eyes as they see the big G scale run around our stores. The beginner sets we have in HO and N are great to start into as you can set them up on the kitchen table to start with. There are Model Railroading shows throughout the world on a regular basis.  Supertrain 2012 is this April 21 & 22 (http://www.supertrain.ca) and is Canada's largest train show with layouts, classes, clinics and vendors to help you find and satisfy your train bug.

Lately with shows like The Big Bang Theory, we see young adults getting into the excitement of the model railroading hobby.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCNrs23r4DA here is the clip to enjoy!

So, come on down and see us here at Chinook & Hobby West and let us help YOU find the fun!

South Store:
5011 MacLeod Tr. SW
Calgary, AB   T2G 0A9
ph- 1-877-525-5785
hobbywest@shaw.ca


North Store:
2604- 4th St. NW
Calgary, AB   T2G 0A9
ph - 403-984-3438
hobbywest@gmail.com

Continue reading →

A little write up about me in the 2015 Winter edition of the Potomac Flyer

Did a interview for the Potomac Division of the NMRA for their upcoming Potomac Flyer publication that comes out four times a year.
NMRA Potomac Division Website

On the left click on Potomac Flyer and then click on Winter 2015.  My article is on page 21.  This a good publication and has lots of good articles.

I want to thank Roger Sekera who contacted me and did a great write up.  Also wanted to thank Norm Wolf on the thoughtful quote.

Continue reading →

A Little Piece of History

The north-facing station sign from the CN location of Rymal, just south of Hamilton, is the latest addition to my railway memorabilia collection.

Prior to last weekend’s train show in Ancaster, ON, I was contacted by a gentleman who offered to sell me the Rymal station sigh that was once located at it’s namesake location on the Hagersville Sub. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to purchase it and met at the train show with the seller (also a vendor at the train show). Pictured above is the station sign post and the “Rymal” sign that was once attached to it (similar to the Walton Jct sign in John Allen's photo HERE). I’m told this is the north-facing sign that was located adjacent to Stone Church road, at the north siding switch. Considering that I’ve found rather little on the Rymal name (even the Hamilton Library doesn’t have much), I think this is a pretty neat piece. The post has a weathered patina acquired from decades spent out in the open; it features the letters “CNR” on opposite sides, pre-dating the 1961 creation of the modernized CN Rail. The metal sign that said “CN Rymal” is missing (I suspect in a railfan’s memorabilia collection, somewhere) but I believe that the wooden sign predates the use of a metal station sign. My guess would be that the sign and post date from sometime in the 1950’s. Interestingly, the CNR has almost completely faded off of one side and produced a sort of “ghost” lettering; this side is on the opposite side from the bare spot where the station sign was nailed, which likely confirms this as the north-facing station sign as decades in the sun likely faded the painted letters on the south side into history. What am I going to do with the sign? Not sure. I like on the corner of the block so maybe I could put it near the street sign and confuse motorists (I do live near Rymal road). Maybe plant it in the garden? After all, some railfans have lanterns or switch stands on their front lawns. Either option, I suspect, would not be very popular with the authorities that be… But for now, it’s neat piece of history to hang onto that can’t be replaced…

Til next time,

Cheers,

Peter.

Continue reading →