June 2008
A new engine for helper service.
As the end of September draws near a fine balance develops between grain stored and grain moving. Should anything get ‘out of sync’ in a complex delivery, grading, storing, loading and rail transportation system things back up quickly and with costly results. Maintaining that balance is my job. Well, at least as Chief Maintenance Officer of the Winter Valley Regional Railway, providing adequate horsepower when needed the most is part of my job and I try to keep those scales from tipping.
To that end I had rushed through a lease of a Northern Alberta Railway GP9 to sub for a CN GMD1 down with a traction motor failure. Pete called just as he was easing her into town so I pushed away from the desk, walked to the end of the platform and waited for him and the crew to drop from the cab. “Climb aboard,” he said. “She’s a fine machine. Clean as the day she was born and we can put her to work as soon as you give the word.”
One of the greatest challenges of this hobby is trying to create a model of ‘the real thing’. I skirted that issue for years by building my own railway in my own way. If John Green hadn’t asked me to detail, paint and decal a NAR GP9 for him I’d never have had this experience. Both diesels are from USA Trains.
The 205’s ‘office’ was clean and well maintained. If there had been orange peels on the floor and skin mags in the can it was all swept away now. Pete moved her into action smoothly like the professional he was. We took the station track, stopped at the far end of a trailing switch, and backed into the local team track. This would be no ‘freebe’. We’d be taking a big CN covered hopper and our resident combine 7210 over to Grande Prairie with us. The hopper to refill at the UGG and the lone passenger car to refit with a modern electric stove before winter sets in.
Running light, we pushed the posted speed just a little but holding in a siding at Colder for some honest to goodness southbound revenue set us back again so it was some three hours before we reached the yard limits at Grande Prairie. Then another ½ hour to spot the hopper and drop 7210 off at the shop.
I climbed down at the fuel station and headed across the street to Timmy’s and a little fuel for myself. 
The trees are about 40 feet high. From this perspective, perhaps higher. How many of us allow the trains to overpower the scenery? Just about everyone I guess. I have a trick I used when I modelled in N scale. I would stand a boxcar on end just to be sure that nearly all my trees were ‘taller’ that that car.
I removed the lamps from the headlights and installed 5mm LEDs. They are already polarity selective and the existing cct board comes with current limits so no extra wiring was necessary.
Sandy was wandering over from the sand tower by the time I got back. He would see that 205 was ‘topped up’ with all the necessary fluids, lash her to the rest of the consist and run a few operational checks before turning the whole thing over to the road crew.
I don’t know what we’d do without Sandy. After 30 years with the railroad, CN, NAR and now WV, he was just about indispensable. The new, younger people were excellent of course but even the best of them turned to Sandy for advice from time to time and that advice often kept them, and our railroad, out of trouble.
Obviously my next challenge will be to bend the hand rails into the CN style on both locomotives, They look odd with the US factory installation and the white/yellow safety paint makes that stand out even more.
The filters were weathered on all the Winter Valley diesels because the dark paint blended them in just enough to see them. The NAR units would have looked silly with a clean hood and black filters so I didn’t touch them.
After working UGG and the warehouse, own 8124 would lead 8100 and 205 south before mid afternoon with major work scheduled for both Pearson and Hudson. They would ‘over night’ back at Winter Valley and continue on to Grizzly Junction very early the next day where the Fox Creek turn would be cut in. The whole thing would be sitting on a CN siding by 0900.
Coming home, the NAR power would be in charge of two sister engines, 66 empty hoppers, four less-than-carload boxcars and two heavy tank cars. Her handsome, unfamiliar colours would be sure to turn a few heads as she passed by.
I’d tag along as far as Pearson.
There are no 1/29 th scale decals available for the NAR engines. What’s more, I would be reluctant to use them anyway because the paint is a custom blend of C&O Enchantment Blue, Reefer Yellow, Reefer White, Reefer Gray and a warm black. Factory decals would never match.
So I bought vinyl masking ‘decals’ from G Scale Graphics and used my airbrush in successive layers until they were done. The engine diamond logo and name turned out great but the matching NAR caboose is still a work in progress.
Our first job along the road was switching the Pearson Grain Terminal. It was the largest industry on our line and it provided us with work all year round. It was also on a very busy main line and August through October was by far the busiest period. Setting out and picking up cars would be accomplished between through service. Timing was everything.
Once we had their cars in place we would cut out a single engine to work the downtown area while the other, or others, made up the full train ready for the trip south.
Short video – A bust day at Pearson Terminal
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If I’d had truly unlimited space down here I would have built in two terminal sidings rather than one. The main line is being tied up with switching chores and through freight and passenger trains can’t get moving. As a result we wait until there is a quiet few minutes and get the work done then. I guess it’s just a built in challenge during operating days.
During the work in Pearson it became quite common for us to brake up the power and finish city jobs with one engine. This got the work done effectively but still kept road and highway crossings clear far more that if we had switched using a complete train.
Today’s operations took 205 past a shinny new CN helper GP38-2W setting on a siding waiting for its train. That extra 2000 horse power would lift its train over the top to Colder and provide braking down into Colder I would take a company truck back to Winter Valley. Well, enough playing with trains for today anyway. Back to those memos, schedules and reports.
The light in this photo isn’t what it should be. The very neutral gray on the locomotive has taken on a light blue colour. NAR fans will recognize the issue and let it go but strangers will assume it’s correct. It clearly isn’t.
Miniatures by Eric winterization hatch, front mounted bell/bracket, three chime horns, radio antenna and duel headlight assembly are popular in all scales but becoming increasingly rare in 1/29 th scale. I have a small supply but lean days are ahead unless someone picks up the slack.
Drop by and visit us all at www.mylargescale.com
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