Rolling Stock 

The Spur being small, the trains are short. Although I don't "operate" the Spur very often (mainly I look at it), I thought I'd put out a post about the rolling stock I use on the Spur.

Collecting rolling stock, like collecting hockey cards, is super fun. Taking pictures of rolling stock on the layout is an extremely rewarding task as it reminds me of why I've gone to all this effort in the first place.

Engines

CPR 7013 - Alco S-2

In real life, CP 7013 was a 1000 hp switch (hence the "S") engine built by Alco in 1943. The Alcos had a long life on the CPR, being retired in 1983-1986. One of them is preserved at the Toronto Railway Museum and looks beautiful.

The model is Atlas and equipped with DCC and sound. It wears the CPR Script scheme (note the maroon name) introduced in the early '60's. While I like the script scheme on larger engines, I would have preferred to buy this engine with a block scheme like the RS-18 below.

CPR 8761 - RS-18

CPR 8761 was a Road Switcher with 1800hp built by the Montreal Locomotive Works in the late 1950's. They were rebuilt in the '80s (losing their high nose) and retired in the late '90s. I have a very fond memory of seeing a rebuilt RS-18 switching the old Kodak plant in west Toronto from a GO Train in the early '90s. One of my favourite CPR engines.

This is a Rapido DCC/Sound model (I bought a bunch of these). In contrast to the S-2, 8761 wears the block scheme. While I love the model, the Rapido model is almost too detailed - there are all sorts of little pieces that can get in the way of smooth operations. 

Freight Cars

In the early 1960's the 40-foot boxcar was ubiquitous on railways. But even in that ubiguity was diversity, as you'll see.

CP 51562

51562 is a 40-foot box built in the 50's by National Steel Car in Hamilton. CP had 6,000 of these boxcars. Note the big door. Made by Trains Canada (I think I bought a six-pack on Ebay), this model has some weathering.

CP 50532 and CP 243300

50532 has the same provenance at 51562. Again, some weathering. I like the tall, solid, "normalness" of this model. 

243300 belongs to the same species but is a different cat altogether. It is a "mini-box" unique to the CPR and built around 1929. Being unique to the CPR but also one of 7,500 in its class makes it a "different but common" model. Although small, I love the "Spans the World" slogan the CPR used in the 1940's - with a plane, ship and train to show that the CPR lived up to its slogan. It needs weathering though - in the early 60's it would have been over 30 years old.

243300 is a True-Line Trains model probably bought at Credit Valley Railway.

CP 240007

Another Minibox. A very, very thoughtful gift from my Stepfather. I believe this is a Yankee Clipper model assembled by Rich Crysler at Credit Valley Railway. This is one of my rare good weathering jobs.

It wears the Block Herald scheme - making it less flashy than 243300.

ONT 90789

ONT 90789 is boring x2. A standard issue Athearn box car, bought at George's Trains. I believe it is custom decaled. You can the detail difference between the chunky details on this model and fine (separately-applied) detail on the Minibox above.

Why is the mundane boxcar on the layout? The ONR is my second favourite railroad, and runs through the town closest to the namesake geological feature that Aston is named after. 

CPR 283331

Moving on from the plain jane 40 foot boxcar, CPR 283331 may look like more of the same, but no - this is an 8-hatch ice-activated reefer. Reefers transported temperature-sensitive cargo like produce and meat. CPR had around 3,000 of this type of reefer.

The model is from True-Line Trains. It is a perfect fit for Aston Produce.

CPR 283344

Another True-Line Trains reefer, this time in the Script scheme. The ice hatches on the roof add some heft and character to the model.

That box underneath the door is a charcoal heater to keep meat/produce from freezing during winter transport.

CPR 234537

CP 234537 is a composite (wood/steel) 40 foot boxcar built in 1920-21. Wood boxcars were in decline in the 1960's, but considering CP had 3,500 of this type originally, it took a while for them to disappear. On the Spur the rationale for their appearance is that the carry non-temperature sensitive produce during peak periods and canned goods.

As I mentioned in a previous post, these boxcars are survivors - they are from my childhood layout. Built by Accurail, they have realistic wood siding and are well-detailed, but not to the point of being fragile. Weathering helps bring out the contract between the wood and steel ribs.

CPR 235363

2nd verse, same as the first. Another Accurail boxcar. I have a third one kicking around somewhere.

Note the droopy coupler. At some point, I'll have to do some maintenance on rolling stock!

CPR 381261

By the 1950's, railroads were starting to understand that the 40 foot boxcar was not the ideal way to transport bulk commodities like grain, salt and sugar. CPR 381261 is a covered hopper and is in its original plain paint. It has roof hatches and hopper doors on the bottom to load/unload (better than shoveling stuff out of a boxcar). The "slab-sided" hopper was unique to Canada, and, much like the RS-18, is a calling card for a CPR layout. You have to have at least several.

381261 is another True-Line Trains model. Although the model may look pretty boring, I've always liked the look of slab-sided hoppers. Prior to True-Line Trains coming along, you would have had to buy this model in brass.

THB 2852

The Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo was a connecting railway jointly owned the CPR and the New York Central. While it didn't make it to Toronto or Buffalo, it served its purpose of connecting the CPR (ending at Hamilton) with the NYC in Fort Erie. The line is now owned by the CPR.

2852 is the same model as 381261. On the layout, they earn their keep transporting sugar from refineries in Montreal and Hamilton to Generic Canneries. As you will see in a future post, Generic Canneries has an unloading shed designed for them.

CILX 132

CILX is a 36-foot tank car. I'm not sure what the rationale is for it being on the layout, perhaps it brings brine or some other food additive to Generic Canneries.

I'm very unfamiliar with old tank cars and their distinguishing features. They are an interesting contrast in a consist of 40 foot box cars.

 CP 436132

And of course, we have a caboose. The CPR ran with wooden cabooses well into the 1970's - in this case, the caboose has wooden sides with a metal underframe. Also the caboose is simple to look at, again, the design is distinctly CPR (the one cupola window for instance).

The caboose is one of three Tenshodo brass cabooses I bought used at the Credit Valley Railway. It cost me around $200. In contrast, I have a plastic True-Line Trains caboose - similar in look, that cost only $50.

Closing Thoughts

My focus with the Spur has been on scenery. As this post shows, the rolling stock on the Spur are mostly out of the box models that have not been weathered. You can also see how much of a difference weathering makes particularly with the Accurail wooden box cars. In putting together the photos for this post, I also noticed that some of my stock needs repair - wobbly wheels and droopy couplers.

But for now...