March - Ottawa Valley Associated Railroaders

The Interchange
Our 45th Year
Ottawa Valley Associated Railroaders — OVAR
March 2006 Issue 403
CPR no. 1, better known as THE COUNTESS OF DUFFERIN, was originally built for the Northern Pacific by Baldwin in 1872. Reputed
to be the first locomotive to arrive in Winnipeg, it has been on display since 1910 in various locales as a City of Winnipeg icon.
A visit to the Winnipeg Railway Museum
by Ian Cranstone
One of the extra-fare events at last year’s
CARM convention in Winnipeg was a
combined tour of CP’s Weston diesel shops
and of the Midwestern Rail Association’s
Railway Museum, housed on tracks 1 and 2
of Winnipeg’s Union Station (these are the
two westernmost tracks visible at the top of
the airphoto on pages 6 and 7).
The surroundings obviously ooze authenticity,
being a working train shed for many
years (interestingly, there was a wedding
party having their photos taken here — they
probably weren’t impressed when a tour bus
emptied out into the museum!).
Today VIA requires only a fraction of the
space of this building operating only the
CANADIAN three times a week in each direction,
and trains 692-693 to Churchill,
again three times a week. And if you visit
the museum while one of these trains is present,
there are some windows which allow
viewing of the adjacent platforms on tracks
3 and 4.
Their prize holding would have to be the
COUNTESS OF DUFFERIN. This 4-4-0 was
originally constructed by Baldwin as Northern
Pacific 21 in 1872. Although displayed
as CPR no. 1, it never actually wore this
number in service, having arrived in Winnipeg
in 1877 for contractor Joseph Whitehead
(it was no. 1 for him, and named the
COUNTESS OF DUFFERIN at that time).
Subsequently it did serve as CPR no. 151
before being sold to a lumber company. Lat-
...continued on page 4
On the inside:
Craig Library Report 2
McEwan Nominations 3
Winnipeg 1967 6
plus much more

From the Carrel of the Librarian
by Dave Knowles
C. Robert Craig Memorial Library
Arecent inquiry about the early membership
of OVAR has prompted me to remind
you that the library holds the Archives
of OVAR. There is a lot of interesting material
there and it holds many memories. Some
of which I would like to share.
In early 1960 Adrian French visited the
Southern Tier Railroad Club of Endicott
N.Y. He returned with the news that they
had constructed a map of the various areas
served by the model railways of the club
members, and the interchange points between
the different railways. The club also
published a paper entitled the SEMAPHORE.
On April 4, 1960 a group consisting of
Adrian French, Ken Chivers, Bob Craig,
Bob Hare, Jack Rous, and Graham
Stremes met at the home of Joe Thomas.
These seven decided to compile a map similar
to that of the Southern Tier group and
publish a club paper called the INTER-
CHANGE.
The first INTERCHANGE was dated April
1960 and in addition to the seven, the paper
was placed in the hobbyshops run by Bill
Williams Sr. and Herb McEwen to reach
Kingston dated “10 Apr 61”. Brian was a
first year cadet and had been a model railroader
for three years. He had seen a note
on the formation of OVAR in MODEL RAIL-
ROADER (April, 1968. p.68) Among other
things he was looking for a ride to the
NMRA Convention in Syracuse. Joe didn’t
reply until May 5 (after the Syracuse convention)
outlined the purposes of OVAR
and enclosed four copies of the INTER-
CHANGE. Brian joined OVAR in 1970.
- 30-
N.B. The number “30” placed at the end of a
reporter’s text indicates that that is the end.
Actually this descends from the railway
telegraphers where “30” indicated the end
of an order or message!
other interested model railroaders. The response
was such that the second issue was
April 4: OTTAWA – Bytown Railway Society,
Canada Science & Technology Muse-
TIMETABLE
published in November and a postcard reply
card inserted. The reply card was also Upcoming events of particular um, 1867 St. Laurent Blvd. 7:30 p.m.:
placed in the hobbyshops. Some 61 of these interest to OVAR members
www.bytownrailwaysociety.ca
cards have survived the intervening 45 years
and are in the CRCML. Mine is attached, it
was dated 12 o’clock, January 12, 1961 and
the postage was 4 cents. Other reply cards
were received from John LeBlanc, Bill
Linley, Bruce Curry, Fred Mills, Derek
Moon, Eric Smith, Graham Stremes,
Dave Strong, Roger Eaton, Peter Nesbitt,
and Tom Hood (all but Bill Linley can be
found on the 2005 OVAR list).
The 1961 membership list had 61 members.
To put this in perspective THE INTER-
CHANGE for February 2006 counts some
181 members. The same issue carries the
number 402. But Joe Thomas once redfacedly
admitted that he had inadvertently
skipped #126, 127 and 128. So actually
this issue is really #400. In 2001 Barry
Innes compiled an all-time members list
and it numbers 814 (or thereabouts) members.
Another item in this early file is an
exchange of letters between Joe Thomas and
“O/C Earl BG 6171” Stone Frigate, RMC
March 18-19: KINGSTON – Rail-O-
Rama Show, Ambassador Hotel, 1550
Princess St., Sat. & Sun. 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
March 25: OTTAWA – St. Lawrence Division
Meet, NMRA, Emmanuel United
Church, Smyth Road. Info:
www3.sympatico.ca/gd.knowles/
sld/sld_meets.htm
March 25-26: MONTREAL – Sun Youth
Train Show, 4251 St. Urbain.
April 1-2: KEMPTVILLE – Train & Toy
Show, W. B. George Centre, Kemptville
College, 4 km west of Hwy. 416, follow
signs to college. Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun. 10
a.m.-4 p.m.. Info: Hugh Laing (613) 592-
9402 (day) or (613) 592-5824 (eve.) or
Frank Steele (613) 634-8225, email: vcrtrains@igs.net.
www.027trains.com
April 5: CORNWALL – Moccasin Model
Railroad Club, Nativity Hall, 7:30 p.m. Info:
Chris Patrick, e-mail: cpatrick1@cogeco.ca
April 22-23: IROQUOIS – Model Railroad
Show & Sale, Seaway District High
School, Hwy. 401 to exit #738, south to
Hwy. 2, turn left on Hwy. 2. Sat. 10 a.m.-5
p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.-4 p.m.. Info: Jason Edge
(613) 657-1392, email: cuttingedge@ripnet.com
April 28-30: CHATHAM – NMRA Niagara
Frontier Convention, Wheels Inn. Info:
www.nfr-nmra.org
May 19-21: MONTREAL – CARM/
CRHA National Convention, McGill University
New Residence Hall, 3625 Avenue
du Parc. Info:
www.caorm.org/Pages/copetown.html
2 The Interchange

McEwan Award
nominations required
by Barry Innes
Next month there will be nomination
forms on your tables looking for nominees
for the H. L. McEwan trophy. As you
all know, this award is not only to remember
Herb McEwan, but also as a memorial to all
Ovarians that have passed on over OVAR’s
45 years. If you would like to nominate
someone who you feel has made an outstanding
contribution to OVAR and model
railroading, fill out this form giving your
reasons why you feel that he (or she) should
be awarded this trophy. Pass this nomination
form on to me (Barry Innes) no later than
the May, 2006 dinner meeting for consideration
by the award committee.
What follows is a reprint of Dave Strong’s
(the first committee chairman) original article
from the April, 1969 INTERCHANGE that
gives a background as to why this award was
originally given to a deserving member of
OVAR.
Herb McEwan was one of the very
early members of OVAR. Herb was a man
that worked with love steamin his
younger days, horsetraded scale model
steam in his later years and developed a
hobby retail outlet as a sideline.
We all called him “SHORTY” and
when he had something to say we usually
asked him to stand up on a chair so we
could see him. What he lacked in physical
stature he more than made for in personality,
having a a good word for everyone,
reminiscing about some of his past
experiences or ready to make a deal or
swap in railroad equipment. His uncertain
health never dissuaded him from
taking part in activities or travelling
afield to meet fellow steam enthusiasts.
Wherever Herb was, there was always
activity and all around good fellowship.
A trophy has been established in
Herb’s memory. It will be awarded annually
to someone who has made an outstanding
contribution to the promotion
and goodwill in the hobby of railroading.
In addition to the trophy itself, the recipient
of the award will receive a permanent
momento of the award. This momento
takes the form of an HO 70’ Executive
Business Car, painted and lettered in the
livery of Herb’s South Shore line. The
cars are numbered in sequence beginning
with #1 awarded to Joe Thomas in
1968.
The choice of each years recipient is in the
hands of the trophy’s Trustees. This group is
independent of the OVAR executive, although
that group nominates trustees to the
present trustees. Trustees are limited to three
in any one year. It should be noted that this
not an election and you should offer some
reasons for your nomination.
Listed below is a list of the members
who have won this award and is provided
for your reference. Remember that the
May, 2006 dinner meeting is the deadline
for nominations, so put on your thinking
caps!
HERB McEWAN (1902-1966)
As the first OVAR member to pass on,
Herb McEwan’s name lives on in the
form of the annual award given in his
memory. (photo courtesy of David McCurdy)
For the Record
February Meeting:
120
Current membership:
181
THE INTERCHANGE
wants to know what you’re
doing on your model railroad
1968 1 Joe Thomas
1969 2 Bob Craig
1970 3 Adrian French
1971 4 G. “Toots” Eggert
1972 5 Bill Williams Sr.
1973 6 Doug MacKenzie
1974 7 Tom Hood
1975 8 Dave Knowles
1976 9 Brian Ludlow
1977 10 Reg Bilodeau
1978 11 Jim Jarrett
1979 12 Al Craig
1980 13 Tony Chinery
Herb McEwan Car Recipients 1968-2005
(Year/Car #/Recipient)
1981 14 Odfried Wendler
1982 15 Bill Scobie
1983 16 Tony Mitchelson
1984 17 Jim Simpson
1985 18 Ross Peever
1986 19 Omér Lavallée
1987 20 Bill Erwin
1988 21 Michel Boucher
1989 22 Bruce Curry
1990 23 David Stremes
1991 24 Brian Earl
1992 25 Dave Venables
1993 26 Ron Shurtliffe
1994 27 Carl Swail
1995 28 Ken Healy
1996 29 Jim Nelson
1997 30 Stew Waldron Sr.
1998 31 David Steer
1999 32 Marty Phillips
2000 33 Steve Adamson
2001 34 Angus Palmer
2002 35 Mike Hamer
2003 36 Peter Nesbitt
2004 37 Earl Roberts
2005 38 Roger Eaton
2006 39
March 2006 3

An early C
Winnipeg Railway Museum
continued from page 1
er acquired by the City of Winnipeg, the
COUNTESS went on display in 1910 at
William Whyte Park, moved to the CPR depot
in 1943, then to a park on Main Street in
1970 (where I recall seeing it when young),
was stored in 1975 and finally went to the
museum in 1992. It’s good to see the
COUNTESS on display once again. They
have come up with a replica 1880s construction
train (two flat cars), which is being
pushed by the COUNTESS.
Another anchor tenant is CNR GMD1 no.
1900. At one time the dedicated passenger
switcher at Union Station, it now heads a
CN transfer freight consisting of a 1929 CN
boxcar and steel caboose.
The museum has also been fortunate to
acquire a rather interesting cross section of
equipment, including assorted passenger
cars, a Jordan spreader, flanger, reefers, boxcars,
assorted cabooses and even an electric
mine locomotive (which unfortunately at
this time is stored outside). They don’t have
a snowplow, but then since CN’s are all stencilled
that they will not clear the Winnipeg
train shed, this might prove to be a problem!
They have also acquired an interesting cross
section of lines serving Winnipeg, including
CN, CP, Greater Winnipeg Water District
and the Midland Railway of Manitoba (now
BNSF Manitoba).
As with most railway museums space is at
a premium with more equipment than they
can hold in their available space. Some
equipment is housed outside the train shed,
inaccessible to public view. They remain active
in acquiring some interesting material,
including the CTC panels which used to
GMD1 no. 1900 rests in familiar surroundings in the Winnipeg train shed — on the adjacent track
control the Winnipeg Terminals Railway.
One other problem that they are facing
was quite evident on the day of our visit (a
very rainy spring day), with water leaking
through various points in the train shed roof.
It was of course designed with exhaust vents
in the roof, which have been covered over,
but there are obviously some leaks.
We were also quite impressed with the
volunteers — they had a track plan of the
area on display in their gift shop (housed in
a former CN baggage car in the display), but
copies were out of stock. Further communications
by email resulted in the original being
located, and a copy being mailed to me
(which has been reproduced the next page).
Your editor on GMD1 1900.
A view of the spartan cab of the COUNTESS OF DUFFERIN.
4 The Interchange
Wickham

Views of the interior of CN caboose 79553 (above and below).
is the COUNTESS OF DUFFERIN.
NR express truck is displayed on the platform.
car wearing the CP Rail paint scheme.
Fire protection for Transcona shops was provided by this vintage firetruck.
March 2006 5

6 The Interchange

Winnipeg 1967
A layout possibility
by Ian Cranstone
This particular airphoto was taken in the spring of 1968, and shows much of the area that I would like to represent on my
layout (currently an unspoiled basement). I have chosen 1967 as an era for a number of reasons: the mixture of steam and
modern era freightcars; the first of the second-generation diesels beginning to arrive; and that this was also the last year in
which CN would try to be a passenger carrier. After 1967, CN realized that there was no future here and the cutbacks began
in earnest. Rapido Trains has been kind enough to offer the solution to the CNR passenger car fleet, and now I need FP9’s!
Much of this trackwork is now gone, with Winnipeg having redeveloped this area into parks, walking trails, farmers/craft
market (the cluster of buildings at the left), children’s museum and a ball diamond (home to the Winnipeg Goldeyes of the
Northern League) placed inside the curve at upper right. The area occupied by the transfer sheds (above centre) still lies vacant
for future use.
There is still a great deal to discover, but my trip to the CARM convention last year was a gold mine of information. I already
knew that both the Northern Pacific and the Great Northern ran daily passenger trains into Union Station, but now
thanks to Carl Gay’s photography I now know what they looked like: NP used an RDC2, while GN ran a pair of E7A’s. I was
later able to discover that this apparently overpowered train was because they would drop mail cars as they travelled north,
which would be recovered on the trip south. He even showed a photo of FPA4 6767 in Winnipeg in 1967, so I can even keep
a token MLW unit. I also was able to obtain a 1950s track plan of the area at the Winnipeg Railway Museum (at left), which
shows a few tracks no longer in place by the 1960s.
Building this, along with staging yards to support the busy east-west mainline traffic will doubtless keep me busy for
some time, along with modelling the distinctive buildings on this site. There should also be some serious switching action as
service is provided to the various facilities. Stay tuned, as I try to fit the essentials into my basement...
March 2006 7

2005-2006
OVAR
Directory
Next Meeting
Dangerous
Goods
presented by
J.A. (Andy) Ash
Manager, Dangerous Goods,
Railway Association of Canada
Display
Structures
Tuesday, April 11
St. Anthony Soccer Club Hall
523 St. Anthony Street, Ottawa
(just off Preston Street at the Queensway)
Doors open at 5:30 p.m.
Dinner served at 6:30 p.m.
Admission: $20.00
Includes dinner, facilities, program expense, taxes and gratuities.
Free parking.
Please note:
If you cannot attend the meeting after saying you would, please call
Fred Mills at (613) 723-1911. Thank you.
Chair: Bud Nelson 613-837-3350
Vice-Chair: Paul Norton 613-825-4113
Secretary: Mike Shore 613-829-8867
Treasurer: Gord Bellamy 613-725-6979
Membership: Bill Meek 613-521-3234
Program: Norm Levert 613-834-6798
Dinner: Fred Mills 613-723-1911
Special
Projects: Gary Baillargeon 613-774-2380
Archives: Dave Knowles 613-722-4473
Webmaster: Steve Watson 613-592-3609
Video Library: Bernie Goodman 613-834-7431
Web Site:
www.ovar.ca
THE INTERCHANGE
March 2006 — Issue 403
Editorial Staff
Features, Story Ideas,
Comments and Complaints:
Ian Cranstone
3715 Campbellcroft Rd.
P.O. Box 634,
Osgoode, ON K0A 2W0
Phone: 613-821-7423
e-mail: lamontc@nakina.net
Distribution and Mailing:
Mike Shore
25 Bainbridge Ave.,
Ottawa, ON K2G 3T1
Phone: 613-829-8867
e-mail: mshore1@rogers.com
Submission of Articles:
THE INTERCHANGE welcomes your submissions
that may be of interest to club members. Please
send them to one of the departments listed above.
Material submitted can be handwritten, typewritten,
on floppy diskette, or sent via e-mail.
Copy Deadline:
April March 20
Printing and Copying:
Impression Printing,
Smiths Falls
THE INTERCHANGE is published ten times a year,
September through June, by the Ottawa Valley Associated
Railroaders. Opinions expressed in THE
INTERCHANGE are those of the Editors or individual
authors, and are not necessarily those of OVAR.
© 2006