March - Ottawa Valley Associated Railroaders

The Interchange
Ottawa Valley Associated Railroaders ­ OVAR
March 2013 Issue 473
NIPAWIN SK BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION
Nipawin Saskatchewan double deck bridge construction
Dominion Bridge photo / Mark A. Perry collection
These fascinating photos are scanned DOMINION BRIDGE 4x5 negs from the collection of Mark Perry. These are B&W photos of
the CPR bridge being built over the Saskatchewan River in Nipawin Saskatchewan 1929. Still standing, the railway crosses on the
top and the automobiles drive on the single lane direction controlled road on the second level, UNDER the railway. CPR sold the line
running between Nipawin and Choiceland to the newly formed shortline, the Torch River Railway.
The most severe stresses on a bridge often take place during its
construction.
On the Inside
This is a good example of the large stresses that can occur during bridge
erection. Once built, the spans of this bridge will bow down between
From the Private Car 2
pillars, placing the top long girders in compression and the bottom ones
Tonight's Speaker 2
in tension. But quite the opposite is now taking place. The middle
Herb l McEwen Award 3
trusses are built in cantilever fashion, without any support. With the
February Display 4, 5, 6, 8
addition of King Posts and tension bars, the weight of the span and the
Nipawin Bridge Construction 1, 7, 9
crane booming out new beams is transferred back to the first truss.
Great Western Railway Token 9
Both trusses are experiencing stresses to make them bow up. Note the
Railfan Video Review 10
falsework required to build the first truss span, and how each tower is
Changing Prototypes 11
placed to support one bay of the truss. The middle truss needs two
more bays before it reaches the pillar on the left.
and much more
continued on page 7
The Interchange Page 1

FROM THE PRIVATE CAR
I have been organizing in my train
room for several weeks now, in the
hope that I will have a big spurge
of construction before spring.
Much planning has been completed
and most all of the supplies are at
hand. I say most, because it always
seems that there is just one thing
missing when you get up to your elbows deep in the layout. My
tools are now better located and easier to find with key tasks like
soldering having their own tool caddy.
that I don’t make any curves to tight. I also have a couple of
calipers that are useful for taking dimensions off plans and aerial
photos.
Of course I have a good collection of jeweler’s screwdrivers
and files as well as the obligatory set of x­acto knives. There are
lots of other great tools and if you have any special tools we
should know about please let me know.
Railroading is not how I make my living; it is how I live.
Robert Peck
There are some special tools that I find particularly handy. For
track­work, a pair of rail nippers is really indispensable. They
make quick easy work of cutting rail. I remember back in the late
seventies when we were setting up the first HOTRAK layouts
using Dremel tools or heaven forbid an Atlas rail­saw to cut rail.
Rail nippers are just for cutting rail. Don’t use them to cut wire,
especially piano wire as it is harder than the blades and will leave
deep groves in your nippers. The manufacturer calls this abuse.
For track nails I use a small hammer, but even though the head
will fit between the rails, I always use a nail­set. This ensures that
I don’t dent the rail and I can control the depth of the nail to
ensure that the ties don’t get deformed and change the track
gauge. I drill hole for nails in the ties using a pin vise. The one I
have has a big swivel knob on one end that spins easily in my
palm. I have several NMRA standards gages as well as three
point track gages. Probably one of the best tools I found for
putting on rail­joiners is an ME Stainless Steel Rail Joiner
Installation Tool. These were made by Marv Selzer, but are no
longer available.
I have used many tools for soldering but I found that the set sold
by Fast­Tracks works best. They sell a good iron with nice fine
solder, perfect for track­work. I use different irons for under
layout electrics. I even bought a jewelers saw for cutting rail
gaps in preassembled turnouts.
I use K­D couplers and love their tools. There are four that I
cannot live without. First is a K­D coupler height gage. I have
three, two are on the work bench on either end of the test track
and one is available to travel to any location on the railroad.
Second, is a pair of coupler trip­pin pliers. These are the just right
tool for the job and have stopped me from breaking couplers
using the wrong tool. They were worth the price in unbroken
couplers. Third is a K­D Spring­pick. This small tool has also
paid for itself in preventing those little K­D knuckle springs from
flying all over the train room. Again it is simply the right tool for
the job. Fourth, I use graphite as a coupler lubricant and it really
helps prevent sticky couplers. Of course I have a good supply of
washers and coupler mounting screws for those awkward cars
and that means I also have the necessary taps and drills.
For measuring I really like scale rules and have several,
including some that are transparent. For laying out curves I use
two types of trammels, either string or ruler. I also have a couple
of curve templates for curves that I can’t get to the centre of. I
keep a piece of Atlas 22 inch radius curve track handy to ensure
Page 2
Tonight's Speaker is Bill Scobie
Bill has been a model railroader for about 50 years. It all started
back in his late teens when he wrecked three flying models in one
day. So that's when he started to look a little harder at model
railroading.
Bill had an old American Flyer set that went twice around a 4X8
sheet of plywood. He could do 200 mph with this train, but it was
not what he was looking for. So Bill took it all down to
Hobbyland and traded it for his first HO set. You guessed it, the
Athearn Hustler. This thing did 500 MPH but it was a start. From
there Bill started to look at a free lance layout as there were not
too many around at that time. So off he went picking up what he
liked.
Along comes the October 1969 Trains Magazine, the all narrow
gauge issue. The story by William Moedinger of his 1939 trip to
the Rio Grande Southern Railroad. The one photo of engine 20
leading engine 455 with the brakeman riding the pilot of number
20 so the crew could see a little farther down the track and avoid
possible trouble. Bill was hooked and out and out went some
trains and in came HOn3 D&RGW RGS trains. The down side is
that he also got interested in the broad gauge trains. Got a little
off track.
It wasn't till he built his house in 1981 did it become clear that
HO/HOn3 was not going to work. In his own words: in 1984 my
first Sn3 came in the door and by 1986 the HO/HOn3 was out
the door and the Sn3 was coming in. And today I have not too
bad a layout that runs and we can have fun with.
I send a lot of time in narrow gauge country having been there
some twenty times. My most nitrous trip was in 2010 when Russ
Sperry cleaned the boiler of engine 489 on top of the 10015 foot
Cumbres Pass. We had paid to have it painted green but it didn't
look green. It did when we were finished.
I am also into Canadian aviation and too many other things.
Bill Sn3
The Interchange

Herb L. McEwen Award
CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
By Barry Innes
Well it's that time of year again. At the April OVAR meeting,
next month, you will find nomination forms on your table for
nominations for the H. L. McEwen award.
This will be the 46th time that this trophy has been awarded.
This award is not only to remember Herb McEwen, but also to
honour OVARian’s who have passed on over OVAR's 52 years. If
you would like to nominate someone who you feel has made an
outstanding contribution to OVAR or model railroading, fill out
the nomination form and pass it on to me at the April or May,
2013 meetings of OVAR.
Please DO NOT sign the nomination form as forms that are
signed will NOT be accepted. Remember, no nominations can be
accepted after the May, 2013 meeting and the committee
operates independently of the OVAR executive.
2005 38 Roger Eaton
2006 39 John LeBlanc
2007 40 Jacques Thuot
2008 41 Grant Knowles
2009 42 Bob Peck
2010 43 Graham Stremes
2011 44 Barry Innes
2012 45 Chris Lyon
2013 46 ______________
UN­WEATHERING EFFORTS
Bill Scobie and Russ Sperry to the rescue
Our heroes had paid good money to have the engine painted
green, only to find her under so much weathering that she did not
look green at all. So here they are undoing what they so painfully
try to do in their model world. Train modellers are strange
people!
Below, for your information, is a list of former winners of this
award.
YEAR Car # NAME
1968 1 Joe Thomas (D)
1969 2 Bob Craig (D)
1970 3 Adrian French (D)
1971 4 Gunther M. "Toots" Eggert (D)
1972 5 Bill Williams Sr (D)
1973 6 Doug MacKenzie (D)
1974 7 Tom Hood
1975 8 Dave Knowles
1976 9 Brian "Boomer" Ludlow (D)
1977 10 Jim Jarrett (D)
1978 11 Reg Bilodeau (D)
1979 12 Al Craig
1980 13 Tony Chinery (D)
1981 14 Odfried Wendler (D)
1982 15 Bill Scobie
1983 16 Tony Mitchelson
1984 17 Jim Simpson (D)
1985 18 Ross Peever (D)
1986 19 Omer Lavallee (D)
1987 20 Bill Irwin
1988 21 Michel Boucher
1989 22 Bruce Curry
1990 23 Dave Stremes
1991 24 Brian Earl
1992 25 Dave Venables
1993 26 Ron Shurtliff
1994 27 Carl Swail
1995 28 Ken Healy (D)
1996 29 Jim Nelson (D)
1997 30 Stu Waldron (D)
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
DRG&W 489, Chama, New Mexico, Sep 2009 ­ Chris Zygmunt
The Interchange Page 3

February Display ­ Passenger Equipment.
Photos by Mike Hamer.
Your absent minded editor forgot to gather all the display
cards, my apologies to those whose names went missing.
G scale. Early internal combustion self propelled train, obviously maintained in pristine condition.
Carl Swail, HO, three turn of the previous century wood
cars. The combine is a Rutland car.
The passenger equipment theme brought beautiful trains.
All were interesting as models as well. On top, Chris Lyon
brought 1959 Fleischman HO gauge tinplate of a Santa Fe
highlevel coaches and observation and below of a New
Haven ligthweight train pulled by a very German
Pennsylvania steam locomotive. In the middle, Brian Earl
displayed an N scale Hiawata, with a streamlined Atlantic
pulling a seven car train. The whole train is a fine example
of Art Deco industrial design. On the lower shelf, Bob
Meldrum brought his dream train. Three heavyweights
pulled by a massive CN 4­8­4. As befits premium trains,
not a speck of dust or road grime could be found anywhere.
Brian Earl's Milwaukee Road Hiawata streamlined Atlantic.
Page 4
Bob Meldrum's dream train, HO
Mogul with smoke lifters
The Interchange

February Display ­ structures and more
Continued from page 4.
Kelley’s Boarding House Mike Hamer
Rusty Stumps Scale Model
Introduction:
This model is one of five in Rusty Stumps Scale Models’
“Kelley’s Landing Series”. I had already built one of the other
structures from the series and enjoyed the modelling experience.
I ordered this second kit as I liked the look of the structure with
its false front, upper landing and double staircase along the side
wall. A boarding house could fit any local in the country, so this
was a “must have” for my future layout expansion. I chose to
build the structure “as is” right down to the same colours as
found in the image on the front of the manual!
Painting:
The walls are painted with acrylic “Parchment” with the trim
given an acrylic “Teddy Bear Tan” coat of paint. Weathering is
an alcohol and India Ink wash as well as some dry brushing of
powders.
Signs:
Many of the signs provided in the kit were decals. Others I found
on the Internet and printed , then resized to fit my dimensions.
Side Brick Addition:
Construction:
The small brick structure jutting out on the left side of the
All wall sections are of two­piece construction, a sub­wall and an
building adds some additional relief to the long, flat wall. It is
exterior wall that you laminate together. Interior room walls,
one of the many resin offerings from a company called
floors and exterior walls are fit together using tab construction
RailroadKits. I simply washed the resin piece before painting
with all the openings for the tabs aligning beautifully. Templates
and weathering.
offer the modeller ease in construction of all exterior detailing
such as landings, railings and staircases. Special roof supports Conclusion:
act as trusses and are placed at regular intervals ensuring a good This was a fun kit to build with its interesting rooflines and
roof fit. Additional bracing is unnecessary as the combined exterior details. It will fit nicely on a diorama for the time being.
efforts of the floor and interior wall sections offer considerable It will eventually reside on my future expansion to my layout.
strength throughout the structure.
LEFT ­ Modeller unknown ­ HO scale,
beautifully painted and weathered gaselectric
self propelled combine in Boston and
Maine colours.
RIGHT ­ John Moore ­ HO scale
Canadian Pacific 'R' class car.
The rest of the information was
hidden. The window
arrangement suggests a diner
to me, but a kitchen car would
require a small door for
provisions.
More Display photos on page 6
The Interchange Page 5

February Display
Continued from page 5.
Unknown, HO scale, an exquisite model of a B&O wagon
top caboose (crummy?) in factory fresh mint condition.
Colin Churcher, brass replica of GWR Coat of Arms casting
applied to 1894 single driver locomotives.
Grant Miles, OO scale, Great Weatern Railway 0­4­2T with cream and brown rolling stock. Also displayed, a rake of
cream and dark red cars with diaphrams. Possibly suburban commuters and long distance trains carriages?
Unknown displayer,
HO scale, a string of four reefers; two cars were Athearns
repainted in Central Vermont and Hood's colour, the
Supplee is believed to be an MDC car. The New York,
Ontario & Western car is possibly scratch­built. The ageing
paint effects are very impressive.
Chris Lyon, HO scale. Two 1959 Fleischman sets made for
US Military posted in Germany market. A Santa Fe Alco
FA2 with high level coaches, and a New Haven set pulled
by a PRR Mogul. Interesting pieces of HO modelling
history, as these trains were nearly 54 years old.
Page 6
More Display
photos on
page 8
The Interchange

Note lack if tie plates under rails and spike every fourth tie
during construction.
Right, building the second truss.
One can see the lower deck for road traffic attached to the side
of the steel tower. The next span will bring the road to the lower
deck of the trusses.
Below, main river crossing completed
By December, Dominion Bridge has completed the four truss
spans over the river and reached the west bank. It is now a
"simple" matter of installing the support towers and the girders
for the deck girder rail bridge. Note that most of the falsework
under the first truss span has been removed. The crane near us
is the same as other photos, but the cab is nearly the same colour
as the background, making it hard to discern against it.
You will find more photos on page 8.
Left, King Posts Above, Building the first truss.
The thin members on the left will be in tension when the bridge is completed,
but they will have to support the weight of the crane during construction.
The Interchange Page 7

February Display
Continued from page 6.
A beautiful display case with VIA rolling stock. The set and display was made for a VIA official.
Bill Crago, no scale. Bill brought samples of 3 volts
LED that do not require soldering a resistance or
longer leads. They come with six inches lead and
can be connected to a variety of 3 volts batteries.
They are available in many colours, and with
special effects. Bill recommended to go to
www.modeltrainsoftware.com for more details.
Above two photos
John Chambers HO Intermountain PS­1 50ft modified with with
cushion under frame. Car was featured in the Oct 08 Interchange,
and a Kadee model of same car.
Photos on the left ­ Robert Peck, HO scale.
Rob brought rolling stock from John Licharson's St Boniface, Lac
des Bois and Kaministiquia Railway now on permanent loan to
Rob. There was a string of three 34 ft hoppers custom decorated
by John, and in Intermountain stock yard modified with new roof
and custom lettering.
Gilbert Lacroix, G scale
At the urging of Fred Mills, Gilbert cast
a prototype 6/6 Freight Shed window.
Gilbert is interested in comments from G
scale modellers.
Bottom photos
Overview of the Display. There is room
for your models!
Everything is
welcome at the
Display. Bring
work in progress,
bring old, bring
new, bring
whatever you like.
And I will put on
my task minder to
pick up faithfully
your Display
Cards! Normand
Page 8
The Interchange

Changing Prototypes
(But Keeping All My Stuff) By David Moat
When Santa Claus left a ‘Marx’ tinplate New York Central
electric train set under the tree for my fourth Christmas, he
probably had no idea that that simple gift would make me a lifelong
model railroader and a stalwart fan of the NYC. Oh, I did
have my diversions. When I moved into HO scale in 1969, I
thought it ‘unpatriotic’ to model a “foreign” railroad, so I decided
to model the CNR. But even then, my very first HO purchase was
an Athearn boxcar kit resplendent in the NYC ‘Pacemaker’
scheme.
So in keeping with the fervor of Canadian patriotism, my
original Ottawa Valley & Northern and its successor Ontario
Eastern were actually freelanced lines that featured CNR motive
power and rolling stock, while the later Ontario & Quebec saw a
move into CPR equipment, but hosted CNR trains via trackage
rights. But the NYC always had a special place in my heart.
When the demise of my first marriage resulted in a ten­year
hiatus from model railroading, all of my “stuff” was carefully
wrapped, boxed, and stored, awaiting my inevitable return to
active model railroading. When I did return, my thinking had
matured to the point that I was going to model what I REALLY
liked, and what I really liked was the New York Central circa
1956 to 1958. I had been modeling the mid­1970’s, so I sold off
most of my rolling stock and motive power, and began to
accumulate NYC equipment (suitably seasoned with the
occasional soupcon of CPR equipment).
All should have been right with my HO world. As I sat down at
my work table a few months ago, I was all set for an enjoyable
evening of modeling. Handel’s ‘Water Music’ was playing on the
stereo, and a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon sat breathing on the
corner of the work table. My tools were laid out, and a rather
battered old Front Range TH&B boxcar sat waiting my
ministrations to restore it to serviceable condition. But something
was nagging at the back of my brain.
I had begun work on my ‘Ontario & New York Railway’ – a
westward­to­Toronto extension of NYC’s Cornwall to Ottawa
line. However, no matter how hard I rationalized, the concept of
a double­tracked and heavily trafficked New York Central
subsidiary through rural Lanark County was totally illogical. The
routing of heavy freight and top­link passenger trains between
Utica and Toronto via Ottawa made the concept even more
ludicrous. The O&NY was abandoned and dismantled earlier this
year before it ever turned a wheel. That was what was nagging at
me as I worked away on repairing that TH&B Boxcar.
And then – an epiphany! The answer to my problem was right
there in front of me, in the form of that TH&B boxcar. Why not
model the Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo? The TH&B not only ran
its own trains behind its own motive power, but being jointly
owned by NYC and CPR, it also featured trains from those
august prototypes.
The muse of inspiration rode in on TH&B 3735, Handel’s
Water Music, and a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon . . . .
passenger station, and Hunter St. station fills that bill nicely.
What other railway changed engines three times (CPR to TH&B
to NYC) in one hundred miles? And as a clincher, the TH&B belt
line around the east side of Hamilton would provide plenty of
heavy industry to originate and receive freight shipments and
require switching activity galore. I was one with Paul on the
road to Damascus!
As a bonus, I can keep and run all my favourite NYC and CPR
rolling stock and motive power. Some of it might be a bit of a
stretch – my prized A­B­A trio of NYC Fairbanks­Morse “Erie­
Builts” for example. But if the prototype NYC ran “Erie­Builts”
in passenger service through nearby Waterford, Ontario on the
Canada Southern as shown on page 107 of New York Central
System Diesel Locomotives (Edson, TLC Publishing, 1995), then
my freight service “Erie­Builts” are but not beyond the realm of
possibility.
The die has been cast. I am indeed changing prototypes and
keeping all my NYC and CPR stuff. However, I will need more
motive power and rolling stock – all in TH&B livery. But for a
guy who loves building and painting railway equipment, how
much of a chore can that be?
It had everything I wanted; heavy CPR­TH&B­NYC freight
traffic and top­link passenger trains with NYC sleeping cars
St Thomas, fall 1997
connecting Toronto to New York, Boston, Cleveland, and
Ontario Central Railway repainting second hand CPR locos in
Pittsburg (and vice versa). Even the CPR ran sleeping cars over it the TH&B colours. An RS18 and an RS23 still needing grille,
that originated in Montreal and Ottawa and terminated at headlights and number boards. There was a C424 in these
TH&B’s Hunter St. station in Hamilton. I wanted a major colours as well. Normand Levert
The Interchange Page 11

OVAR
Coming in April
After Dinner Presentation
John Mitchell
New York Central
Michigan Central
in Ontario
Directory
2012­2013
Chair: Robert Peck 613­269­4193
Vice Chair: Peter Jackson 819­778­2737
Secretary: Mike Shore 613­829­8867
Treasurer: David Copeland 613­825­5027
Membership: John Howard 613­722­3155
Program: Andy Chisholm 613 258­0089
Dinner: Fred Mills 613­723­1911
Archives: Dave Knowles 613­722­4473
Webmaster: Steve Watson 613­592­3609
Video Library: Bill Scobie 819 684­6212
Interchange: Normand Levert 613­867­7904
Web Site: www.ovar.ca
The Display
STRUCTURES
Next OVAR Meeting:
Tuesday, April 9, 2013.
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: $25.00
Includes dinner, facilities, program, expense, taxes and
gratuities. Free parking available at St. Anthony SC or
the Adult High School.
Please note.
If you cannot attend the dinner after saying you would,
please call Fred Mills, the Dinner Chair, at 613­723­1911.
Thank you.
February Dinner Attendance ­ 114
The Interchange
March 2013 – Issue 473
Staff
Features, story ideas, comments.
Email to the Editor: ovar.interchange@gmail.com
Distribution and mailing.
Mike Shore
25 Bainbridge Ave
Ottawa ON K2G 3T1
613­829­8867
Submission of articles.
The Interchange welcomes your submissions that
may be of interest to club members. Material can
be submitted to the Editor via email, memory stick,
CD, DVD, typewritten, or even handwritten.
Copy Deadline.
April Issue, March 21st.
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 are
those of the Editors or individual authors, and are
not necessarily those of OVAR.
©2013.
Page 12
The Interchange