Canadian Branchline Miniatures blog

eBooks coming soon for out-of print titles

2011-11-08T15:04:00.001-05:00

Every week we field inquiries about three of Ian Wilson's books which are now out of print: To Stratford Under Steam, Steam Through London, and Steam in Northern Ontario. Because of the prohibitive printing cost, you won't see these hardcover volumes reissued. However, it is our intention to release each of them as an eBook in the coming months. For a fraction of the hardcover price, you will be able to purchase a digital copy which can be perused on your eReader, computer, or even your big screen TV. Each book will contain many new images in addition to all the original text and photos, making them attractive even to those who already own the hardcover versions. Steam in Northern Ontario will be the first eBook released. Watch our blog and website for details in the new year.

Mark Steyn and I

2011-07-06T07:43:00.000-05:00

Three years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting author Mark Steyn in Toronto. He was promoting America Alone at the time. We had a nice chat about trains (he's a railfan, by the way) and I gave him a copy of Steam Scenes of Allandale.

Although we write books in different fields, Mark and I share common ground. We both swim against the stream in many ways. Back in 1997, I began writing my series of hardcover volumes documenting the twilight of the railway steam era in Ontario. One big reason I undertook that task was that no one else was doing it! I had an interest in visiting the day-to-day world of steam locomotives, steamships and industries powered by steam. The nuts-and-bolts environment of machinery that fascinated boys young and old. I noticed right off the bat that, for the most part, local museums and archives had no interest in these matters.

I knew that I was doing the right thing with Steam at Allandale, my first book project, after a memorable visit to the Penetang Centennial Museum. The young girl curator at the time, barely out of college, had no clue that the town had even had a railway line! I had to educate this person, who was otherwise fully engaged in some sort of fundraising bakesale, about the recent history of the town. That, and countless other interactions with dumbfounded local library, archive and museum staff across the province, convinced me that I had a role to play which would not be fulfilled by those working on behalf of the taxpayer.

Pity. I hope things are changing, but I won't bet on it for awhile (don't believe me? My efforts are nearest to the "Emerging Publishers" category for Canada Council grants. Quebec has 23% of Canada's population, but received 57% of the money in 2009, the most recent year on file. And check out this feminist winner which received 7% of the grant money and this one which gobbled up 6%).

Anyhow, to Mark Steyn, the subject of this picture. The other day on our Classic Books for Boys blog, I spoke about the refreshing experience of the Royal Tour, and how it makes me believe that the Canada of my youth is back. Mark and I are not among those who drink the bathwater of the institutional elite, believing that the history of Canada's institutions begins with Trudeau's French code law-inspired Charter of Rights and "Freedoms" (emphasis mine). Nor do we assert that our legal traditions begin in 1867. Nope, they go way back, about 800 years, and Mark nails that point with his piece entitled The Fool at the Hill.

Steam Over Palmerston back in print!

2011-05-25T10:07:00.000-05:00

"At the crossroads community of Dunkeld five miles to the north, shade trees are obscuring this once-promising locale, whose proximity to the Elora Road became of little use when other stations developed as railway shipping points. A stock pen and turnip waxing plant on the south side justify a spur, while a tiny freight shed and station residence lay claim to the roadside corners to the north. A lady residing in the small depot nestled under maple trees acts as caretaker, and exchanges mail and packages with the trains. Officially a flag station not otherwise requiring a stop, perhaps out of some chivalrous instinct the mixed train nevertheless customarily halts to assist the caretaker in the handling of mail sacks. One Christmas morning a few years ago, she was in for an unexpected surprise. With a heavy train taxing the capacity of the 1200-class Ten Wheeler out of Southampton, the head end crew decided that a stop at Dunkeld would incur the risk of stalling the train. As a result, the southbound Mixed rolled right through Dunkeld on Christmas morning, forcing the otherwise friendly baggageman to heave the heaviest load of mail of the year out the doors onto the ground on the way past."

When we printed Steam Over Palmerston ten years ago, there were about 50 copies produced without case covers. We held onto these, and have now had them cased and dust jackets applied. So, for a short time, Steam Over Palmerston is back in print. You can order a copy, and/or any of the other available titles, online at our Canadian Branchline bookstore or Classic Books for Boys bookstore.

Digital presentation tomorrow at Orillia Library

2011-05-14T12:33:00.001-05:00

Hi folks:

I'm doing a book reading tomorrow (Sunday) at the Orillia Public Library, at 1:30 p.m. This will be a first for me--combined reading with digital slide show. I've taken passages from five of my books (the two Allandales, Lindsay, Northern Ontario and Swing Bridge) and designed a PowerPoint slide show to accompany the reading. There will be a book signing afterword. There's a piece about the event in today's newspaper.

Saturday gig at Orillia Farmer's Market

2011-05-06T17:44:00.000-05:00

A reminder that we are set up every Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Orillia Farmer's Market in our fair city. Browse and/or purchase any of the books we have in stock, or just come to chat! I've been filling visitors in on The King's Puzzle. Today I wrote Chapter 8 of an anticipated 25 chapters.

To quote the Orillia Farmer's Market publicity blurb:

"This is one of the longer-running farmers' markets in the province, with its roots in the 1840s. The Farmers' Market continues to proudly boast of its range of locally produced foods, handmade crafts from around the county and regularly scheduled special events for the family. Our growers offer fresh-picked produce in season, and drug-free meats, with a variety of baked goods and ready-to-eat treats in a sociable atmosphere. Bring your family, meet your friends, shop the vendors, enjoy the talent of local musicians in the Market Cafe."

Biographical account of writing journey

2011-05-06T16:38:00.000-05:00

I've given a number of interviews in my writing career, but none more revealing than with Kate Grigg a couple of weeks ago. Kate's take is in today's Orillia Packet & Times; you can find the story online here. I'll say no more except that she has it right in every detail.

Norfolk Fruit Growers and E. P. Muntz

2011-05-04T14:27:00.000-05:00

Many state-of-the-art cold storage facilities were constructed on railway sidings in Ontario during the 1930s. At Simcoe, Ontario, the Norfolk Fruit Growers Association built such a 94 x 150 foot reinforced concrete cold storage and pre-cooling plant in 1930. Various sections of the plant were used for grading, packing, pre-cooling and storage. There was a covered loading platform along a new railway siding. A doubling of capacity and a cider-making addition soon followed. Apples were shipped to Northern Ontario, Quebec, the Prairie Provinces and Great Britain. You can read in detail about fruit packing and railway switching operations at Simcoe circa 1954 in Steam Echoes of Hamilton.

Among other features, something about the Simcoe plant intrigues me: it was built by E. P. Muntz. This gentleman was a pioneer in the field of prestressed concrete design and construction. In addition to the Queen Elizabeth Way bridge in Hamilton, the Dominion Coal silos in Toronto and many other noteworthy structures, he was responsible for the modern locomotive coaling plants on the Canadian National Railways' (CNR) Northern Ontario District. Many of these structures still stand, albeit in derelict condition, including a 150-ton example at Washago.

Progress at Severn Bridge

2011-05-01T17:05:00.000-05:00

I have been working on my N scale representation of the Canadian National Railways (CNR) Huntsville Subdivision. There is a section of single track mainline between Callander (on the layout) and the north staging yard (which I will call Nipissing).

Even though the scene to the right, at Severn Bridge on the Newmarket Subdivision (just north of Washago) does not fit geographically into the layout section in question, I have chosen to transplant it there. As you can see from the picture, it is crying out to be reproduced in miniature.

In the second picture, you can see the progress which I am making with the assistance of my sons Spencer and Duncan, and my friend Paul Frechette (all three of these unfortunate individuals have been coaxed out by me in frigid weather to hold the cold end of a steel measuring tape). And with not even a Tim Horton's coffee as reward (seeing his opening, son Spencer has spotted a bag of cookies in the railway room, as I type this, and has asked for his "reward" now).

Back to the model. This shows the plaster abutments, along with a Central Valley truss bridge (and a Micro Engineering girder bridge to the left) in a mockup of the scene. A pair of CNR F-7s are set up with a northbound manifest freight train. Also in the picture are several elms and maples which I have made recently from a Scenic Express tree kit. The truck in the foreground is positioned on what will become a section of Highway 11. Between the stone abutment and the stone pier will be the Severn River.

Steam Scenes of Allandale and Steam at Allandale nicely describe the steam-era operations along the Newmarket and Huntsville Subdivisions, on which the layout is based.

Pyrites from Northern Ontario and Quebec to the Niagara area

2011-04-30T13:33:00.000-05:00

For many years, North American Cyanamid of Welland, Ontario (pictured circa 1930) used only imported sulphur for acid production (Canada had no known deposits of sulphur). Then, in late 1954, a Noranda Mines plant opened in nearby Port Robinson, Ontario. This outfit recovered sulphur from a substance known as pyrites (a mud-like by-product of smelting operations).

Coincident with the opening of the recovery plant, half a dozen steel-frame boxcar loads of pyrites were shipped from the mining area every day. These cars were routed along the CNR Huntsville and Bala Subdivisions to Mimico, then to the Niagara Peninsula.

With the new Noranda Mines plant in Port Robinson, the Cyanamid began sourcing most of its sulphur (in the form of sulphur dioxide) from there. This is the kind of development which makes writing books and building model railways so fascinating. My Steam to the Niagara Frontier book is set in June of 1954, so the Noranda-Port Robinson traffic is non-existent. By February of 1955, those half dozen cars a day were being forwarded from the mine to the Port Robinson plant (along the Huntsville Subdivision, which I and Dave Robinson are modelling). For that reason, I'm a little flexible on the era of the railway layout. Besides, the passenger diesels in the late 1954 Super Continental paint scheme are too tempting to pass up in N scale...

Thornbury apple plant

2011-04-30T07:04:00.003-05:00

I took these pictures back in the summer of 2000, when I was endeavouring to build an HO scale model railway depicting the Meaford Subdivision of the Canadian National Railways (CNR) during the 1950s. This is the former Georgian Bay Fruit Growers Association cold storage facility at Thornbury, constructed in 1932.

As I relate in detail in Steam at Allandale, the massive cold storage facility was a beehive of activity in September and October from the 1930s through the 1950s. "Apples Wanted" signs went up, beckoning truckloads of freshly picked fruit. Beginning in mid-September, a carload of crated apples from Thornbury was usually part of the consist of the daily way freight. These shipments were consigned to points in Northern Ontario such as New Liskeard. A similar pattern was followed with Norfolk County apples shipped from Simcoe, Ontario, as detailed in the pages of Steam Echoes of Hamilton.

Refrigerator cars for this service were equipped with charcoal heaters to prevent freezing of the cargo. For more background on this activity, refer to my Apple Harvest piece.

Coal handling at Midland

2011-04-26T16:28:00.002-05:00

For anyone under 60 years of age walking along the waterfront at Midland, Ontario these days, it's hard to imagine the railway and shipping history of that Great Lakes port. Granted, there are clues: one of the four sets of transfer grain elevators is still standing, occasionally a Great Lakes freighter calls with a load of wheat or stone. There are few people around today, however, who recall the tremendous coal storage facility at Midland. This was the Century Coal Company, which was a subsidiary of Canada Steamship Lines.

This time of year, every year in the steam era, a flurry of bulk cargo ships called at Midland. They sailed from places such as Toledo and Sandusky on Lake Erie, and Chicago on Lake Michigan. The latter point was where the Canadian National Railways loaded coal into ships such as the Alexander Leslie for furtherance to Midland. There, the railway made use of the Century Coal storage dock for their locomotive fuel.

The operation of the Century Coal Company at Midland is a fascinating one, and I spent several days going through Canada Steamship Lines archives to piece it together. As that aspect of the CNR steam train history in Ontario is of particular interest to me, I gave it extended coverage in Steam Memories of Lindsay. If you would like to learn more about the railway and shipping history of Midland, Ontario, I invite you to purchase the book.

The old mill in Simcoe, Ontario

2011-04-25T14:45:00.000-05:00

I enjoy poking around old steam era buildings, even if they have been reduced to foundations. In writing a series of books about Canadian National Railways operations in Ontario during the 1950s, I have found reason to explore just about every CNR line in the province. In some ways I envy railway modellers who are able to focus on one territory to the exclusion of all others. They end up actually building something. The rest of us, myself included, like to devote our time to exploring old railway lines in a broader sense. A little of this, a little of that. That approach has characterized my series of books. I do not linger long in any one area, but move on, in order to cover everything in one writing career.

I look back fondly on my research trips. These are still ongoing, of course (right now I am exploring parts of the Canadian Pacific's Mactier Subdivision for my next book which is entitled The King's Puzzle). One place I explored a few years ago was Simcoe, Ontario. This was in support of my effort entitled Steam Echoes of Hamilton. You can read all about the workings of the daily way freight on the Wabash line which served the community in that book.

The north part of Simcoe, circa 1954, was known as Wellington Heights, or North Simcoe. The old "Air Line", otherwise known as the Wabash, or the Cayuga Subdivision of the CNR, passed through. When I explored the area by the former location of the tracks back in 2008, I was intrigued by the foundations of an old mill there. It stood near Sutton's Pond. Sutton was the original owner of the mill. The pond is now dried up (the dam was closed a few years ago).

In 1953, the venerable old mill suffered a fire, but remained standing. At the time, it was owned by two local gentlemen named Riddle and McIntosh. In addition to grain, they also handled coal. Their mill complex stood at the end of a spur which curved southeasterly off the mainline. Their offices were located at 550 Norfolk Street North, directly across the main road from the mill. Connected to the mill were a number of concrete coal bins, situated west of the spur. When I visited the site, the foundations of the mill and the coal bins were still there.

It would be nice to learn of anyone who is contemplating a model of the old mill and coal yard. Any such project would include one of those neat steam era coal trucks with a scissors, or jack-knife, hoist for unloading coal into the bins. Otherwise, railway hopper cars dumped coal into the concrete bins as well.

A new railway station for Barrie

2011-04-24T09:10:00.003-05:00

At our weekly Orillia Farmer's Market gig yesterday, Gary Bell dropped by the table. Like me, Gary was (and still is) a Barrie boy. We grew up within a city block of each other; my brother and I chummed around with his younger brother Jim. While Gary and his son looked through my books, we talked of childhood and about Barrie's (and Allandale's) railway past.

Gary and I chatted about the restoration of the former Grand Trunk and Canadian National Railways (CNR) Allandale station. Prompted by my chat with Gary, I brought myself up to date on the City of Barrie's restoration of the Allandale "train station". I guess it's inevitable that most people call these buildings "train stations", but I prefer the term "railway station". I was particularly fascinated by state-of-the-art investigative techniques such as analyzing the (more than a dozen) layers of paint on the building interior. Such microscopic study tells a story in itself.

Back to the "train station" versus "railway station" business. I spent a good number of years researching, writing and publishing two hardcover books on the network of railway lines centred at Allandale (the southern part of Barrie). The CNR Allandale Division, save for the Bala Subdivision mainline (itself covered in a third volume about the Northern Ontario District, Steam in Northern Ontario), is presented in moment-to-moment detail in Steam at Allandale and Steam Scenes of Allandale. It is an injustice to describe the three former Grand Trunk (Canadian National) buildings under restoration the "Allandale train station". They were much more than that, and a couple of snippets from the books will illustrate that.

From Steam at Allandale:

Standing watch over all the proceedings in its position of prominence on Kempenfeldt Bay, as it has since the heyday of the Grand Trunk Railway, is the Allandale station. Below a tower on the south end, a rotunda affords passengers a view from the waiting room. Telegraph and ticket offices, an operator’s bay, baggage room, express room and the freight office share the remainder of the southernmost building. A canopy-covered passageway for platform wagons adjoins the station restaurant, a landmark for railway travellers and offering the finest Sunday dining for local residents. In the third building, telephone and telegraph lines hum as the offices of the Division Superintendent, Chief Dispatcher, Master Mechanic, Yardmaster and Chief Engineer direct the operations of the entire Allandale Division.

And then, from Steam Scenes of Allandale:

Well into the CNR era, the former Grand Trunk Railway station constructed at Allandale in 1905 retains its majestic appearance. Three buildings comprise the division point facility: a conventional train order office and waiting room at the southernmost end, a first-class restaurant in the centre, and a divisional and despatchers’ office at the northernmost end. During the summer of 1956, the appearance of the Allandale station complex will be drastically altered with the removal of the tower. At the same time, a program to gradually replace the distinctive clay roof shingles with those of the tarpaper variety will begin, resulting in a patchwork appearance to the roof for several years. While some artists have depicted the Allandale station with a train order board during the steam era, that indignity will not adorn the building until the late 1960s.

Memo to City of Barrie, which is mulling over a name for the new GO Transit station in the vicinity of the Allandale station restoration: 'Barrie South'? You've got to be kidding. Call the new station the only name it deserves: Allandale.

Of narratives and fruit loading platforms

2011-04-23T12:36:00.008-05:00

In a flurry of media interviews recently, I have discussed my writing style in my railway books. When Steam at Allandale was published in 1998, I had already established that the creative non-fiction genre was the only way I could, and would, write. I had crafted my style in dramatic "story speeches" and magazine articles over the few years preceding this release.

Creative non-fiction is the application of the novelist's craft to factual writing. Instead of presenting history in the chronological manner ('The railway station was built in 1872. Railroads were important then. Many goods were shipped by trains. There was a fire in 1893 which burned the station down. A grain elevator was constructed in 1918. Then the war ended. Steam engines and trains faded from the scene after 1960. Today there is nothing left of the railroad.'), the writer employs a moment-by-moment account. Factual information is buried in a narrative. Much more entertaining and interesting. For example, from Steam to the Niagara Frontier:

Aside from the occasional flash of headlights and the rumble of an automobile over the Merritt Street wood deck bridge to the west, everything is quiet near Merritton station at midnight. Gooseneck lamps cast a yellow glow onto the brick platform. A train order mast for the double track Grimsby Subdivision stands sentry outside the illuminated bay window on the south face, where the night operator is attending to train orders and other paperwork.

Once I had chosen and developed my unique style, certain rules went with it. Most importantly, one cannot write about 'The 1950s' or even '1954'. Nope, not precise enough. 'Summer 1954' is not even close enough. An author who writes non-fiction like a novel has to narrow the time period down to a day or even a time of day.

By way of example, take Grimsby Beach. This was a fruit loading station on the Grimsby Subdivision, between St. Catharines and Hamilton. My chosen day is Friday, June 25, 1954. All my railway books (save Steam Scenes of Allandale) describe this day. In the case of Grimsby Beach, the Allied Fruit Company was loading strawberries into express refrigerator cars every day at their platform. This fruit was expedited to Montreal and other eastern points in fast passenger trains.

Turns out that pre-dawn on the morning of that same Friday, June 25, 1954, the Allied Fruit Farm platform at Grimsby Beach burned to the ground. That company, and some 300 other growers, had to relocate for the balance of the shipping season to the next closest platform. So, instead of loading strawberries that morning, the Express Extra had a slow order at Grimsby Beach for the fire which was still smouldering alongside the tracks.

That is the kind of moment-to-moment action which is described in the pages of Steam to the Niagara Frontier, now in short supply. If you are not already familiar with the book, you can find an excerpt online, and an order page nearby.

Trout streams, Ten Wheelers and tranquillity

2011-04-18T12:24:00.001-05:00

I've enjoyed a number of interviews with local media over the past few months, most recently with Kate Grigg of the Orillia Packet (article coming in a couple of weeks). It is always refreshing to speak with a columnist about the motivation behind my writing as it pertains to my life as a whole. Like paintings or musical compositions, a book is a snapshot of a writer's personality, likes and dislikes, sometimes a window into his soul. When I reflect on the ten books I have written, and the eleventh in progress, I find myself examining the aspects of this world which are important to me.

Speaking with Kate yesterday took me back to my first book, Steam at Allandale. For those not otherwise acquainted, Allandale is, or was, the "railway ward" of Barrie, Ontario. Aside from railway time tables and local shops, however, "Allandale" disappeared as an entity more than a century ago, when it was lumped in with Barrie, the community around the other side of Kempenfeldt Bay.

Anyhow, my first book began as a collection of articles dealing with Canadian National Railways lines radiating from Allandale in the days of steam. My favourite among those, then and now, was the Penetang Subdivision. In the 1950s, a mixed train fronted by a Ten Wheeler roamed along that branchline six (then three) days a week.

If I could pick a spot to relax, in an era of my choice, such a place would be near the Wye River on the old Penetang Subdivision in the 1940s or 1950s. There was (and is) a picturesque trestle there. On an early summer day, I would recline in the shade of an elm tree, and listen to the wind ripple through the branches overhead. There would be birds among the trees, notably a pileated woodpecker or two. Once in awhile I would pick up my fly fishing rod and cast among the pools in the shade of the old bridge. Mostly, I would lay back in the summer warmth, listening to the sounds around me. One of those sounds would be the steam whistle of the Ten Wheeler on the Penetang Mixed as it meandered up and down the branchline, like the waters of the Wye River.

Happily, all of the above can still be experienced today at that spot. Minus the Ten Wheeler and train, of course. But for that you have your imagination, or the pages of Steam at Allandale. If you are not already acquainted with the book, I invite you to read an excerpt.

Of Lake Erie and an idyllic summer afternoon

2011-03-30T11:25:00.002-05:00

Once upon a time, when I was starting out with railway books, I thought I was writing about steam locomotives and train operations. At other times, I have considered the volumes to be appropriate source material for modellers. Indeed, they represent the books that I, were I a dedicated modeller, would wish someone else to write. In many instances I have pondered that the nine railway books are an act of preserving a recent historical era for all time, while it still exists in living memory.

Great motivations, all, but in reflection, that is not what Steam Over Palmerston, Steam to the Niagara Frontier, et al, are about. What they are, no more and no less, are documented experiences of the idyllic summer day of Friday, June 25, 1954 from a variety of personally-chosen perspectives. Flights of fancy for a curious boy born in 1960, who was always intrigued by the era of steam which came to an end just months before he was born. Although they are exhaustively researched and painstakingly crafted, the railway volumes in the "Steam Series" are no more than subjective reports, moment-to-moment, of a wished-for day which has otherwise swirled past us in the never-ceasing torrent of Time.

I am invariably asked, and flattered in the process, questions by railway fans and modellers such as: 'When will you cover the Canadian Pacific?' and 'Have you any plans to do the city of Toronto?' and 'What about the Wabash?' or "How about the Grand Trunk Western?'. My honest responses, now clearer with the passage of time, are "Probably never". It's not that I don't enjoy learning about railways and territory and eras outside the scope of what I've covered. It's not that I don't think I could do these, and other, suggested topics justice. No, the answer is much simpler: it's just that I've not yet had the desire to visit those places and settings in my imagination. And if I haven't been there, I cannot write about them.

Yesterday, I described some personal aspects of Steam Memories of Lindsay which motivated my writing. Today, I am reflecting on my one-day adventure in June 1954 as related in Steam Echoes of Hamilton. For part of that afternoon of Friday, June 25, 1954, I visited the north shore of Lake Erie at Port Dover. There, in the refreshing offshore breezes, I poked around among the wharves, fishing tugs and greenhouses. Of course, there was a steam locomotive involved, with a short mixed train, raining cinders down on the village upon departure. You can experience part of that wonderful day through my account in this excerpt from Steam Echoes of Hamilton.

Memories of childhood

2011-03-29T06:49:00.000-05:00

For many reasons, Steam Memories of Lindsay is my favourite of the railway books which I have written. It was exactly a year ago that I was investing more creative effort in the first six pages of that volume than in the remaining 186 combined. In retrospect, I can see why: the introductory pages of Steam Memories of Lindsay were a springboard to The Secret of the Old Swing Bridge.

I've been told over the years by steam railway fans that my books take them to special places, making them feel as if they have actually been there. While putting the scrapbook pages together for the Lindsay introduction, I came to realize that if you have imagined that you have been there, then you have been there. An imagined experience is registered on the mind as permanently as one delivered through the five senses.

Many readers were surprised by my change of direction when The Secret of the Old Swing Bridge was released this past December. Looking back, I can see now that I took the magical leap back into the storytelling world of childhood many months sooner, while composing the introduction to Steam Memories of Lindsay. I have written well over half a million words of narrative spread over 1728 pages of railway books, but everything I've wanted to say as a writer is encapsulated in those six introductory pages. Fittingly, they were the last pages of that book, and perhaps the series, to be written.

If you own a copy of Steam Memories of Lindsay, you probably know of which I speak. If not, I invite you to step inside that magical world through this online excerpt.

Just a pile of stumps...

2011-03-04T12:43:00.003-05:00

... you say, and you are technically right.

But on the night of Monday, May 22, 1939, this and other piles of stumps were blazing bonfires, with flames rising 10 to 15 feet in the air.

So what? Well, these fires were at Carley, Ontario (not far west of Orillia, near Moonstone), for a purpose. Purpose being the 8-minute water stop of a certain train on the Canadian Pacific (CPR) Mactier Subdivision mainline.

And not just any train. Rather, the Royal Train, headed by CPR Hudson 2850, decorated with her 12-car consist in blue and silver. And on May 22, 1939, several thousand people stood by at Carley while the huge bonfires and headlights of several hundred automobiles turned night into day in this natural amphitheatre. Then soon-to-be Royal Hudson 2850 came to a stop at the CPR enclosed 40,000-gallon water tank at 9 o'clock Eastern Standard Time.

And 1100 feet to the rear, His Majesty King George VI and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth (consort) spoke, shook hands, and mingled with their loyal subjects for eight minutes. Then the locomotive and train pulled away, the night ever to remain in living memory. And that experience is soon to be relived in an upcoming book.

Angus Wolfe has kindly entrusted to me the next volume in his biography of adventures, centering around the stop of the Royal Train at Carley in 1939. His title is The King's Puzzle, and he wishes this tale of adventure and mystery to be told in a similar fashion to The Secret of the Old Swing Bridge. And so, with the help of a small group of special friends, I am undertaking this task. I understand that Angus's girlfriend Amanda is none too pleased at being traipsed around in the snow looking for burned tree stumps. But life with Angus is never a dull moment, and although she complains vociferously, she's still around!

Royal Hudsons and CPR water tanks...

2011-02-27T18:43:00.000-05:00

Dad took this pictures of Canadian Pacific Royal Hudson 2856 at Lambton Yard in Toronto, in April 1959. She was uncharacteristically grimy, but the end of steam on the CPR in Ontario was just over a year away.

I've written a lot of books on the Canadian National Railways (CNR) over the years. That was a choice back in 1996 when I started this business--either do CN or CP, but go insane trying to do both.

A few friends may be surprised to know that when it came to writing books, the CNR did not actually come first for me. Indeed, I began my first book project in 1986, the subject being the CPR Mactier Subdivision from Toronto to Sudbury (including the Port McNicoll branch). At age 25, I did not have the "cussedness" to pull it off, but the CPR Mactier has never left my imagination.

No, this post is not an announcement about Steam Along the Mactier Sub or anything like that. Or then again, maybe it is. Back on May 22, 1939, the Mactier Subdivision figured greatly in the eyes of the world. CPR Hudson 2850 brought the Royal Train through this neck of the woods that night. Along the way, there was a spectacular scene at Carley, just west of Orillia. That momentous occasion, when royalty came to our backyard, is the setting for the next book in the Angus Wolfe series. It is called The King's Puzzle, and I have begun working on it. The book will be available in June.

Now, a call for help to the CPR fans: I need you guys to steer me in the direction of any pictures of a CPR steam locomotive taking water at one of the road's all-enclosed octagonal water tanks. The book cover artist needs to have some reference material re. the water spout, tender top, positioning of the fireman, etc. A Royal Hudson would be a bonus, but it is the spout apparatus which is of prime importance. Please correspond with me by email if you can be of assistance.

American Can plant at Simcoe, Ontario

2011-02-20T09:41:00.001-05:00

Back in April 2008, I visited the town of Simcoe, Ontario while working on Steam Echoes of Hamilton. I have aspirations for building a switching layout in N scale, with no compression, to serve the American Can plant (left) and Canadian Canners (right).

In 1929, American Can Company purchased the 70-year-old Central School in Simcoe for the purposes of erecting their plant. At the time, American Can was one of the largest industrial concerns in North America, and already had Canadian factories in Hamilton, Montreal and Vancouver.

Two buildings, a warehouse (475 feet long) and a factory (two storeys in height, measuring 295 feet long by 194 feet wide), comprised the new plant. There was also a 192 x 37 ft. concrete office building. Construction began in late September 1929. Storage capacity of the warehouse was 18 million cans. A steel bridge connected the plant to Canadian Canners. Five railway sidings entered the American Can warehouse and ran the entire length of the building.

You can read all the circa-1954 operational details of "The Can" in Steam Echoes of Hamilton. Now, who will beat me to it with a 1:1 faithful rendition of this plant for a switching layout? First modeller to build "The Can" full size in any scale gets a free book!

"Branchline" action at Washago

2011-02-17T21:28:00.000-05:00

Here is the Huntsville Switcher at Washago a few days ago, northbound after lifting some tank cars at the Longford chemical plant. Of course, the track in the foreground is the former Newmarket Subdivision mainline (see Steam at Allandale, Steam Scenes of Allandale and Steam in Northern Ontario), now reduced to a spur from Washago southward.

The magnificent 150-ton coaling plant, a monument to the CNR steam era, stands in the background. Some years ago I began modelling (and documenting) a scratchbuilding attempt in S scale. That one is on the shelf for now. But now, Jeff Smith and I have aspirations of building one or two of these in N scale. These structures are captivating in any scale, especially 1:1.

Wintering at Midland

2011-02-16T11:56:00.000-05:00

Steam Memories of Lindsay ranks up near the top of the favourites of the books I have written. In terms of detail and content, I put more into that book than any of the previous ones. I dedicated the book to my parents, Mac and Mary Lou Wilson, who met in Midland, Ontario, the westernmost point covered by the book. That was fortuitous, because my mom just passed away last month. In countless visits to Midland over the last five decades, I have always checked out the harbour for ship activity. Here a tranquil scene from a few days ago, of Canada Steamship Lines' Frontenac wintering at the Townhouse elevator.

One Steam in Northern Ontario left!

2011-02-11T22:12:00.000-05:00

For the past four years or more, we have enjoyed promoting and selling the second book I wrote about the CNR Northern Ontario District. I have fond memories of the two years devoted to writing that volume. We are down to our last copy of the 2600-odd we printed. Assuredly, it will be sold at our weekly Orillia Market gig tomorrow morning, unless someone snaps it up tonight online. The particular copy was signed on October 11, 2006, and is brand new. If you want to be the last person to purchase a copy of this volume, click on Steam in Northern Ontario and place your order lickety-split (free shipping on two or more books, by the way).

Travelling in Ontario in 1939...

2011-01-28T09:11:00.000-05:00

Days from now, I will begin writing my next book in the Angus Wolfe series. This one will involve a trip through Ontario in 1939 by rail, steamship, aircraft and highway.

Steam Over Palmerston out of print; Northern Ontario almost gone

2010-12-14T12:05:00.002-05:00

Yet another of our titles has exhausted its supply, Palmerston this time. That makes three out of nine railway titles put to rest. Unlike the Steam at Allandale volume, we have no plans for future reprints. We are down to 7 copies of Steam in Northern Ontario, so if you ever think you will need one, buy it now. We're selling a couple of these every week at our Orillia Market gig, so they will probably be gone by midday Saturday at the latest.

Now in print!

2010-12-05T17:16:00.000-05:00

We took delivery of The Secret of the Old Swing Bridge in the wee hours of the morning this past Friday. The book was unveiled formally at two events in Orillia on Saturday. Shipping of prepaid orders will commence tomorrow. We expect most customers to have their books in hand before the end of the week.

To railway enthusiasts: the CNR (and even the CPR), present-day and past, figure in this mystery-adventure novel. Online orders are shipped within 24 hours.

Steam Through London sold out

2010-11-28T19:07:00.000-05:00

Steam Through London has joined To Stratford Under Steam on the out-of-print list. We're down to three copies of Steam Over Palmerston, first-come, first-served.

Tomorrow, I will be driving a truck to Ashland, Ohio, to take delivery of The Secret of the Old Swing Bridge. This fine railway- and historically-themed novel will begin shipping on Thursday!

More pictures from South River...

2010-11-26T18:57:00.001-05:00

South River station, looking north.

And the station looking south.

Here's the interesting one, the two sets of water tank footings. In the foreground, five rows (3, 5, 5, 5 and 3 footings from trackside outward). In the background, footings for steel supports. Apparently, South River never had a steel tank, so the original wood tank was moved onto a new steel support next door, or an entirely new wooden tank was built beside the first one. Construction of wood tanks on the CNR Northern Ontario District in the 1950s was not unprecedented. In 1947, a 30,000-gallon wood tank on a steel support structure was built at Trout Creek (one station to the north of South River, and next one to be modelled on my layout). A wooden tank of identical specifications was erected at Concord (Newmarket Subdivision between Toronto and Allandale) in 1951. And, folks, believe it or not that one is still standing! I took a photographic expedition with Dave Robinson to Concord about ten years ago. Guess those photos of the water tank will come in awfully handy for construction at Trout Creek! (for you too, Dave?).

South River station

2010-11-26T10:03:00.000-05:00

Dave Robinson, my friend and fellow N scale modeller (of the CNR steam era Huntsville Subdivision, no less, as well as part of the Ontario Northland Railway I believe) asked about the station at South River (see comments section on the recent coaling plant post). Here is a picture of the station as of this week. This introduces a question: why have the people at South River constructed a bay window on the west side of the station? The freight shed track came through there, almost flush against the building. There was no bay window there. My friend Jeffrey Smith's site has more on South River's station and other features.

CNR steam era at South River

2010-11-26T08:35:00.001-05:00

This past Tuesday, I journeyed up the old CNR Huntsville Subdivision to South River, Ontario with my friend Paul Frechette. We're looking north at the 100-ton concrete coaling plant. What appears to be a path in the left foreground is the location of the north freight shed track.

This scene oozes atmosphere, and I can't wait to model it. Steam locomotives on passenger trains--all of them were steam-powered in 1954--were required to take coal here. It was too great a distance between North Bay and Washago to pass by the chute. Directly across the mainline from the coaling plant was a water standpipe.

Conventional Mountain-type locomotives, the semi-streamlined 6060-class "Bullet-nosed Betties", Northern-types--called here every day. The finest steam power in the Canadian National stables. Check the Northern Ontario and Allandale volumes (both of them) for stories and pictures of steam locomotives taking coal at these magnificent structures. True lasting testaments to the Age of Steam on the CNR's Northern Ontario District. And, a subject deserving of a scratchbuilt model or two.

Tracklaying continues at South River

2010-11-22T10:01:00.002-05:00

Over the weekend, I spent a few hours with my sons laying N scale track on our South River circa 1955. In this scale, we have the luxury of building the entire yard with no compression. Sectional benchwork is hollow core closet door, with one-inch pink extruded foam laminated on top. Inexpensive punched steel brackets every couple of studs hold the sections up. They are connected underneath with the brackets and screws enclosed with the closet door hardware.

In the picture, the steel water tank is placed just for the sake of proportion; it will go a few hundred yards to the north. In the centre of the image, you can see the elevated track which will serve the 100-ton concrete coaling plant, to be scratchbuilt shortly. Numerous pictures of these magnificent silo structures are evident in the Northern Ontario book.

Atlas code 55 track and switches are laid on California Roadbed's Homabed. We spread Tacky Glue on the roadbed with a stiff paintbrush (like the kind you always used in kindergarten), lay down the track section (possibly with feeders already attached to bottoms of rail joiners, led through 3/32" holes drilled between the rails)). Using a piece of 1x2 scrap wood, we push down on the rails to seat the track in the glue (using fingers would smear glue onto the tops of ties and rails). After everything is aligned by eye, ballast is sprinkled over the track section; it is grabbed by the glue showing between the ties and to the sides of the roadbed. An hour later, the track is vacuumed clean. After being frustrated with a film of diluted glue over everything, I came up with this better method. Nice and dry, no mess, and ballast only where it should be.

In the background you can see a couple of bags of ballast. They are made by Arizona Rock & Mineral (carried by Califoria Roadbed). This product is superior in many ways to the ballast offered by Woodland Scenics, which we had been using until recently. The AR&M material has a realistic dusty look, comes in dozens of authentic colors, and is truly sized for N scale. After studying pictures of the CNR Huntsville Subdivision taken in the mid-1950s (all of which can be seen in Steam at Allandale and Steam Scenes of Allandale), I settled on PRR light gray (for mainline) and Steam yard mix (for everything else) from the AR&M catalogue.

South River in N scale

2010-11-15T08:26:00.000-05:00

Readers of the Steam at Allandale and Steam Scenes of Allandale books will be familiar with South River, Ontario. This railway town is on the Huntsville Subdivision of the Canadian National Railways (CNR), a few miles south of North Bay. To recreate this railroad yard faithfully, I have turned to N scale. The array of rolling stock, locomotives, vehicles and structures in 1:160 is phenomenal. Here we see a southbound way freight behind a Consoldiation ("hog") waiting in the shed track for northbound manifest First 453. Roadbed is Homabed, on 1" extruded foam, on hollow core doors.

For all fans of classic boys' (and girls') adventure books...

2010-11-10T19:07:00.000-05:00

...here is an excerpt of Ian Wilson's first novel, to be released on December 1!

The Secret of the Old Swing Bridge

2010-10-23T21:01:00.003-05:00

For all of our fans who remember what it was like to be a kid, or who still is a kid (in mind, if not in body), may we heartily recommend a closer look at our upcoming release.
The Secret of the Old Swing Bridge has gone to the printer! We are taking online orders now. For more information about the book, please view our new flyer and mail order form.

Combination offer on books until September 15

2010-08-20T10:23:00.002-05:00

Hi folks:

We have tabled a limited-edition offer for those readers who do not yet have a copy of Steam Memories of Lindsay. In addition, you can save up to $20 on each of the other titles. Click here for details. And please email the posting to your friends!

Introducing Classic Books for Boys

2010-07-03T10:05:00.003-05:00

Readers of the Lindsay book will have seen hints of my next project (What? You don't have the book yet? Or, What, you haven't read the jacket and acknowledgements?).

Angus Wolfe is an 11-year-old boy who has stumbled onto a mystery. A deep, dark mystery. One reaching three generations into his past. An old highway swing bridge is central to the quest. Only problem is, the bridge has been gone for 55 years. No matter. A determined lad, Angus is plunged into a story of Second World War German spies, a prisoner-of-war camp, Spitfires, Messerschmitt 109s, murder, explosives and betrayal. Angus is aided by his little brother Dougie, nextdoor girl friend "Mrs. Tweezers" and handy older boy Brad "Truck Man" Dobson. A Karate instructor, otherwise known as Hookah Hopkins, a wizened recluse, is indispensable to the adventure. What begins as a simple curiosity elevates into a dangerous thriller, then a psychological game of wits pitting the "young and skillful" against "old age and treachery".

See an excerpt from Chapter Three of this book at our parallel web log named Classic Books for Boys.

Only 48 hours for sale price on Ian Wilson's steam books

2010-06-29T08:41:00.005-05:00

A reminder to all of our regular buyers that the deadline for sale prices on select books will expire shortly. This is the first such sale we have had in five years, so it may be a while before the next one! Take advantage of this opportunity at our online bookstore.

Keep in mind that North American orders totalling over $100 will be shipped free! Overseas customers will receive an equivalent discount on shipping.

In honour of Canada Day, we have extended the deadline for online purchases to 11:59 PM July 1.

Should you wish to send us a cheque instead of placing an online order, kindly email us before the expiration of the deadline and we will honour the special price for you, whenever your cheque arrives.

Any books purchased before the deadline will be shipped on July 2; our next shipping date after that is July 12 (the office will be closed in the interim). So if you wish to receive any of this excellent reading material soon, place your order now!

Late spring sale on books!

2010-05-20T14:38:00.002-05:00

From now only until the end of June, we are offering selected titles at substantial (30%) savings AND we are waiving shipping charges for orders of over $100 (to anywhere in North America). See www.canadianbranchline.com for details.

Inventories of the Palmerston, London and Northern Ontario books are so low that we have stopped providing dealers with copies. If you need any of these for your collection, the remaining new copies are available only from us on a first-come, first-served basis. We are giving web log viewers first crack at these before alerting our general mailing list in the new future. As there are no intentions of reprinting these titles, we urge you to grab what you need in a hurry!

Shipping status

2010-04-22T11:37:00.002-05:00

Hi folks. We have been shipping out 30 to 60 individual pre-paid copies of Steam Memories of Lindsay daily, along with a number of dealer packages. The first wave of shipping will be complete early in the week of April 26. From that point on, there will be a quick response to new orders (i.e. same day or next day shipping).

Thank you to everyone for their patience!

This blog has moved

2010-04-22T11:29:00.001-05:00

This blog is now located at http://canadianbranchline.blogspot.com/.
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The presses are rolling!

2010-03-31T13:45:00.004-05:00

After I worked a final marathon 20 straight hours ending at 4:10 a.m. Monday, Steam Memories of Lindsay was completed. Six hours later, we were at Ampersand Printing in Guelph doing press checks on the jacket, to be followed by black & white and colour signatures. Damian McDonald, the "guy who runs the place" (he doesn't care for job descriptions any more than I do, especially when you do everything anyway) accompanies us through the process, with pressman John in the background.

Next stop: the bindery in Campbellford. After that, release at the Lindsay train show on April 10. Our good friends at the Lindsay and District Model Railroaders have been promoting the show, with details here. Mary-Jo, Spencer, Duncan and I will be there with the brand-new books (and all the others still in print) all day Saturday and Sunday. We are looking forward to renewing acquaintances with our many thousands of regular readers from across Ontario, Quebec and the Northeastern US.

Book Launch for Steam Memories of Lindsay

2010-01-11T16:05:00.002-05:00

We have arranged with the Lindsay & District Model Railroaders for a release of our Lindsay book at the local show on April 10 & 11 (click on the link for information on the club, the show and the book release).

Friends Charles Cooper, Jim Clifford and the other fellows associated with the L&DMR group have been kindly providing assistance with promotion for the show and the debut of Steam Memories of Lindsay. They are arranging for various presentations with civic officials, library staff and the club itself. We have enjoyed participating in the Lindsay show in years past, and now that I am tackling the Belleville Division and points east, we may become a regular fixture at the show.

Two or three years before release of my first volume entitled Steam at Allandale, I was pleased to participate in the first Copetown Model Train Show. Ever since that day so long ago, I have been a steady participant. Regrettably, we have chosen not to attend Copetown this year, in order that I may put the time toward completion of the Lindsay book. For those of you who normally see us at Copetown, please consider our invitation to attend the Lindsay show on April 10 or 11. We will have fresh copies of the new book on hand for distribution from that weekend forward.

Haliburton Subdivision chapter finished!

2009-12-04T13:43:00.006-05:00

At a whopping 5,747 words, the Haliburton Sub chapter manuscript which I finished four days ago is about 3,000 words more than I planned for! It turns out that the postwar era lumbering industry in the Highlands was too doggone interesting to resist.

I have some modeling friends who are working on layouts depicting various aspects of the Haliburton Subdivision over the 1945-59 timeframe. Fellows, you are onto something; I trust that a number of other railway modelers will latch onto the possibilities of the late steam era Haliburton Subdivision when Steam Memories of Lindsay is published next spring.

I am now immersed in preparing background notes on the Lindsay-Peterboro section of the book, which at present is involving an exhaustive study of the industrial customers on the western portion of the Campbellford Subdivision, the Lakefield Subdivision and Peterboro itself.

Steam Memories of Lindsay release in March 2010

2009-11-06T12:36:00.006-05:00

Work on the Lindsay book is proceeding apace, but we have notified, in writing, all of our individual pre-publication purchasers and dealers of a rescheduled release date, for March 2010.

Briefly, this decision has been made in the interest of producing a top quality volume in line with previous releases. Steam Memories of Lindsay could have been released this month, but the depth and presentation would have suffered greatly.

Over the years, I have spoken with many people who are yearning for the "Ian Wilson" treatment of the network of branchlines radiating out of Lindsay. There have been a few excellent publications over the past quarter century which have covered various aspects of GTR/CNR Lindsay area history. Nonetheless, the consensus is that we need to have a re-creation of the fascinating operational details of this territory during the dramatic steam-diesel transition era (the overhwhelmingly popular time period among modelers, historians and enthusiasts).

Despite the very occasional individual who whines 'I don't see why he wants to do this when it has already been covered in detail' (and I always delight in showing otherwise), Steam Memories of Lindsay will not be a rehash, but rather a brand new kindling of a CNR railway network which has never been portrayed in the moment-to-moment, gritty, action-packed detail of all its glory of 1954. Not to mention the specifics so greatly sought by railway modelers and enthusiasts--just how much coal was shipped out of Century Coal in Midland day after day? (hint: it was not insignificant). What kind of grain tonnage moved over the Midland and Campbellford Subdivisions? (enough to put every other Bay Port and Goderich to shame). And why were hundreds of carloads of logs shipped onto the Haliburton Subdivision every year (later to be shipped out again)? And was the lumber era really and truly over in Haliburton County after 1920, with the Haliburton Subdivision never fulfilling its potential? (tell that to the lumbermen, railwaymen and forest overseers of the 1940-59 era.).

All this, and more, awaits in Steam Memories of Lindsay, but much work remains to be done. If I neglect this blog for any reason, it is in the interest of the finished product.

To Stratford Under Steam now out of print

2009-08-05T09:56:00.003-05:00

Congratuations to Peter Paton, who purchased the last copy of To Stratford Under Steam on August 1st.

We printed 3504 copies of this volume in February 2000. With the ninth installment (Lindsay) now in preparation, it is unlikely that Stratford or any of its successors will be reprinted anytime soon. The London and Palmerston books will be the next to disappear (each with fewer than 100 copies remaining).

On the Lindsay book, I have written the Uxbridge Sub, Blackwater, Coboconk Sub, Midland Sub and Midland town chapters. Up next are the Haliburton Sub, the Campbellford Sub and two Lindsay chapters. The Midland town chapter has been especially interesting to research and write, with all the coal, grain and stone tonnage heading toward my hometown of Orillia for furtherance north, south and east.

Announcing Steam Memories of Lindsay

2009-04-01T15:10:00.003-05:00

For the past five months, I have been working ahead on the next volume, which will deal with the network of branchlines surrounding Lindsay, Ontario. We have prepared a print flyer which will be sent to all recent (past three years) direct order customers. You can also read about the book on our webpage.

For folks going to the Lindsay model railway show this weekend, Charles Cooper has kindly assisted us in making sure a supply of flyers are available there.

Publication of this volume will be in the fall of 2009, and you can pre-order a copy (at a discount) until September 30 by ordering online or submitting payment via our mail order form (or wait for your flyer in the mail). At the moment I am working on the Midland (town) and Midland Subdivision chapters. This has involved unravelling and explaining the fascinating story of bulk commodities shipped off the CNR Midland Sub: grain from the Midland elevators, coal from Century Coal at Midland, and limestone from Uhthoff.

I should also mention that we are down to about a dozen copies of To Stratford Under Steam.

Stratford radio interview

2008-12-17T07:54:00.001-05:00

Today I will be interviewed by Eddie Matthews on 1240 CJCSradio in Stratford at 8:15 a.m. You can find the station and listen live here.

Owen sound radio interview today

2008-12-10T11:05:00.002-05:00

I will be chatting with Christine Curtis on CFOS radio in Owen Sound at 12:40 p.m. today. You can listen to the interview through the station's "Listen Live" button, found here.

Hamilton radio interview today

2008-12-09T08:46:00.002-05:00

At 12:30 this afternoon, I will be chatting with John Biggs on Talk 820 radio in Hamilton. Three guesses as to which book John will want to discuss! Look for the "Listen Now" button on the Talk 820 web page here.

See you at George's Trains today!

2008-12-06T07:40:00.002-05:00

A quick reminder to folks in the Greater Toronto Area that I'll be doing a book signing at George's Trains on Mount Pleasant Road in Toronto. Mary-Jo and I will be at the table from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., so feel free to stop by. If you have any books which are not signed, the store advises that they would be more than happy for you to bring them in to be signed. Of course, there will be good stock of all eight titles if you need any for Christmas!

Radio interview this morning

2008-12-04T08:54:00.003-05:00

At 9:20 this morning (minutes from now!), I will be chatting with John Nichols on The Peak FM Collingwood. John will likely be especially interested in Steam Scenes of Allandale and the new Hamilton book . you can listen live here (look for the "Listen Live" button).

Interview today on CFOS Owen Sound

2008-12-01T09:15:00.003-05:00

Today, I will be doing the "Georgian Bay Today" show on CFOS AM radio in Owen Sound. The show broadcasts from noon until 1:00 PM, and I believe we are taping the interview at 1030 this morning. Christine Curtis is the host and you can listen here. It is likely that we will talk about the Palmerston book, and possibly one or both of the Allandale books, and there will of course be a mention of the new Hamilton release.

Update: we recorded the interview this morning, and it will run on CFOS sometime next week. I will post the date and time when I get word from the hostess.

Free shipping, tonight only!

2008-11-27T18:24:00.002-05:00

As part of a promotion to be announced on tonight's radio interview, we are waiving the shipping charges on any number of books ordered (North America only) for tonight only! If you need any of the titles, now is the time to go crazy on our book page!

Radio interview tonight and feature story

2008-11-27T09:59:00.004-05:00

Tonight I'll be chatting with Heli Cotnam on Let's Live it Up, broadcast live on CFRM 100.7 FM at 7:00 p.m. Eastern. The interview will be almost half an hour in length, allowing us to get into numerous subjects, with attention no doubt on Steam in Northern Ontario. The broadcast catchment is about half a million people radiating out from Sudbury. You can listen live here (be sure to check the "Windows Media" option to avoid a download).

Today's Orillia newspaper has a feature article on the newest book, and the author in general, here.

We have many more radio and television interviews coming, along with newspaper coverage, in the next couple of weeks.

New bookstores and media attention

2008-11-25T15:00:00.003-05:00

We are pleased to announce that Page & Turners book shop in Barrie has been added to our list of retailers. For you folks up north, The Bookcase in Dryden is now stocking Steam in Northern Ontario. In Hamilton, the Coles store in Jackson Square is stocking Steam Echoes of Hamilton.

Over the next couple of weeks, we have scheduled numerous radio and television interviews about the Hamilton release and other titles. There will also be several feature newspaper stories. We'll post information on these on a day-to-day basis.

We are also booking a number of speaking engagements for 2009, including Owen Sound and Buffalo. If your group is interested in a presentation and book signing event, kindly contact us.

Hometown book signing in Barrie this weekend

2008-11-20T09:19:00.002-05:00

We have set up a book signing at the Chapters-Indigo outlet in Barrie for this Saturday afternoon from 2 to 4 p.m. We'll bring along a full stock of all the titles, so if you are looking for a signed copy of any of the volumes, stop by! Directions to the store are here.

Two new dealers and a book signing!

2008-11-18T16:10:00.005-05:00

We are pleased to announce that Transport Books in Toronto is now carrying the full line of our titles. Also, the Chapters outlet in Barrie is selling the two Allandale titles. For those of you in Southern Ontario looking for a copy of the new Hamilton book or any of the previous seven volumes, several of our dealers are taking stock to the Christmas Train Show in Toronto this weekend.

We have also scheduled a book signing at George's Trains in Toronto for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on December 6.

Shipping update

2008-11-05T06:34:00.003-05:00

As planned, we took delivery of Steam Echoes of Hamilton on Monday, November 3. Packaging and shipping commenced immediately, and we managed to get a few dozen books in the system that day. Tuesday the 4th was our first big day, and we will continue to move as many as possible each day this week. All of the prepaid dealer packages and the vast majority of the prepaid individual books will be in transit by Friday. In each case, orders are being filled on a first-in, first-out basis. We will continue to package books over the weekend, with all the remaining orders to date shipped on Monday, November 10. It's safe to say that any orders placed this week will be shipped next Monday as well. From that time on, we will be able to ship any orders within 24 hours.

Over the next day or so, I am going to upload sample pages of all eight books to the web page. These will be in PDF format, similar to the "look inside this book" featured by online retailers such as Amazon.

Delivery of Hamilton books

2008-10-31T03:36:00.003-05:00

Steam Echoes of Hamilton is being finished at the bindery, and we will take delivery of the books on Monday, November 3. Shipping will commence the next day. There will be a whirlwind few days of getting all the pre-orders and dealer copies out. We will aim to have all of these in transit by about the middle of the following week. I will try to post daily updates as to shipping progress, beginning on November 4.

We're at the printer!

2008-10-17T08:01:00.002-05:00

I did the final press checks for Steam Echoes of Hamilton at the printer yesterday. The finished sheets will go to the bindery next Tuesday, and we will likely have the books in our hands during the first week of November.

Dust jackets and order forms have been mailed to local hobby shops and other dealers, so make sure that your outlet will be getting a supply in. Of course, you can also order from us direct if you have not already done so.

Update on Hamilton book

2008-09-09T11:56:00.003-05:00

The manuscript for Steam Echoes of Hamilton has been completed, aside from the introduction. I am in the process of cropping and sharpening pictures for publication, writing captions, doing the appendix, and a number of other such tasks.

I had a conversation with the printer this morning, and we've arranged to have the book on the presses before (Canadian) Thanksgiving. We're aiming to have the finished books in our hands by no later than early November.

Thank you to all for your pre-orders!

See you at Copetown!

2008-02-23T08:39:00.002-05:00

For the twelfth straight year, we'll have a table this Sunday at the Copetown Train Show. You will be able to pick up a flyer for the upcoming Hamilton book, and purchase any of the other seven titles at a significant discount. Looking forward to re-connecting with loyal readers! For anyone attending the informal gathering at the hall tonight, I will be doing a talk entitled
"Humourous tales of CNR railway operations in Ontario during the 1940s and 1950s". See you there!

Hats off to Andy

2008-02-09T13:29:00.000-05:00

In these cold, snowy days of early February, I am getting back to a little S scale modeling. My thoughts have rambled back to a Sunday morning five years ago (Feb. 2/03 to be exact), when I picked up the telephone to chat with my friend Andy Malette.

On that Sunday morning, with the family out and some modeling time on my hands, I pondered the recent experience of building a couple of PRR GLa hopper cars in HO scale (from Westerfield kits). They were too doggone small, and I was looking for an alternative. I decided to devote a couple of hours to investigating the possibility of working in a larger size--either 1:64 or 1:48. After some quick research on the 'Net, I picked up the telephone to chat with Andy, as he would be able to fill me in on the state of what was available in S scale, what was coming soon, etc.

Half an hour later, the decision to model in S scale had been made, and I put it down to the conversation with Andy. I didn't, and haven't, foresaken modeling in other scales, including HO, but that morning I gave the green light to become an S scale modeler. I give the credit to a friend who was generous with his time and thoughts, and one who has been working hard to benefit other Canadian modelers in 1/64 scale. Check out his offerings at M.L.W. Services.

Web page re-design

2008-02-08T08:05:00.000-05:00

I've spent the past few days re-designing our company web page (see a screen shot of a portion here). It incorporates actual CNR steam era colours and herald designs. I'd be pleased to hear any comments about the "new look" (click on "comments" icon below).

About that Wabash line...

2008-02-06T17:55:00.000-05:00

From the snail mail bag, a missive from Peter Mitchell of Sidney, BC requests that St. Thomas, Ont. be featured in an upcoming publication. Indeed, St. Thomas is technically on a CNR line (keep in mind when I say "is", my mind is in 1954). Operationally, however, it is Wabash territory. There is a CNR element in the form of the local trains (Fort Erie-St. Thomas mixed train and way freight, St. Thomas-Windsor way freight).

Mr. Mitchell also requests a treatment of the Aylmer, Port Rowan and associated territory. Well, the Hamilton book will cover the section of Wabash line between Jarvis and Simcoe Junction, inasmuch as the mixed train from Hamilton traversed that portion of the line. Further, there will be heavy treatment of the towns of Simcoe, Port Rowan and Port Dover. Of course, Steam Through London covered Wabash traffic between Windsor and Glencoe, and Steam to the Niagara Frontier dealt with the same traffic between Welland Junction, Fort Erie and Niagara Falls. So we're dealing with the line in a piecemeal fashion.

As for a separate treatment on the Wabash, I'll make this standing offer: you Wabash guys put the photographic resources into my hands and I'll produce the book. I'm okay for time tables and track maps. I need photos, and lots of them. To produce any book in the series, I need to start with a minimum of 500 photos, all from the 1940s and 1950s. I'm not just talking about leads for pictures... I mean put them in my hands, either hard copy or digital.

Steam Echoes of Hamilton

2008-02-04T08:38:00.001-05:00

Here is the cover for our eighth publication. This book is well underway, and will be released in November 2008. If you are on our mailing list, we will be sending you a copy of this flyer later this month. You may also pre-order this volume online or with our mail order form. As with previous publications, we'll mail out the books in the same order as the orders are received.

Newspaper article on book series

2008-01-01T19:34:00.000-05:00

Dave Dawson, who visited three weeks ago for a three-hour interview, has put together a neat biographical account of my ten-year career as an author and publisher here. This version has been printed in the Orillia newspaper; separate versions will appear in the Barrie, Collingwood and Midland papers shortly.

Book availability and status update

2007-12-17T12:34:00.000-05:00

Business has been brisk since release of Steam Scenes of Allandale on August 21, 2007. We appreciate all the patronage from readers new and old. While stock of the most recent book, along with Steam at Allandale, Steam in Northern Ontario and Steam to the Niagara Frontier is solid, the inventory of three of our titles has been steadily evaporating. We have somewhere between 160 and 170 each of Steam Over Palmerston and Steam Through London, while To Stratford Under Steam is rapidly becoming scarce with about 80 copies remaining.

I am currently working on the next volume, entitled Steam Echoes of Hamilton, which is planned for release in November 2008. We will likely table the familiar pre-publication offer for this title around April 2008.

Down the road, after the Hamilton volume, I foresee covering the Lindsay, Belleville-Brockville and Mimico-Bayview territory each in separate books. There will also be a steady stream of companion volumes in the "Steam Scenes" series, with Stratford, Palmerston and the London-Hamilton-Niagara areas each warranting a book.

Status of Steam Scenes of Allandale

2007-08-17T06:45:00.000-05:00

As of Aug. 17, printing is finished and the book is at the bindery. We will take delivery of the finished volumes on either Tues. Aug. 21 or Wed. Aug. 22, and distribution will commence on the following day. It will take us two weeks to process the orders which will be on hand at that time. This will be done on a first-in, first-out basis for individual and dealer orders.

Steam Scenes of Allandale

2007-07-25T08:23:00.000-05:00

Flyers are going on the mail as we speak. Here is the scoop:

Companion volume to Steam at Allandale, the additional 375 images and 52 maps comprising the new Steam Scenes of Allandale complete the record of a network of CNR lines in the postwar steam era. This is not a pre-publication offer; the new book will be ready to ship about August 15! Keep your collection up to date by acting quickly to obtain a copy of this limited-edition title.

Washago layout in S scale

2007-07-23T09:37:00.000-05:00

At long last, after almost a year away from the hobby, I have resumed the joyful activity of model construction. To that end, I have designed an S scale modular layout based upon the CNR at Washago, Ontario (see Steam at Allandale and Steam in Northern Ontario). Working from the railway property plan, I have shortened sidings and reduced turnout numbers to decrease the scope of the track. All buildings and bridges (three, no less!) maintain their full size and proper orientation with respect to the tracks. I have begun construction with section 4, employing Fast Tracks handlaid track fixtures and jigs, and Homabed for the roadbed. Hopefully sometime in the next few months you will be able to see this depiction of Washago in S scale at one of the setups for our S Scale Workshop group. Click on the image above for a larger version.

And if you're wondering...

2007-02-18T22:34:00.000-05:00

I'm intending to get back to that coaling plant construction series. It has been an exceptionally trying fall and winter due to personal challenges and the reprint of the Allandale book. Thanks to everyone for their patience.

HO scale equipment sell-off 2007 part II

2007-02-18T22:29:00.000-05:00

Thanks to all who participated in the recent auction of HO scale rolling stock. I've just listed a whole pile of 1940s and 1950s vehicles on eBay. Most of these are new in the box, and are now discontinued by the manufacturers. All are good quality diecast, the majority by Classic Metal Works. They can be found here.

HO scale equipment sell-off 2007 part I

2007-02-11T21:47:00.000-05:00

I'm finalizing my move to S scale with a major disposition of HO scale rolling stock. I've listed 65 items on eBay starting tonight. The vast majority of these cars were in service on my layout which represented CNR operations in Southern Ontario circa 1954. More than a dozen of the listings are assembled resin kits.

Steam at Allandale back in print!

2007-01-20T09:55:00.000-05:00

After fielding hundreds of requests over the past six years, we have decided to reprint our debut volume. Various typographical errors have been corrected and the locomotive commentary has been updated. Aside from that, the new printing is unchanged. We will take delivery of the finished books during the week of January 22, 2007. Shipping will commence immediately thereafter. All individuals and dealers on our mailing list will be sent brochures on Monday, January 22.

We will process all orders as they come in on a first-come, first-served basis. A total of 1200 copies will be available. As this is a reprint, we have no idea how long they will last. Approximate remaining stocks of the other titles are as follows: Northern Ontario (600), Niagara Frontier (350), London and Palmerston (250 each) and Stratford (200). Unlike the Allandale book, we do not foresee reprinting any of these titles.

To place an order for any book, consult our online and mail order forms.

Washago coaling plant--step 8

2006-10-28T16:52:00.000-05:00

Now we will fashion the heavy steel beams which will support the rails and grating. A quarter century ago while studying structural engineering, I knew of these as "welded wide flange" (WWF) sections. Start by measuring the length between north and south walls with your calipres, as shown above. Knock off a smidgen (say about 0.010" at each end) to allow for a tiny bit of room to position the beams.

The width of the I-shaped section we're creating will be 12", with a depth of 16-3/4". Evergreen I-beams do not have the required width; their H-sections have too much width. So, they need to be built up to be accurate. This takes less time for you to do than it takes for me to type instructions. The plate thickness is 1". In S scale, I used 0.020" styrene, which amounts to a little more than an inch; I feared that anything slighter than that would not have sufficient stability. Cut four pieces 12" wide to length for the top and bottom flanges. Cut the two webs to a height of 16-3/4" less 2 x thickness.

Use Ambroid Pro-Weld or similar to make up the sections.

Test fit them in the hopper. At this stage, I discovered that my foundation walls were a few inches too high, so I topped up the inner concrete supports with a length of wood. This is not too critical, as they will largely be hidden.

Should you need to shim up your steel sections to make them flush with the top of the concrete walls, use 18" lengths off the strip used to make the top and bottom flanges.

After shims have been attached in the appropriate places (if at all necessary), label the sections on the underside to ensure proper orientation. I inscribed "NR" (for north railside) and "NC" (for north conveyor side) on one end of each.

Washago coaling plant--step 7

2006-10-27T18:15:00.000-05:00

Thanks to everyone who has sent emails or added comments to the various steps so far. Based on the response to date, it is apparent that a lot of modelers are following along, if not building.

It is now time to build the two supporting piers for the steel beams which span the coal hopper (and upon which the rails rest). I cast these wafer-like pieces in hydrocal, but you may wish to use another medium. Their height (9'-9 3/8") and width (7'-8") are shown on the sketch above; their thickness is 1'-6".

Using an old scrap of ceiling tile underneath, I pinned down strips of balsa, 1'-6" in height, as forms for the plaster. There is a sheet of light plastic wrap laid directly on top of the paper sketch.

When the plaster set, the forms were carefully removed. Then the pieces were rubbed against a piece of coarse sandpaper to smooth all six faces.

Using yellow carpenter's glue, affix the supports against the north and south walls, equi-distant between the track and conveyor side walls of the coal hopper. Note that these pieces are aligned with the short dimension horizontal, the long dimension vertical. Dial calipres are handy for positioning them dead centre.

Washago coaling plant--step 6

2006-10-23T11:08:00.000-05:00

As you can see above, pouring hydrocal into narrow openings can be a messy business. No matter! Just make sure that you work on a level surface, and gently tap the base on the table top to bring air bubbles to the surface. The right consistency of hydrocal is achieved with a 2:1 mixture (hydrocal:water). Make sure the poured plaster overtops the formwork.

Before the formwork was removed, I used a cheap hardware store scraper (which consisted of a single-edged razor blade in a plastic handle) to gently scrape off excess hydrocal almost to the top of the formwork. This was done after the plaster had set, but while it was still damp. Then I turned the assembly upside down, formwork and all, and rubbed it on a piece of coarse sandpaper until the top of the plaster was level with the top of the formwork.

When you are satisfied with the top surfaces, gently peel off your formwork in reverse order of how it was attached. For the plug in the wall section, I used a spade bit in an electric drill at slow speed to gouge most of it out; the rest came easily.

I mentioned that I positioned my opening in the wall in the wrong place. A few minutes with a X-Acto knife were sufficient to trim out a portion of the wall and replace it in the correct orientation. Hydrocal is an amazing medium--the cracks were filled with soupy plaster applied with a cheap paintbrush. This patching mix set instantly upon making contact with the finished surfaces. Then it was a simple matter of using the scraper to smooth over the joints.

Here is the prototype. The portion of the structure we have just finished can be seen at the bottom. The rails to the receiving hopper were laid flat on the top of this concrete section. About half of this first section is buried underground on the outside, but the grating, hopper and machinery were on the inside.

That will be it for a short while; looking forward to hearing from other modelers undertaking this project! (click on "comments" under any relevant posting).

Washago coaling plant--step 5

2006-10-23T08:47:00.000-05:00

Now we attach the formwork to the base. Keep in mind that you want to be able to remove the forms after the hydrocal has set. So you want an adhesive that is flexible, yet strong enough to hold in place. I used LePage's water-based contact cement for the joints between the balsa and plywood, allowing only about 1/2 hour for the glue to set before joining the pieces.

Attach your formwork in the sequence shown, starting with the picture above. Be sure to keep the forms flush against the lines, to the outside. Squareness is essential. You will note that I cut the outside track and conveyor side forms a little long (which I would not do, if starting over).

Now add three of the inside forms, as shown above. Note that the inside track form is aligned with the 3" x 6" strip between the forms.

Now add the inside conveyor side form, again with the 3" x 6" strip aligned between the forms.

Insert the plug which will create an opening in the main foundation wall to allow passage for coaling plant men in and out of the conveyor room. This piece should be aligned 5'-7" from the right side of the form. Employ adhesive on the bottom face only--not on the surface joints with the forms. NOTE IN THE PICTURE ABOVE THAT I HAVE THIS PIECE ON THE WRONG SIDE!! DO NOT REPEAT MY MISTAKE.

Finally, add the outside conveyor side wall and the formwork is complete. Wrap a number of elastic bands around the formwork to prevent the corners from opening. The hydrocal will exert considerable force against the joints.

Washago coaling plant--step 4

2006-10-23T08:03:00.000-05:00

Later on, we will construct a steel grate over the receiving hopper. This grating will rest on an indentation on the inside edges of the track and conveyor side foundation walls. The indentation is 3" in depth and 6" in width. To produce this indentation at the casting stage, we need to glue a 3" x 6" strip of material (your choice) along the top edges of the inside track and conveyor side forms. As you can see in the picture, this strip is aligned flush with the edge of the form, with the 3" dimension glued to the form.

Washago coaling plant--step 3

2006-10-23T07:47:00.000-05:00

On your base, lay out lines denoting the inside and outside of the foundation walls. Dimensions are shown in the photograph (the 17'-0" applies in both directions, and the wall thickness is 2'-0" all around). The outside lines are 1'-3" in from the edges of the footings on the large square. The rectangular portion to the right is the footing for the conveyor, the foundation for which we will pour separately.

As you can see, I was a little over-zealous with a palm sander on my plywood base. But as mentioned before, this portion of the structure will be buried underground. For our purposes, it is a flat base upon which the foundation walls rest, and a floor for the receiving hopper and conveyor house.

With this illustration in front of us, it's a good time to speak of alternate means of construction. In a small scale such as N, pouring hydrocal would be impossible for small components. You may choose to cast the base as a solid block. Or, regardless of scale, you may opt to use styrene, wood, illustration board or some other medium and avoid casting altogether. If that is your situation, you will find in these instructions the required information to take that route (you may have to read ahead a couple of steps).

As per usual, click on "comments" below if you have anything to say pertinent to this instruction.

Washago coaling plant--step 2

2006-10-22T18:53:00.000-05:00

It's now time to produce formwork (we're going to pour concrete sections with hydrocal plaster). In S scale, I used 3/32" balsa sheet. Styrene or bassword would work as well. Make sure you have adequate thickness for strength. Making formwork is like modeling in reverse. Most of the time and care is employed in fashioning the mold.

Above, you can see the sections labelled as to their locations on the structure. All the main pieces are 11'-2" high. Cut two pieces 21'-0" long (outside north & south sides), two pieces 21'-0" + 2 x thickness long (outside track & conveyor sides), two pieces 17'-0" long (inside track & conveyor sides) and two pieces 17'-0" - 2 x thickness (inside north & south sides). Additionally, cut a piece 8'-2" high x 8'-8" wide x 2'-0" thick; this will act as a plug in one wall section (I used two pieces of 3/16" balsa laminated together to make 2'-0" thickness in S scale).

Let's get down to work--coaling plant step 1

2006-10-22T17:52:00.000-05:00

Here goes for the start of a 150-ton monument to steam operations on the Northern Ontario District mainline. We are going to build this structure from the ground up, much like the prototype. At last count, Robert Wilton, Andrew Batchelor, Ryan Laroche, Dick Chalmers, Doug Cushman, Fred Steiger and Bruce Wilson were going to join me.

My model is being constructed in S scale, but I will provide measurements in scale feet & inches and assume you will employ a scale rule or convert those to fractional inches for construction in your scale. I strongly recommend a dial calipre for accurate layout work.

We begin with construction of a base representing the footings and floor of the structure. The prototype footings are 2'-6" thick. Use material of your choice; I used 7/16" plywood for S scale. Dimensions are shown on the sketch underneath my finished base. Note that this component represents poured concrete, and will be buried underground on your layout, module or diorama, so precise edges are not necessary.

Fellows following along--please click the "comments" link below and advise when you have accomplished this step. Also feel free to post any comments for the benefit of others who are building this structure now or later.

Coaling plant project

2006-10-20T05:16:00.000-05:00

Thank you to everyone for your patience regarding the planned construction of one of these classic CNR concrete coaling plants. Pictured is the installation at Washago, a few minutes' drive from my hometown. I spent several hours studying the plans and visiting the structure yesterday. I am going to begin construction today, and will report back shortly as to progress. The first attempt to duplicate the concrete portions of the structure will be in the form of hydrocal castings. If this is feasible, I will post instructions and sketches immediately. If not, a second attempt will be made in another medium.

Construction will be broken down into major components: concrete sections, conveyor apparatus, discharge mechanism (chute, chains, etc.) and safety appurtenances (ladders, railings, etc.).

I will be working from drawings of two of these structures, a 100-ton model and a 150-ton model. The only difference between the two is height of silo. However, there are various differences among prototype structures at various installations. Those at terminals tended to have sand pockets and sand pipes; those at intermediate points on the mainline (such as Washago) did not. Lucky for us, most of the prototypes are still standing (Washago, South River, Hornepayne, Foleyet and Fire River for sure). Does anyone know if the coaling plant at Bayswater on the Sudbury Subdivision is still in place? Also, about 20 years ago I observed a mainline coaling plant at Riviere du Loup--does anyone know (a) if this one is still standing, and (b) if it is of a similar design to these Northern Ontario District structures?

Steam in Northern Ontario

2006-10-20T05:00:00.000-05:00

All the pre-subscribed copies of Steam in Northern Ontario were shipped over a two-week period beginning September 29. Thank you, all, for your patience.

We have received dozens of emails from folks regarding the book, so I figured I'd open a discussion for readers of this web log. Any questions regarding the material covered in this latest book, any thoughts, comments or otherwise, fire away!

Shipping update

2006-10-04T17:37:00.000-05:00

As of Wednesday, October 4, approximately one half of the prepaid individual copies of Steam in Northern Ontario have been shipped, along with approximately one half of the first wave of dealer orders. We are on track to be finished shipping all pre-ordered copies before the end of next week.

Shipping of Steam in Northern Ontario is well underway!!

2006-10-02T09:16:00.000-05:00

As of Monday, October 2, one third of the prepaid individual copies have been shipped, and we have begun shipping dealer packages as well.

Shipping has begun!!

2006-09-29T15:55:00.000-05:00

We received the finished Steam in Northern Ontario volumes at 8 p.m. on Thursday, September 28. On Friday, September 29, the first 100 prepaid individual copies went in the mail. We aim to ship all of the individual and dealer packages over a two-week period.

The presses are rolling!

2006-09-11T08:38:00.000-05:00

A press check for the black signatures of Steam in Northern Ontario was done on August 31 and printing has been ongoing since that date. The dust jacket and colour are scheduled for printing on September 13. Shortly thereafter, the press forms will go to the bindery. We anticipate taking delivery of the finished volumes in late September, after which distribution will take a month or less.

Steam in Northern Ontario has gone to the printer!

2006-08-22T05:14:00.000-05:00

On Friday, August 18, 2006, the digital files were turned over to the printer. We will review proofs during the week of August 21, and the presses will be rolling shortly after that. Sometime in September we will take delivery of the finished volumes and begin distribution, a process which will take a month.

Remaining copies of Steam at Allandale gone

2006-06-30T08:56:00.000-05:00

We were pleased that a number of people who had requested a copy of the Allandale book were able to purchase one over the second half of June. It is possible that we will reprint this volume, but only if enough interest is shown. If you would purchase one or more copies of Steam at Allandale from a future printing, please advise us of your intentions by e-mail. If sufficient interest is shown, we will reprint the volume.

Coaling plant--who's in?

2006-06-29T15:18:00.000-05:00

With work on the Northern Ontario book winding down, I will be turning attention to our virtual modeling project as mentioned on this web log April 6. So far, I have Robert Wilton, Andrew Batchelor, Ryan Laroche, Dick Chalmers and Doug Cushman. With me, that makes six of us. Would Andrew, Ryan and Doug please send me a personal e-mail at ian@canadianbranchline.com as I need to confirm your e-mail addresses.

I'm going to take stock of what we need to get started. We'll probably get underway in July. Anyone else who comes along to start the project after we begin can follow the instructions on the web log.

Update on Steam in Northern Ontario

2006-06-27T10:02:00.000-05:00

As of today, the 52,000-word manuscript has been completed and all chapters except the introduction have been laid out. Currently, I am writing several thousand words of photo captions, labelling 130 maps and sharpening and cleaning up more than 230 photos. That work will take a few weeks. The book will go to the printer before the end of July and should be in our hands around Labour Day. When we receive the books, distribution will begin (expected to take about 3 weeks)

Remaining copies from first printing of Steam at Allandale being distributed

2006-06-12T10:38:00.000-05:00

Back in 1998 when Steam at Allandale was produced, our intention was to produce a five-volume series on CNR steam operations in Southern Ontario. According to that plan, a limited number of boxed sets would be made available when the five volumes were completed (autumn of 2004). For that purpose, we planned to hold back three cases (approximately 48 books) of each title. Since the first release, however, it has become clear that the series of publications will exceed the original planned five (now it looks more like ten). Thus, the initial plan to sell a boxed set of all titles was no longer realistic--it would be unreasonable for an individual to wait 15 years or more for the opportunity to purchase the series all at once.

Until now, we have not distributed the few remaining copies from the first press run of the Allandale book out of regard for fairness to the many hundreds of persons who have requested one over the past five years. However, there is a good chance we will reprint Steam at Allandale within the next couple of years. In that regard, we are now distributing the remaining copies from the first release. We are calling this our "Collector's Edition" sale, as the first printing contained a time table error (addressed with an insert) that a subsequent printing will not. Therefore, please do not be disappointed if you are not able to purchase one this time around. If you are a collector and simply must have one of the original printing, this release is for you. If you are interested in the book for its content, you may be happier waiting for a reprint.

The copies of Steam at Allandale being released now are only available for online purchase through this website using PayPal. When the available copies have been purchased, we will remove the item from the order page. Quantities are limited to one per person; any monies remitted for more than one copy will be refunded. If you wish to purchase a copy of the Allandale or other book, please go to our online order form.

More Book Progress

2006-06-12T09:10:00.000-05:00

As of June 12, 2006, the 52,000-word manuscript for Steam in Northern Ontario has been completed. Photo selections have been made. I have been producing track maps and laying out the book. It appears as if this volume will have eight more pages than previous titles. Page layout has been completed for six of the twelve chapters. We are still on target for the book being turned over to the printer at the end of July for a Labour Day release.

Book progress

2006-05-16T14:02:00.000-05:00

As of today, May 16, 2006, I have finished the 52,000-word manuscript for Steam in Northern Ontario. Photo selections have been made. Producing track maps began yesterday; this will take three weeks. Then it's book layout & design, followed by writing about 8,000 words of captions. We're still on track to turn the book over to the printer in July for a Labour Day release.

Scratchbuilding, anyone?

2006-04-06T13:27:00.000-05:00

During the 1930s and 1940s, the CNR replaced most antiquated coaling plants on the Northern Ontario District mainline with reinforced concrete structures of a standard design. With capacities ranging from 100 to 200 tons, the new coaling plants appeared at Washago, South River, Bayswater, Foleyet (shown above), Fire River and Hornepayne. At least three of these are still standing, including one 15 minutes from my home.

I have copies of plans for these structures, and plan to scratchbuild one for my HO scale 1:1 diorama depicting Washago. Is anyone else interested in scratchbuilding one of these monuments to the CNR steam era? If so, and with a sufficient number of committed modelers, my thought is that we could do this as a "virtual modeling" exercise.

You've got a few weeks to make up your mind, but if you'd like to create one of these structures for your layout, please click on the "Comments" button below and indicate your interest. If four other modelers commit to the project, I will guide us through the exercise by the hand, online. In advance of a start, I will advise as to necessary materials.

Regarding the Northern Ontario District book (through which pages you will see many photographs of these coaling plants), I am wrapping up the Hornepayne chapter this week. Next week I will finish the half-completed Caramat Subdivision chapter. The last two weeks of April will be devoted to writing the Kowkash Subdivision chapter, the last in the book. Then it will be two solid months of producing drawings, choosing and laying out photos, writing 9,000 words of captions, typesetting and book design. The intention will be to finish this work by the end of June, at which time the book would be turned over to the printer. Given the normal summer shutdowns of printer and bindery, we're looking at a Labour Day release.

Freight car chalk marks

2006-03-07T14:08:00.000-05:00

The above image is a portion of a picture showing a pair of eastbound CNR F-7s meeting Mountain 6066 on number 3 at Oba, Ontario in late 1951. It's horribly backlit, but what I want to draw to the attention of modelers is the scrawled "Oba" on the right hand end of the gondola car immediately behind the diesels. The cab units are in the process of making a set off at Oba, an interchange with the Algoma Central Railway.

If you are among the 5% of model railway hobbyists who consider themselves to be serious scale modelers, you have assembled at least one resin freight car kit. If you are a student of steam era freight car operations, you will know that yard men, regardless of railroad, chalked up cars to aid crews in switching operations. This is covered in detail in Steam to the Niagara Frontier. And if you are privy to what is available in various scales, you will know that decals for these essential chalk marks are offered by Champion, Sunshine Models and others.

But for the Canadian steam era modeler, the commercial chalk marks may be of limited value. There may be the odd generic mark which refers to an industry or something, or perhaps you just want something to appear on the side of the freight car, regardless of what it says. The thing to know about CNR operations is this: chalk marks were scrawled on freight cars at division point yards. Their only value was to tell the yard switching crew the car's general destination. That meant the next yard--"Mco" for Mimico, "Adale" for Allandale, "Ott" for Ottawa, "NBay" for North Bay and so on. Or, even a single letter--"T" for Toronto, "M" for Montreal, "H" for Hamilton, "B" for Brantford, etc. Keep in mind that there were only a very few for a given yard. That is, Allandale men would never mark a car "B" for Brantford, as there was no assignment going there directly. If the car was a "short", i.e. for set off at a station before the next division point, the town name or an understandable short form was scrawled on the car--"Meaford", "Wingham", etc. In other cases, a number was written to identify a connecting train or a track--"91", "13", etc.

One of the cheapest and easiest ways to replicate this essential detail is to acquire a good artist's pencil for a couple of bucks at an art supply or craft store. Get a white or light grey one (or both) and sharpen it to a fine point. Then scrawl appropriate marks for your area on the sides of freight cars. Don't be afraid to smudge out a chalked label too--that's exactly what the railway men of the steam era did.

Off to the National Archives in Ottawa for a few days now, to sort out the mail contracts on passenger trains in Northern Ontario. Feel free to click on "Comments" and add your contribution. Please give your full name, though--bogus or anonymous entries will be deleted!

See you at Copetown!

2006-02-23T21:42:00.000-05:00

I've been hard at work on the Capreol chapter this week, which is already up to 2000 words. The draft should come in around 6000 words, somewhat under the 9000+ for the Bala Sub and the 8000+ for the Sudbury Sub.

For what will be likely be my only digital presentation until the autumn, I will be presenting a 45-minute overview of Steam in Northern Ontario this Saturday evening at Copetown. As with the book, the selection of images will cover 1950s era operations along the former CNoR mainline from the Don Valley in Toronto through Washago, South Parry, Capreol, Foleyet, Oba, Hornepayne, Longlac, Jellicoe and Nipigon. Then over the 1924-built cutoff to the old National Transcontinental at Nakina and finally to Armstrong.

The Northern Ontario District mainline was heavy duty railway operations--big power, fast trains, hot freight, and my favourite of all passenger trains, the pre-1955 Continental. Until the diesel deliveries of 1955, that train was pulled by the most modern of CNR steam power, the 6060-class Mountains. They were then displaced to lesser assignments such as secondary passenger runs in Southern Ontario, or sent to the Western Region to lose their cone noses and be converted to oil. That's why my books are set in June of 1954, and my modeling too.

Anyway, Mary-Jo and I look forward to seeing any of you at Copetown, either during the informal "slide show" on Saturday evening or the show on Sunday. Safe driving.

A new series of publications?

2006-02-21T10:15:00.000-05:00

Trevor Marshall's query in the previous post (sugar beets) has prompted me to informally poll readers of this blog, the website, and the series of hardcover books on CNR operations during the 1950s in Ontario.

As readers of the books realize, the time is growing short for producing volumes such as Steam at Allandale and its successors. In preparing a 192-page book detailing the intricacies of railway operation more than half a century ago, I depend on living memories of the men who worked on the CNR in the specific territory. Each time I put together a book, it becomes more difficult to recreate those wonderful details of operation which are not otherwise recorded anywhere but in human memory banks. In that regard, I am engaging on a hellbent quest to cover as many CNR division points as possible before the sources are gone. When it comes to portraying railway operations I refuse to speculate--so the possibility of accurately describing such details will disappear forever in the near future (read this Topic for more).

My intention with the present series is to cover the rest of the CNR territory in Ontario. Beyond the Northern Ontario book which will emerge later this year, that only leaves the Toronto and Hamilton areas and the Belleville Division (including the Lindsay area and most of the Toronto-Montreal mainline, possibly broken into two books). The Ottawa area (and anything east of Brockville) was technically part of the Montreal District. Whether or not I get that far is unknown, but it is safe to say that any attempt in the present format will likely not prove fruitful for lack of living sources.

With respect to the previous post, Trevor posed a reasonable request: do I have any more information on operations which I would care to share? My answer at the present time is that no, I don't, beyond what has been published in the books (time and budgetary constraints dictate that I research elements to the degree which is necessary for the publication at hand). However, I would like to do in-depth studies of various industries and traffic patterns over the 1945-59 era in Ontario as they related to CNR, and possibly other resident railway, operations. For that matter, general topics such as railway express services, trucking companies, postwar vehicles, the St. Lawrence Seaway, dieselization and the like may be fair game. As an author and publisher, I enjoy serving an appreciative audience with a successful series of books while supporting my family at the same time. My question to those loyal and prospective readers is this: aside from the current series on CNR operations in Ontario during the 1950s, what would you like to see explored in publication form? Please click on "Comments" at the bottom of this post to offer your input.