Last Train to Leave Prince Edward Island

[tjmfishing]

A friend of mine asked me earlier this winter to build him a model of the last train to leave PEI on the MV John Hamilton Grey during the night of December 28, 1989.  (thank god I don't have to do the ferry... or the locomotives,  just the rolling stock)

The hardest part of it all was finding photos.  You would think that there would have been many people present to witness the last train but CN did a good job of concealing the event.  The cars came from both Charlottetown and Summerside in sections, with the last section of the train basically being loaded straight on the ferry, at 1 AM or so.  This was a very negative event with a lot of controversy at the time.  As a result only a handful of photos and a short video clip exist.  From what I was able to gather, the consist was as follows:

RSC-14 1786 (Stripes) [long hood forward]
RSC-14 1750 (Stripes) [short hood forward]
Plow 55242 (C.N.)
Plow 55264 (Noodle)
Flat 663636 (C.N.) [loaded with bunkhouse]
Flat 663443 (Canadian National) [loaded with bunkhouse]
Gondola 147409 (Noodle) [loaded with scrap metal]
Gondola 149581 (Noodle) [loaded with scrap metal
GATX 84077 (GATX logo) [propane tank car]
CGTX ?? (Irving Logo) [propane tank car]

He already has the two RSC-14's.  I just need to do some minor painting and build another two resin plows.  After the operating session in Summerside last night, he left me with all of the base models for the rolling stock.  So far, I have nearly completed one of the bunkhouses (aka bunktainers)  Since the resin kit (a box), wasn't cheap, I offered to scratchbuild him the other one, as I wanted to make several for myself.  Here is the progress on the overall train so far.  I will update this as I proceed.  









This promises to be a fun and one of a kind project.  It will be neat for him to be able to take this train with him to the various layouts we operate on, as he doesn't have a layout at this moment.

[icghogger]

Pretty Snazzy, Taylor, keep us posted!

[Deleted]

This sounds interesting, I might have to tune in for this one...

Sent from my GT-I9100 using proboards

[tjmfishing]

Finished the Irving Oil car. Since this is the only car in the video in which a clear shot doesn't exist, this model was a little "ad libbed"



The base model was an undecorated Walthers 33000 gal tank car. The stock roofwalks were removed and the ladders moved from the ends to the center. The placard holders were also repositioned. Added detailed include scratchbuilt handrails on the roof as well as both ends. The perimeter piping was also scratchbuilt. Decals were from Highball Graphics and the Irving logo was a custom job from Quik Kopy.

I have less than six hours into this car from start to finish, a real easy build. I think I'm going to have to make some of these for myself now.

[tjmfishing]

Made "some" progress over the summer but I was mostly waiting on decals (and still am) Decals for the GATX car arrived yesterday night.





That completes 2/2 tank cars, other than some light weathering of the trucks.

[tjmfishing]

Finished weathering the two scrap metal gondala cars tonight.









That completes 2/2 gondola cars on the last train.

[Canadian Atlantic Railway]

Looking good Did you end up casting your own bunk houses or building them from scratch?

[tjmfishing]

One bunkhouse was a PMI kit that my friend got ripped on. I used the basic measurements from the kit to make a second from styrene. They are both done, but I am trying to track down a second decal set.

The funny thing is that upon closer examination of the footage of the CN crews putting the train on the ferry revealed that neither bunkhouse had reporting marks and none look close to the two I did. One was painted lemon yellow and was made from plywood and the other has horizontally hung clapboard and is white. My friend doesn't seem to care, its his choice.