Donohue's Woodchip Unloader - Part 1

To complete Donohue's scene as soon as possible, I started building the missing industrial structures. The first one is the woodchip unloader, a very generic and simple steel structure.

I built it using thick cardboark and corrugated cardboard. Buildings with large openings like this one are always a challenge because they lack strong internal bracing and can warp easily. It happened, but I have a way to fight back when I'll put the structure on the layout.

 
Since the building is wide open, I decided to add some structural members to give it some details. Trusses are made out of cardboard while the vertical columns are Rix highway overpass steel girder cut in half. They will be painted baby blue like the prototype in Clermont.

 I also started to weather the structure. I think Krylon camouflage beige is an excellent base to represent concrete. Plain grey doesn't do the job. And you can lighten the beige with various washes if you think it's too dark.

The hardest part will be to scratchuilt the intricate steel structure outside the building. It is fairly complex with staircase. I'll probably take some artistic license on this one!

Updated Track Plan

Here's the updated track plan with peninsula and Dominion Textile recent modifications. Domtex's warehouse was enlarged to serve three 50ft boxcars instead of two according to a suggestion by Jérôme.

I also updated Donohue unloading area to reflect our actual operation practices. So far, the warehouse and woodchip unloader are built. Another warehouse and a dilapited shed are to be built as soon as possible.

The First Idea Is The Good One

As we move forward toward completing Charlevoix trackage while reshaping the peninsula, the time has come to confront some initial concepts with reality. Yes, scene composition is one of the most tricky thing out there. Most of the time, we think a 100% faithful to the original prototype scene will is the best way to get 100% of the locale flavour. So false! In that respect, browsing through Troels Kirk's amazing On3 Coast Line RailRoad layout was a real eye opener. What he does is heavily proto-freelanced, many things would make the most discerning modeller suspicious and still, the results is amazing because extra care is taken to insure scene composition is coherent.

The funny thing is that a year and half ago, it was redefining the exact same area that sparked the brought idea to model more faithfully Murray Bay Subdivision, which I consider was an excellent move forward in term of quality and coherence, but also from an operation standpoint. I’m always surprised to see Jérôme operate the layout at every meeting. He will build a train at Donohue then work on the layout or repair some cars and locomotives. Later, he come back to the layout and switches a few industries. That speaks for itself, the layout concept works fine and FITS our needs.

Original Concept

The idea to model Murray Bay Sub came as I was building a generic industry mock up in a corner. A few minutes later, the heteroclite parts and buildings came out as a coherent and visually interesting  turn-of-the-century industrial complex reminiscent of Dominion Textile plant at Montmorency Falls.

As the layout design progress, I decided to reproduce the plant more faithfully. With pictures and old maps, I recreated a more prototypical plant. To be exact, I ended up with a very long plain brick wall along the wall. No more was the fancy L-shaped original fantasy factory that initiated the idea. But as the concept was closer to the prototype, it was becoming drab and without personality. To be honest, nobody who have visual memories of that iconic plant could recognize the model prototype!

Original Concept

In fact, Dominion Textile was known for its particular architectural features that put it apart from other similar complex. All those features could only be seen from the roadside, not the track side. It included highly decorative Italianate staircases, many elevator towers, a detached office building, small clapboard directors’ houses and a huge boiler house.

Original Concept

My original idea had all those features, making it an instantly recognizable building even if quite far from the geographic reality. The new concept lacks every one of them! Worst, the relation with the topographic landscape is clumsy and unbelievable. I prefer my original concept idea which structured coherent topographic transitions from mountains and the powerhouse ruins blending with the mill and merging into the plain until reaching the passenger station hiding the tunnel behind the furnace.

Second concept: poor use of 3D space

Also, by building a long building with many car spots, I was under the impression it would give more operation opportunities. In fact, it doesn’t. To be honest, Dominion Textile was on the verge of dying by 1985. Only raw materials came from the rail, all finished goods were trucked. Rail traffic was regular, but not very high. It means, only the cotton warehouse is required on the layout.

Second concept: not bad, but not inspiring

So here I am being puzzled how an unprototypical mockup is closer to reality than a servile exact copy! I remember when Trevor Marshall gave some thoughts about rethinkingis St. Williams scene to be closer to the real thing. Sure, the prototype has some very interesting features, but as Trevor explained, it would be hard to reproduce it at full scale. His actual setting is quite creative, but it is coherent, works well and have all the characteristic features needed to make it a believable part of Port Rowan area. I come to the same conclusion with Dominion Textile. The best concept is far from reality, but it is the one that creates the most believable scenic vignette for the layout. When you analyse my first concept, you find out only 1/6th of the structure is modelled. But the scene composition makes you believe there's much more behind the facades than seen from the track.

I prefer an incorrect scene that screams M-O-N-T-M-O-R-E-N-C-Y than a correct generic and boring scene. Also, as you can see, the “incorrect” concept better uses the ingrate benchwork shape and creates a realistic illusion of depth. Flat structures on walsl will always have serious limitations, mainly their inaptitude to compose scenes with depth.

Lesson of the day? I should have listened to my late maternal grandmother’s favourite saying: “The first idea is always the good one.”

Half Year Assessment

I recently stumbled upon my “Goals for 2019” blog entry and decided to do a follow up to see if I strayed from my original objectives.

• Install working grade crossing signals in Villeneuve

It didn’t happen. This is mainly because we are still debating about which detection system to implement. We are also unsure about which signal brand to use and Walthers 60s cantilevered signals were out of stock back then. I’d say this isn’t a priority right now.

• Complete scenery in some area (more likely to be Brique Citadelle)

Far to be complete, but we did a decent job at adding scenery in Maizerets. Unfortunately, the early spring leafless trees concept didn’t work that well and photo backdrop in Maizerets is far to be exceeding our expectation. There’s talk about moving the season later in May when trees have leaves. Leaves are better at hiding seams and perspective problem than leafless ones. Also, avenue D’Estimauville backdrop isn’t easy to tackle. It’s hard to get a good road perspective.working when vegetation is scarce. I’ll have to rethink this area. By the way, no scenery work occurred at Brique Citadelle.

• Build railcar drawers to store cars and enable us to stage trains

Louis-Marie did an outstanding job. The storage cabinet is first class and does a terrific job at storing and sorting cars and locomotives between operation sessions.

• Paint and detail a set of kitbashed Atlas RS18 in CN scheme

Nothing really happened. Two Atlas locos are now DCC-equipped with sound. The main reason was that I couldn’t find intercooler grill parts. I tried casting them myself but it was an utter failure. Finally, I found out Chris Mears made 3D parts available on Shapeways. I ordered them so the project can go forward. Maybe I’ll build a third RS18, I have enough Atlas model to do so. Models will be painted in the old Wet Noodle scheme.

• Kitbash several 40ft roofless boxcars into old CN woodchip gondolas

This is probably my most successful goal of the year. I kitbashed 10 boxcars, painted and weathered them. Earlier, I complained about the lack of information, but George Dutka came to the rescue with impressive pictures from the past to work with. It was a fun project that proved me it was possible to do many cars at once and get them done at a fast pace. They are now a staple during layout operation. Only my 3D printed woodchip gondola needs to be completed.

We also did unexpected stuff including enlarging the peninsula. Finally, a lot of kitbashing, painting and weathering brought many unexpected cars to the layout.

If there was a single goal to reach for 2015’s second half, it would be to move forward with Donohue and add some scenery there.

Updated Locomotives Roster

Well, having moved the layout era into the early 80s, we had to tweak a little bit the roster. After a discussion with Jérôme about locomotive's issues, we came up with a roster of locomotives to operate the layout.

We aren't planning in investing too much on DCC in a near future for many reason.

So far, the new roster goes as this one:

1 x Rapido GMD1 (Not fully prototypical on Murray Bay, but this locomotive perform so well it would be a crime to pass it up)

2 x Bachmann GP9 (It is possible we will upgrade them with Keep-Alive)

3 x Atlas RS18 (These are kitbash that should be completed by X'mas)

1 x Bachmann GE 44-Ton (Serves Donohue Paper Mill)

1 x Bachmann GE 45-Ton (Serves Ciment Saint-Laurent Plant)

1 x P1K Budd Car (passenger service to Clermont)

A final addition could be an Atlas S2 to serve Donohue and, in the long term, a low-nosed GP9 in a far future.

Sound equipping our pair of Atlas GP40-2W is still a possibility as budget allows. At this point, it ain't much a priority and it's less urgent it used to be.