The Red Island Railway Journal
Welcome to The Red Island Railway Journal—researching, documenting, and modelling the Island railway, from its subdivisions, stations, and equipment to the work of recreating it in miniature.
Latest from the Journal
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CNR CLC H12-44 #1639 in 1:87: Part 2 — Those Pesky Handrails
Designing custom handrail stanchions for an HO-scale model of CNR CLC H12-44 No. 1639, based on prototype photographs from Prince Edward Island.
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CNR CLC H12-44 #1639 in 1:87: Part 1 — Reverse Engineering in 2022
Converting a Walthers H10-44 into CNR CLC H12-44 No. 1639 using prototype drawings and Steve Hunter’s documented build.
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A Long-Overdue Update: MLW RSC-14s, MLW RSC-13s, GE 44-Tonners and CLC H12-44s
An update on PEI locomotive projects: Rapido RSC-14s and GE 44-tonners, Kaslo RSC-13 kits, and the CLC H12-44 No. 1639 build.
History & Research
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Vernon River / Murray Harbour Subdivision Freight Traffic Analysis — Part 1: Researching Traffic Types
Newspaper archives identify Vernon River’s inbound and outbound railway traffic, from potatoes and livestock to coal and feed.
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Finding Inspiration from a Later Era
A St. Peters Bay potato-loading photo provides prototype ideas for Vernon River’s team track, vehicles and loading scene.
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Vernon River Co-Op Warehouse: A Study on Shared Building Plans
Research comparing PEI co-op warehouses at Vernon River, Morell, Souris and Tignish to reconstruct the 1947 Vernon River building.
Modelling
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The Ties That Bind…
Weathering wood ties for handlaid Code 55 track using acrylic paint and distressing techniques for the 1950s Vernon River layout.
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Scratch-building CN’s 40′ Wood End Bunker Reefers — Part 4: Rivets and Installing the Centre Sills, Z-Bracing and Crossmembers
Part 4 covers rivet decals, fishbelly centre sills, Z-bracing, crossmembers and train-line installation.
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Learning the Lay of the Land
Aerial photographs and newspaper records establish Vernon River’s potato, livestock and freight traffic—and support adding a stock pen.