CN CLC #1639 – showing the retrofitted handrails. Ingenium Archives, Science and Technology Railway Collection, https://collection.ingenium.ca/en/
You see, one of the best things about modelling the PEIR is all of its unique quirks and special details. But what also can be one of the more annoying things about modelling the PEIR is… all of its unique quirks and special details.
The more I study photos of #1639, the more I’m coming to the realisation that I am indeed going to have to include the retrofitted handrails. That is, iif I want to keep myself satisfied
You know, before we get into it, it’s kind of funny. I just got home from being back-stage at a concert with approximately 15,000 people in attendance, and most of the time I was there I was thinking about writing this post and how to execute the next phase of this build. While my old life does creep back into the picture from time to time, we’re about ten years deep into the train-bug. I think it grabs harder somehow.
Two beautiful Rapido MLW RSC-14 models, #1752 and #1755, tied up in front of Main Chemicals at the end of an operating session on Derwin Cole’s PEI-themed “Canadaisle” layout. 28JUN2026.
Howdy y’all,
I decided to stop in and give the site a bit of a facelift to better represent where I am as a prototypist, and figured it was high-time to give an update while I’m here.
While the blog has been dormant, I’ve still been plugging along in a less tactile way when professional and personal life gives me the time. I’ve mainly been picking away at sorting through the approximately 35,000 PEI railway documents I was given by Steven Hunter, researching MDT reefers — including getting my hands on a copy of Merchants Despatch: Its History and Equipment by R. Hinman — and picking up odds and ends here and there for the future.
A pattern I’ve noticed with myself is that when I’m trying to get the wheels turning again in this hobby, I have to start a brand new project. This time is no different.
Over the past few years, I have kept an eye on David Bedard’s beautiful 3D printing creations, jealous that most of his prints were CPR equipment. I can’t really put into writing how excited I was when I saw he would release a CNR-Double Ended plow kit.
For a fun size comparison, two 36′ CNR Stock Cars; a 1:87 Westerfield kit next to a 1:64 Simon Parent kit.
When I started considering S-scale as a viable adjustment for the Vernon River plan, I went straight to the top of the Canadian 1:64 food chain for advice. Trevor and David took me in and sorted me out with everything I needed to know in the world of 1:64, what equipment I needed, and where to get it and I am very grateful for their help. It also turns out S-Scalers are apparently hoarders, so I didn’t have to go terribly far to find 90% of the rolling stock and power I need for the entire layout.
One of the places they sent me, however, was to Simon Parent to get my hands on one of his flat resin Stock Car kits. Simon didn’t have any left but was kind enough to track one down for me from someone he knew selling one.
The kit fully assembled, prior to priming and painting.
The kit’s castings were very clean and crisp and the kit included all parts required for success except for trucks. Luckily, Simon is in the business of 3D printed trucks and sold me some very beautiful sprung trucks that are accurate for the car along with custom wheelsets.
Before:After: (B End)After: (A End)Mr. Surfacer is hands down one of my favourite hobby products. It’s magic. Filling in the gaps created by shrunken castings, as you see above, required zero sanding. I just apply the product liberally, let it dry for roughly 20 minutes and then aggressively rub the excess off the model with a cotton swab saturated with isopropyl alcohol. Repeat until satisfied. Messy? Yes. Satisfying? Also yes!
In my initial experience, this build was a breeze compared to anything I’ve done in 1:87, and though I had a minor issue with shrunken side castings, a sanding block and some Mr. Surfacer solved that with very minimal heart-ache.
Painting the car, I used my regular mix of Vallejo paints to get the CNR boxcar red, prepped for decals with Future and after decal-ing with the included decal sheet, I sealed it off with another coat of Future and some Vallejo Matt Varnish.
CN #170249 in all it’s completed glory.
One thing I’m not entirely sold on in the world of S-scale is the oversized #802 Kadee couplers. I think what I may do is design and 3D print a coupler pocket that mirrors the footprint of an 802 pocket, but accepts a (1:87 scale) #158 whisker coupler, and then just continue to use Kadee #158’s.
Somewhere in the mail is a brass River Raisin 44 Tonner, brass CNR combine kit as well as a wide array of other 1:64 goodies. I’ll be sure to do an ‘unboxing’ post when the package arrives.
Telling the stories of the history of the port of Charlottetown and the marine heritage of Northumberland Strait on Canada's East Coast. Winner of the Heritage Award from the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation and a Heritage Preservation Award from the City of Charlottetown
CN P.E.I. TERRITORY IN 1:87 