Category Archives: Locomotives

Prototype-based locomotive projects, reference work, and detailing.

CNR CLC H12-44 #1639 in 1:87: Part 2 — Those Pesky Handrails

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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

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CNR CLC H12-44 #1639 in 1:87: Part 1 — Reverse Engineering in 2022

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The prototype: CLC H12-44 CN #1639 at Charlottetown, PE – 29JUL1961
Photo by: J.W. Vingrass / Krambles-Peterson archive (www.thedieselshop.us)

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.

Here’s a picture of that, for fun:

Ok, train stuff.

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A Long-Overdue Update: MLW RSC-14s, MLW RSC-13s, GE 44-Tonners and CLC H12-44s

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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.

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Special delivery… (70 Tonner decals)

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Just wanted to poke my head in and give a little mail-day update..

Backstory: Last fall I designed and 3D printed a accurate footboard assembly for my long-stalled Kaslo 70 Tonner project. This was a detail that had been bothering me for some time and I just couldn’t seem to get it right by scratch-building with styrene. This 3D printed part gets me over that hump, but in order to finish the project I still needed decals…

Test print of my HO Scale CNR 70 Tonner footboards. The 3D printed parts will be used as a master for casting.
CN #30’s pilot at Exporail. Steve Hunter photo.

Receiving the test parts from Shapeways was the inspiration I needed to finally get off my behind and get decals made so I could finish the project.

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CNR #38 at the Moncton, NB diesel shops. CSTM Collection.

Shortly before Christmas I began talks with Bill Brillinger from PDC.ca to make a custom set of decals for the ‘simplified’ second iteration of the green and gold livery the CNR 70 Tonners wore. I mailed him some reference material and to work he went.

After a few weeks of back and forth, I was very excited to see the PDC.ca envelope full of 70 Tonner decals arrive in my mailbox today.

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As you can see, the decals turned out beautifully. Bill is an absolute joy to work with and he nailed what I was looking for. The decal set will do three locomotives with the ability to label any unit on the roster, although not all of them got this paint job.

While my super-detailed 44 Tonner will see lots of action on the layout, 70 Tonners were just as common and I’m excited to finish this project so I can run 70T #38 in mixed train service.

CM