tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-225012792008-04-10T14:38:48.372-05:00Ian WilsonBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22501279.post-41765897271981781792008-02-23T08:39:00.002-05:002008-02-23T08:43:03.063-05:00

For the twelfth straight year, we'll have a table this Sunday at the Copetown Train Show. You will be able to pick up a flyer for the upcoming Hamilton book, and purchase any of the other seven titles at a significant discount. Looking forward to re-connecting with loyal readers! For anyone attending the informal gathering at the hall tonight, I will be doing a talk entitled "Humourous tales of

Ian Wilsontag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22501279.post-36216448272542304952008-02-09T13:29:00.000-05:002008-02-09T13:44:39.321-05:00

In these cold, snowy days of early February, I am getting back to a little S scale modeling. My thoughts have rambled back to a Sunday morning five years ago (Feb. 2/03 to be exact), when I picked up the telephone to chat with my friend Andy Malette. On that Sunday morning, with the family out and some modeling time on my hands, I pondered the recent experience of building a couple of PRR GLa

Ian Wilsontag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22501279.post-29327188025391594252008-02-08T08:05:00.000-05:002008-02-08T08:44:44.515-05:00

I've spent the past few days re-designing our company web page (see a screen shot of a portion here). It incorporates actual CNR steam era colours and herald designs. I'd be pleased to hear any comments about the "new look" (click on "comments" icon below).

Ian Wilsontag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22501279.post-62175495966532456602008-02-06T17:55:00.000-05:002008-02-06T18:40:29.524-05:00

From the snail mail bag, a missive from Peter Mitchell of Sidney, BC requests that St. Thomas, Ont. be featured in an upcoming publication. Indeed, St. Thomas is technically on a CNR line (keep in mind when I say "is", my mind is in 1954). Operationally, however, it is Wabash territory. There is a CNR element in the form of the local trains (Fort Erie-St. Thomas mixed train and way freight, St.

Ian Wilsontag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22501279.post-13096205837417597232008-02-04T08:38:00.001-05:002008-02-08T07:40:03.158-05:00

Here is the cover for our eighth publication. This book is well underway, and will be released in November 2008. If you are on our mailing list, we will be sending you a copy of this flyer later this month. You may also pre-order this volume online or with our mail order form. As with previous publications, we'll mail out the books in the same order as the orders are received.

Ian Wilsontag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22501279.post-83851337395585238282008-01-01T19:34:00.000-05:002008-02-04T08:55:08.930-05:00

Dave Dawson, who visited three weeks ago for a three-hour interview, has put together a neat biographical account of my ten-year career as an author and publisher here. This version has been printed in the Orillia newspaper; separate versions will appear in the Barrie, Collingwood and Midland papers shortly.

Ian Wilsontag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22501279.post-47913529699360327582007-12-17T12:34:00.000-05:002007-12-17T12:50:06.032-05:00

Business has been brisk since release of Steam Scenes of Allandale on August 21, 2007. We appreciate all the patronage from readers new and old. While stock of the most recent book, along with Steam at Allandale, Steam in Northern Ontario and Steam to the Niagara Frontier is solid, the inventory of three of our titles has been steadily evaporating. We have somewhere between 160 and 170 each of

Ian Wilsontag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22501279.post-89425802171118089792007-08-17T06:45:00.000-05:002007-08-17T06:47:33.283-05:00

As of Aug. 17, printing is finished and the book is at the bindery. We will take delivery of the finished volumes on either Tues. Aug. 21 or Wed. Aug. 22, and distribution will commence on the following day. It will take us two weeks to process the orders which will be on hand at that time. This will be done on a first-in, first-out basis for individual and dealer orders.

Ian Wilsontag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22501279.post-620728422040844352007-07-25T08:23:00.000-05:002007-07-27T06:54:58.367-05:00

Flyers are going on the mail as we speak. Here is the scoop: Companion volume to Steam at Allandale, the additional 375 images and 52 maps comprising the new Steam Scenes of Allandale complete the record of a network of CNR lines in the postwar steam era. This is not a pre-publication offer; the new book will be ready to ship about August 15! Keep your collection up to date by acting quickly

Ian Wilsontag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22501279.post-30476043210781122352007-07-23T09:37:00.000-05:002007-07-23T10:13:39.513-05:00

At long last, after almost a year away from the hobby, I have resumed the joyful activity of model construction. To that end, I have designed an S scale modular layout based upon the CNR at Washago, Ontario (see Steam at Allandale and Steam in Northern Ontario). Working from the railway property plan, I have shortened sidings and reduced turnout numbers to decrease the scope of the track. All

Ian Wilsontag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22501279.post-1171856149956965812007-02-18T22:34:00.000-05:002007-02-18T22:35:49.956-05:00

I'm intending to get back to that coaling plant construction series. It has been an exceptionally trying fall and winter due to personal challenges and the reprint of the Allandale book. Thanks to everyone for their patience.

Ian Wilsontag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22501279.post-1171855996483240062007-02-18T22:29:00.000-05:002007-02-18T22:34:06.716-05:00

Thanks to all who participated in the recent auction of HO scale rolling stock. I've just listed a whole pile of 1940s and 1950s vehicles on eBay. Most of these are new in the box, and are now discontinued by the manufacturers. All are good quality diecast, the majority by Classic Metal Works. They can be found here.

Ian Wilsontag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22501279.post-1171248629249550242007-02-11T21:47:00.000-05:002007-02-18T22:29:36.923-05:00

I'm finalizing my move to S scale with a major disposition of HO scale rolling stock. I've listed 65 items on eBay starting tonight. The vast majority of these cars were in service on my layout which represented CNR operations in Southern Ontario circa 1954. More than a dozen of the listings are assembled resin kits.

Ian Wilsontag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22501279.post-1169305396493740622007-01-20T09:55:00.000-05:002007-01-20T10:03:16.520-05:00

After fielding hundreds of requests over the past six years, we have decided to reprint our debut volume. Various typographical errors have been corrected and the locomotive commentary has been updated. Aside from that, the new printing is unchanged. We will take delivery of the finished books during the week of January 22, 2007. Shipping will commence immediately thereafter. All individuals and

Ian Wilsontag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22501279.post-1162083019148467382006-10-28T16:52:00.000-05:002006-10-28T20:07:08.076-05:00

Now we will fashion the heavy steel beams which will support the rails and grating. A quarter century ago while studying structural engineering, I knew of these as "welded wide flange" (WWF) sections. Start by measuring the length between north and south walls with your calipres, as shown above. Knock off a smidgen (say about 0.010" at each end) to allow for a tiny bit of room to position the

Ian Wilsontag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22501279.post-1161991930716483572006-10-27T18:15:00.000-05:002006-10-28T16:17:25.940-05:00

Thanks to everyone who has sent emails or added comments to the various steps so far. Based on the response to date, it is apparent that a lot of modelers are following along, if not building. It is now time to build the two supporting piers for the steel beams which span the coal hopper (and upon which the rails rest). I cast these wafer-like pieces in hydrocal, but you may wish to use

Ian Wilsontag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22501279.post-1161627029989640712006-10-23T11:08:00.000-05:002006-10-23T13:10:30.056-05:00

As you can see above, pouring hydrocal into narrow openings can be a messy business. No matter! Just make sure that you work on a level surface, and gently tap the base on the table top to bring air bubbles to the surface. The right consistency of hydrocal is achieved with a 2:1 mixture (hydrocal:water). Make sure the poured plaster overtops the formwork. Before the formwork was removed, I used

Ian Wilsontag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22501279.post-1161613130821907502006-10-23T08:47:00.000-05:002006-10-23T09:18:50.936-05:00

Now we attach the formwork to the base. Keep in mind that you want to be able to remove the forms after the hydrocal has set. So you want an adhesive that is flexible, yet strong enough to hold in place. I used LePage's water-based contact cement for the joints between the balsa and plywood, allowing only about 1/2 hour for the glue to set before joining the pieces. Attach your formwork in the

Ian Wilsontag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22501279.post-1161608967890095012006-10-23T08:03:00.000-05:002006-10-23T08:09:27.890-05:00

Later on, we will construct a steel grate over the receiving hopper. This grating will rest on an indentation on the inside edges of the track and conveyor side foundation walls. The indentation is 3" in depth and 6" in width. To produce this indentation at the casting stage, we need to glue a 3" x 6" strip of material (your choice) along the top edges of the inside track and conveyor side

Ian Wilsontag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22501279.post-1161608325418199012006-10-23T07:47:00.000-05:002006-10-23T08:10:43.613-05:00

On your base, lay out lines denoting the inside and outside of the foundation walls. Dimensions are shown in the photograph (the 17'-0" applies in both directions, and the wall thickness is 2'-0" all around). The outside lines are 1'-3" in from the edges of the footings on the large square. The rectangular portion to the right is the footing for the conveyor, the foundation for which we will

Ian Wilsontag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22501279.post-1161565475731633892006-10-22T18:53:00.000-05:002006-10-22T20:13:57.313-05:00

It's now time to produce formwork (we're going to pour concrete sections with hydrocal plaster). In S scale, I used 3/32" balsa sheet. Styrene or bassword would work as well. Make sure you have adequate thickness for strength. Making formwork is like modeling in reverse. Most of the time and care is employed in fashioning the mold. Above, you can see the sections labelled as to their locations

Ian Wilsontag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22501279.post-1161557988972597202006-10-22T17:52:00.000-05:002006-10-30T17:09:02.016-05:00

Here goes for the start of a 150-ton monument to steam operations on the Northern Ontario District mainline. We are going to build this structure from the ground up, much like the prototype. At last count, Robert Wilton, Andrew Batchelor, Ryan Laroche, Dick Chalmers, Doug Cushman, Fred Steiger and Bruce Wilson were going to join me. My model is being constructed in S scale, but I will provide

Ian Wilsontag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22501279.post-1161340197422296622006-10-20T05:16:00.000-05:002006-10-20T05:35:44.300-05:00

Thank you to everyone for your patience regarding the planned construction of one of these classic CNR concrete coaling plants. Pictured is the installation at Washago, a few minutes' drive from my hometown. I spent several hours studying the plans and visiting the structure yesterday. I am going to begin construction today, and will report back shortly as to progress. The first attempt to

Ian Wilsontag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22501279.post-1161338893623692902006-10-20T05:00:00.000-05:002006-10-20T05:16:25.023-05:00

All the pre-subscribed copies of Steam in Northern Ontario were shipped over a two-week period beginning September 29. Thank you, all, for your patience. We have received dozens of emails from folks regarding the book, so I figured I'd open a discussion for readers of this web log. Any questions regarding the material covered in this latest book, any thoughts, comments or otherwise, fire away!

Ian Wilsontag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22501279.post-1160001496652044502006-10-04T17:37:00.000-05:002006-10-04T17:38:16.666-05:00

As of Wednesday, October 4, approximately one half of the prepaid individual copies of Steam in Northern Ontario have been shipped, along with approximately one half of the first wave of dealer orders. We are on track to be finished shipping all pre-ordered copies before the end of next week.

Ian Wilson