Station Platforms |
JUNE 2001
During the past couple of weeks my modelling attention has been directed at finishing the scene around my Bradford, Ontario station platform, on the Newmarket Subdivision secondary mainline between Toronto and Allandale. In assessing the elements required to complete the setting authentically, I researched my photograph collection of CNR station scenes. Although the information presented here is applicable to my interest area, namely the CNR in Southern Ontario during the steam-diesel transition era, I hope that you are able to glean some useful bits and pieces for your own prototype modelling efforts.
Let's begin with the platform itself. I count at least six possible surfaces: earth, cinder, wood, asphalt, concrete and cobblestone. Earth and cinder platforms, typical at flagstop stations, pose no modelling challenges. Wood platforms are aligned with the timbers running perpendicular to the rails. Asphalt and concrete platforms are best represented by pouring hydrocal. Brick or cobblestone platforms are easiest modelled with suitable plastic material. I ran into a snag on this one however, as my Bradford scene required a curved cobblestone platform... so I found myself pouring a hydrocal surface, then carving approximately 10,000 bricks by hand over the course of two days. Argh!!!
Most railway stations have eave lighting (usually large reflectors, green on the outside, white on the inside) to illuminate the platform. However, with platforms often hundreds of feet long, additional fixtures are required. In my case, gooseneck lamp stands with curly-cue trim (see the Aurora, Newmarket and Orillia stations in Steam at Allandale) are appropriate. Other platforms such as Stratford (see To Stratford Under Steam) have attractive globe fixtures. There are various other examples, but check photographs first to ensure that reasonably authentic fixtures are placed on your platform.
Now, perhaps your station is a water stop. If so, then position your water column or columns either just before or just after the end(s) of the platform, with the spout pointing away from the station. If the standpipe is on the platform, in many cases it is painted silver (better visibility at night for people on the platform), otherwise grimy black. I used the Tichy water column to represent a CNR standpipe (see front end leaf of To Stratford Under Steam), with several modifications. Firstly, I discarded the Tichy concrete base and grate, and replaced it with a timber platform of scale lumber. I added a short staff and K-brake wheel for the valve on the ground. On the spout itself, I added a small handmade grab iron on the top, and a dangling wire with loop (for the fireman to hook onto from the tender). Finally, I mounted a B-B (any similar-sized sphere will do) on a short piece of plastic rod at the top of the column. Perform these modifications, and you will have a reasonable facsimile of a CNR standpipe.
On the platform itself, you will need one or more wagons. I have assembled both the Grandt Line and Jordan models; I prefer the former, as they have 16-spoke wheels (identical to most CNR carts) and lend themselves easier to minor modifications. On the end stake assemblies, I added styrene crosspieces 1x6 (top) and 1x4 (bottom) on the outside faces. I painted the assembled models first with grimy black, then sprayed on the second coat. There are three types of platform wagons of interest: mail, express and baggage. Royal Mail, or Canada Post Office, carts are a fairly bright red. CN Express and Baggage carts are both green; CNR pensioners tell me the express carts were a somewhat brighter green. For my purposes, they are all the same green. At some point down the road, you may wish to add appropriate stencilling to the carts on the end planks: "CAN. NAT. EXPRESS", "CAN. NAT. BAGGAGE" or "CAN. POST OFFICE".
It is inappropriate to clutter platforms with extra details. They should be kept clear for movement of station personnel, passengers, wagons and vehicles. At train time, the wagons will be piled with mail, express and baggage as appropriate. At junction stations, such as Palmerston, Allandale, Guelph, Collingwood and the like, there will be a heavier complement of lading on the carts. Mail and express have to be brought to the station and taken away by truck, therefore postal and express contractor trucks (or Royal Mail and/or railway express vehicle) will be present before, during and after train arrivals.
In terms of figures, there will be passengers waiting for trains. The agent will possibly be on the platform with orders or tending the express and baggage (or merely inspecting passing trains). Postal and express delivery men will be in evidence. Similarly, for way freights and mixed trains, a freight contractor and truck (or CN Freight driver and vehicle) may be present.
If the station is a train order office, you will need an order board. For the old two-aspect kerosene lantern order boards (see numerous examples in Steam at Allandale), I use the Grandt Line kit, with red and green jewels added. Excellent non-operating quadrant train order board kits are available from Alder Models.
Adorning the station will be a variety of signs, beginning with the name board itself, usually at each end and at trackside. Some colourful signs describing the other functions (Express, Telegraph & Cable, Money Orders and Public Telephone) are found on most stations. Many of these are available from Hamilton Model Works. Signs prohibiting parking or roller skating on the platform are also common, and on some buildings a large thermometer may be found mounted to the wall (an example of such will be seen at Harriston, in the upcoming Steam Over Palmerston).
If you are modelling summer in Southern Ontario, your station will not want to be without a CNE poster leaning against the station wall. These may be replicated with numerous coloured rectangles and small lettering; see page 103 of Steam at Allandale for the 1954 version at Creemore.
I hope these details will aid you in your station platform modelling. Please inform me at ian@canadianbranchline.com if you have any other ideas or techniques in this area. One last thing... if you find yourself leaning at an awkward angle over a station platform for two solid days carving miniature bricks, put a pillow under your belly.
Ian Wilson
June 4, 2001
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