Pemco SD35 #950

Here is a Pemco SD35 which keeps its original Burlington Northern road number 950. The number happened to fit the numbering scheme: 900's are all non-revenue, and this will be assigned to heavy work trains. Also all even numbers are powered units.

So all that remained was some patch paint and a Cape Ann logo.

GP18AA #600

Here is a fantasy GP-18AA, made from two AHM GP-18 shells spliced onto one unmodified chassis. Now it is put to work as a double ended yard switcher.

New Conrail power: 2107 and 3976

Two eBay finds: Both Life-Life GP38-2 units. One was Conrail 7940, which has been renumbered to 3976. The other was a Santa Fe, which has been repainted for a patched Penn Central 2107. 

Both units are only 2-axle power pickup. Since the layout's turnout frogs are not powered, this can lead to stalls. So these two units are now permanently wired together in parallel to share electrical pickups. Now they are immune to stalls.

866 arrives from the UP

GP40 866 was recently acquired from the Union Pacific, and was placed into service immediately. There was no time for a trip to the paint shop, so the UP name was painted over and CAPE ANN quickly applied. It retains the original 866 road number, as that number was not in use on the Cape Ann anyway.

Amtrak Downeaster at Kenton

The Amtrak Downeaster operates between Brunswick, ME and Boston MA, in push-pull configuration. There is a conventional locomotive on one end. There is a “cabbage” (control/baggage) car on the other end, which is a FP40 body with the prime mover removed, and replaced with a rollup door to serve as a baggage car. 

The model Amtrak Downeaster is seen here on the Cape Ann. Like the prototype, it operates in push-pull.  FP40 229 is the powered loco, and dummy FP40 381 on the other end has been converted to a cabbage car by adding the rollup door on one side. Wires run between 229 and all other cars to light the passenger cars, and the lighting on 381. Each loco is also equipped with a red marker between the number boards, lit when the unit is trailing. 

FP45's on The Acadian

Rail fans line the footbridge at Kimball’s Campground to catch a view of Cape Ann FP45’s 400 and 404 coming around the curve at Cascade with The Acadian in tow. The footbridge allows campers access to the river and beach without having to cross the tracks in the foreground. 

The Cape Ann Cannonball

The Cape Ann Cannonball is a single coach providing passenger service attached to train 61/62, the mid-day Kenton Turn as it switches customers between Davis and Kenton. 

The Cannonball departs Davis Yard daily at noon, with stops* at Maris, Hammond, Cape Ann, and Glen Cove; arriving at Kenton generally around 2:00 PM. It then reverses direction, making the same stops, before returning to Davis generally by 4:30 PM. This is provided as a mid-day transportation option during the period when only freight traffic is running.

Passengers are advised this is no-frills transportation - there is no power available, no food service, and the only published time is departure from Davis Yard daily at noon. All arrivals down the line will depend on switching needs and may vary widely from day to day. Frequent stops will occur while freight cars are switched at industries along the way. Passengers should inquire at their local station, where the agent can advise expected arrival times.

While there is no food service on board, the train holds at Kenton where a cafe is available at the station and several takeout options are nearby.

*all stops on the Cannonball are considered flag stops. Train may not stop unless passengers are boarding or departing.

LCL Handling

Kenton Freight Forwarders handles all LCL (Less then CarLoad) shipments, as well as 20' containers. (40' containers are handled at a separate facility, Quinn Intermodal Terminal).

Big Hook 932

Cape Ann’s big hook 932 is now in service (not that we have that many derailments!). This is a Tyco crane which was originally lettered for Santa Fe. The Santa Fe roadname was dissolved with some alcohol, and the original red paint kept, but faded with a lighter wash. The 932 decal was added, and the doors painted a darker shade, and the windows glazed. The frame and crane arm were brush painted a dark grey then given a black wash and a rust wash. (All washes are acrylic craft paint thinned with 50% isopropyl alcohol).

click to enlarge

The Oasis

The Oasis is a (real) bar in Shelby, Montana. It is one of our favorite sights when passing through town on the Empire Builder.

Bar, casino, dancing, live bait, hunting and fishing licenses!

So of course, we needed our own Oasis on the layout. Here it is. It is not an exact duplicate, but pretty close to get the flavor. 

Fortunately, I was able to find a photo of the building taken from exactly in front, which allowed me to resize and print out the two signs easily.

Here it is in context, located in Kenton, between the Kenton Motel and the Diner.

Just like the real world, every railroad station must have a bar close by!

Cape Ann station

Passengers are awaiting The Acadian at Cape Ann station.

VIA Alouette stops in Cape Ann

VIA's Alouette stops in Cape Ann twice a week. (The most direct route from Montréal to Nova Scotia is right though Maine, so this is a regular event).

Passengers await VIA's Alouette

FP9 4708 leads the Alouette

Dome 827, Chanleur Falls

Work train

In between operation sessions, the work train comes out for routine track maintenance. We caught it passing through Glen Cove.

GP-20 912

GP-20 912 leads. This loco is permanently assigned to MoW service, and carries a 900 series road number to designate non-revenue equipment. It's old and dirty, but it always starts - which was the primary requirement. This is a Tyco.

Ballast car 977

Ballast car 977 is next. Most MoW cars are painted grey - but not always.

Loader car 947

Loader car 947 is next. This is a boxcar which has been cut down and fitted with a rollup door to provide a secure garage for the loader. We drove it out a little for the photo. The car also carries the loading ramps.The boxcar is an old Varney. The loader is a Matchbox skid-steer. The ramps are window frames salvaged from a junk O-scale structure.

Weed sprayer 957

Weed sprayer 957 is used to spray questionable chemicals on those troublesome vegetation spots. There is a swing-out spray arm on each side, operated from the cupola. The tank end of this car must face forward, so the operator can maneuver the spray arms around any obstructions. Taking out a block signal is frowned upon. This is a former track cleaning car with the pad removed, and the tank filled with BB's for weight. The arms were taken from a diecast irrigation vehicle.

Bringing up the rear is the section work car. This has a 20' container for tools and supplies, and a caboose body for the crew to ride in and take their breaks. This car must be hauled on the rear of the train, with the container end last, due to the clearance needed to open the container doors and access the inside.

Seacoast Line interchange

Seacoast Line 412 has arrived to pickup the afternoon northbound interchange traffic. It has dropped the caboose on the main, and backed into Pamola siding to grab the long cut of cars.

After connecting, it pulls forward to clear the siding, then backs up to grab the caboose. Then it's off northbound.

Scenes from The Acadian

The Acadian rolls to a stop at Kenton, busiest station on the system. Amtrak 680 is right behind it. 

There is a lot of waving when The Acadian stops with one of its domes aligned with the stationary dome of The Kentonian restaurant (background).

Dome riders get to peek in the second floor windows of the Cape Ann's Kenton office building.

Cabs line up in anticipation of The Acadian's arrival at Cape Ann station.

Now heading north from Cascade, The Acadian opens up for a long, straight run to Pamola and points north.

Amtrak's Downeaster is in the hole for the meet with The Acadian, which running upgrade, has priority here.

Pamola Tower gives a green signal to The Acadian as it passes the tower. Yellow train order signal at tower indicates "Proceed - no orders".

Tanker 3637

Cape Ann tanker 3637 spends most of its life shuttling fuels from Glen Cove to Davis and Kenton Yards. The 3 internal tanks are designated for lube oil, kerosene, and diesel.

Note the gapped rail between the block signals. The signals monitor the gap to display the correct aspect.

Catching the Acadian

If you hurry, you can get across the footbridge at Cascade and scramble up the slope to catch the afternoon Acadian rolling down the 3% grade to Kenton.

Congestion at Marias

Friday afternoons are always hectic at Marias Industrial Park. All the shippers want their goods on the move before the weekend, and cars are waiting to be spotted in their place for Monday morning.

Dining in Downtown Kenton

Plenty of places to eat in downtown Kenton - important since every train, passenger and freight, stops here. High end dining can be had at the Kentonian, a refurb heavyweight car, with the attached "Gastrodome" lounge. Behind that we have the Hotel Kenton, The Oasis (dancing-bar-casino-marriage licenses-live bait), and the Trolley Diner.

Quick Eats

Quick Eat options near the ballpark. Hot dogs or Subway.