Vintage HO Scale Modelling - VIA Rail, CN, CP Rail

I got back into model railroading in 1993 after a cross-country motorcycle trip with my friend Tony inspired me to return to my childhood hobby.

It all began with a trip to Peter Macdonald's Hobby Supply in Kingston, Ontario, where I bought a pair of undecorated Athearn RDCs, some VIA Rail decals and paint. Yowzah! And from there it went.... well, this video gives you an idea.

Some of this stuff was seen in public during various train shows in Eastern Ontario (Kingston Rail-O-Rama, Quinte Train Show in Belleville, and the Brockville Train Show) during the mid-to-late '90s, before I moved to Vermont and, ultimately, to N scale. Most of these models are long gone, although I've kept a few for sentimental reasons - particularly those two Athearn RDCs.

Note: several of the still pics were shot by 'weathering god' Ed Cooke, who is currently causing jaws to drop all over Eastern Ontario with his astonishing weathering skills!

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• HO
• scale
• VIA
• Rail
• CN
• CP
• Rik
• Berryere

[GoTransitFP7]

athearn tyco and others not very good

[ZetaRanger79]

@GoTransitFP7 You're right, there was better stuff out there for sure. But it was twenty years ago, they were affordable, and you could hack, cut, saw and chop that stuff without breaking a sweat. Everyone draws their 'good enough' line in a different place, and a $150 Kato in 1994 was a serious slice of paycheque.

And in the end, ultimately... you can only make a sandwich with what you have in the fridge, right? Hmmmm.... sandwich...... I think I need to go make a Rueben. Thanks!

[awsomeRailFan]

is 2:22 real

[ZetaRanger79]

@awsomeRailFan Yes, it sure was in the mid '90's. I have video of the real thing I'll post here sooner or later.

[awsomeRailFan]

@ZetaRanger79 the cp not the via just to clarify

[ZetaRanger79]

@awsomeRailFan If you mean the SD90 in the two-tone... no, not real. At the time CP Rail dropped the two-flags scheme, they were hinting that big changes to their livery were coming; and elements from the past were going to be prominent.

Of course, speculation was this meant 'tuscan/grey' was coming back. I painted the SD90 in a speculative scheme of my own, using the graphic design of the tuscan/grey era but using the current candy apple red instead of grey, with white/gold pinstripes.

[pblancher]

I remember a lot of these. Thanks for posting to the web.

[NorthlanderRTC85]

athearn blue boxes tyco not very good

[GoTransitFP7]

athearn blue boxes not good