TerraTransport 50ft car…

In 1988 the Halifax South Western was transferred to CN's maritime division 'TerraTransport', as CN prepared for privatisation this was seen as a means to shield the larger organisation from the loss making branch and secondary lines across the Maritimes... 

Of course, as the TerraTransport 'story' unfolded Chris, Andrew and I have written about both the Dominion Atlantic and the Central Nova Scotia - there are still chapters to be told, including Newfoundland, Dartmouth Terminal and Prince Edward Island - as well as Moncton and the New Brunswick Southern. On the journey other modellers have chimed in with their own ideas, and even have created their own models (I've seen a wonderful RS18C and a PSC caboose), or have plans to (the DAR GP40-2Ws I believe are on one individuals 'to do' list). However, this post describes how what should have been an all over black box car came to be...

Dartmouth Terminal 1502 switches a liveried car on the Franklin Spur, Moncton. These old SW1500s now call this home after being displaced by larger power on their home line.

I was chatting with Andrew and offered to build him a TT inspired box car to 'polute' the real world of his fledgling CBNS 'Hopewell subdivision' H0 layout. He very graciously agreed, going further to say that he would tour it around the layouts in his area of Alberta - which all sounded like a great way to spend a few evenings dreaming up a back story and colour scheme for a car.

I had already created a few 'patched' HSWR 50ft cars when I started the Canadian Adventure based upon the excellent Branchlines Trains kit. These models had their original markings painted over and HSWR patched on black panels. However, taking this car a step further I imagined that a small fleet of these cars were leased, refurbished and repainted by TT in the early 1990s.

Rather than paint them in the same green as the locomotives, containers and caboose a darker tone was chosen, almost a Brunswick green (almost poetic) with the TT logo in the lighter tone. These cars originally saw service on the HSWR serving Bowaters until 2001 and then Michelin and Anil until the HSWR pulls out of Bridgewater in 2004. Today the cars can still be seen across the Maritimes.

The car is another Branchline Trains model, sprayed in Humbrol 3 'Brunswick green' (the locomotives are 2 'Emerald green'). I designed the decals and had them made specifically for this model. Once applied I used a panel line wash with a dark olive green, before picking out other details with a dirty wash of 98 and 33, finishing with airbrushed road dirt and dry brushed gun-metal. The roof is just washed with the 251. The result is a pleasing finish, and one that I will be sad to let go, but incredibly excited to see where it ends up - as Andrew tours it around I will share updates here - and I've taken some more photos on the layouts with other TT stock so expect a few more posts in the coming weeks even though it should be in the post soon.

Although this is a personal model, and a North American prototype, if you have a model you'd like me to produce for you, perhaps it needs a bespoke touch or scratchbuilt details, perhaps custom lining or specific etched parts, I can provide a one stop shop and fixed price proposal for the work. Get in touch using the contact form on the menu. Thanks for reading, more soon...