New England Model Train Expo 2025

     I went to the New England Model Train Expo for the first time back in December.  I saw that East Coast Circuits was going to be there and I needed to feed my addiction.  

Their booth provided a bounty and ended up taking most of the money I brought with me.  I ended up getting a Canada Post delivery van (my second), a pumper truck, and a stick arrow.  

As I've mentioned before, sometime a train show and be a bust, and other times you find something you've been looking for for a long time.  I found orange passenger step boxes; they were a great find and somewhat hard to come by for a good price.  I also left with a few Rix Products doors and windows to add to my scratch building box.

The delivery truck and fire truck were installed pretty quickly the following day.

The Amherst Railroad Hobby Show (Springfield) is this coming weekend.  I have plenty of vendors to visit including East Coast Circuits.  I'm looking forward to it!

On the Layout: Track Construction

 I've had an ongoing problem with the western-most turnout heading into Toronto Union Station.  The whole space is where I have seen the most derailments since the layout was built.

I replaced two turnouts, the one on the mainline and a turnout heading into the service track of the Toronto Maintenance Centre.  I took out two Walthers turnout and put in Peco turnout and Peco track connecting the turnouts.  With smaller turnouts, I have also been able to change the geometry of the tracks leading into the two turnouts.  This has helped my passenger cars move through the space without incident.

I also changed the scenery along the right of way.  No derailments so far, knock on benchwork!

Fleet Friday: LRC Demonstrator Car

     I acquired this rare find online a couple months ago.  The Bombardier LRC Demonstrator Car was part of a run of Rapido LRC cars a number of years ago.  I didn't get the car at the time because I bought many, if not all, of the VIA Rail LRC cars.  It's a pretty non-descript car, all gray with an orange end, but I really like it.  I thought it would be a great piece to display at the Toronto Rail Museum.  The LRC cars are my favorite passenger cars.  I remember seeing them in service in Montreal when I was a kid (along with the LRC locomotives) and it was the car I rode in the first time a took a train in Canada.  It's a great addition to the layout and looks good here at the museum.

 

   

All the Best in 2026!