East-end Staging Yard

The benchwork is in place for the east-end staging yard, representing the CPR Gibson Subdivision east of Hainesville. The staging yard will be just below East Newbridge and South Newbrdge. It is time to start laying track! There will be 8 staging tracks (4 tracks for the 3 daily passenger trains, 2 tracks for the CPR local freight, and 2 tracks for the CRY/CPR fast freight. I still need to construct the removable "bridge" over the sink. Once completed, the staging yard will make it possible for the big yard in Millville to be a functional classification yard with its own yardmaster.

Recommended Resources for Modelling the Potato Industry

 

Incorporating Potato Farming and Shipping on a Model Railway

Recommended Resources

1.     These two National Film Board of Canada videos, free online, provide exceptional insight into the potato industry in Carleton County, NB.

·        "Harvest in the Valley" 1955   https://www.nfb.ca/film/harvest_in_valley/

·        "Potatoes" 1976   https://www.nfb.ca/film/potatoes/

 

2.     About modelling the potato industry in Maine:

·        “Aroostook – A Railroad You Can Model,” by Peter A. Cook.  Model Railroader, 

July 1966.

 

3.     For anyone interested in potato shipping by rail from Prince Edward Island:

·        https://princestreet.wordpress.com (Chris Mears).  Search for “potato” for great info about potato shipping on Prince Edward Island.

 

The Carleton Railway:

Email:  mcmulls@nb.sympatico.ca

Instagram:  @carletonrailway

Youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TTX0pGBz18

(20-minute 2023 layout tour)

The Completed Potato Field

I finally completed the second large potato field in Rosedale; there are a total of 107 rows of potatoes -- it took a long time to "plant" all those rows, but I think the result is worth it. Since potato farming is so important to the Carleton Railway, the potato fields are more than just scenery -- they provide a visual context for the railway's existence. In the photo, it is early morning on the farm as the sun rises in the east.

Fishing under the Railway Bridge at Big Lake

Life looks very peaceful at Big Lake, York County, as the Nor'Easter from Boston crosses the bridge on the way toward Fredericton via the CPR Gibson subdivision.   

"Planting" HO-scale Potato Fields

I finally "planted" the big potato field in Rosedale last weekend.  The first photo shows the beginning of process, and the second photo is the finished field.  There are 98 rows of potato plants. 

 

Guest crews this winter

In February  I was glad to host a 12-person group from PEI and Moncton for a day of operations.  Then the following week a smaller group from the Amherst, NS area were joined by some locals to operate the Carleton Railway again.  Here is the PEI/Moncton group:

Looking back on a very good year

2023 has been an amazing year for the Carleton Railway.  Monthly operating sessions resumed in January with an average of 7-8 people at each session during the winter months.  The "Fundy Rail Fest 2023" convention in May meant that I did a lot of work to get the railway ready.  24 people attended the two operating sessions, and another 25 or so came for the open house.  During the summer and early fall I made major changes to the timetable and to the train orders, and I worked to improve the ways the two major yards work.  The results have made a big difference.  The last two operating sessions (November and December) have been the most enjoyable so far, with 14 crew members in November and 15 in December.  The train crews are also becoming more familiar with the railway.  I am looking forward to a good year in 2024.  The next operating sessions will be January 16, February 20, and March 19.

Operations!

Since January, the Carleton Railway has been hosting a monthly crew to operate the railway.  The monthly operations have helped me to identify problems so I can adjust/improve the schedule, fix troublesome freight car problems, and make the railway operate more prototypically.  Thanks to the many people who have been part of the crew so far in 2023.  I am hoping more will be able to join us in the coming months!

The next operating sessions are schedule for November 21, December 12, January 16, February 20, and March 19.  Please email me for more information -- new crew members are very welcome.

New logo!

The Carleton Railway's paint shop has been busy lately, adding a new logo to some of the reefer fleet so the reconditioned cars will be ready for the potato harvest this fall. Here is a string of the freshly painted and lettered reefers in the Millville yard.

Fundy Rail Fest 2023 -- Operations on the Carleton Railway

Fundy Rail Fest 2023 in May brought people from NB, NS, ME, NH, MA, NY, QC, ON, and AB to participate as crew members for the two operating sessions on the Carleton Railway.  I thoroughly enjoyed having so many guests making the railway come alive for those two evenings, as well as even more people who showed up on Sunday for a tour of the layout.  Thanks everyone for making it a great model railroad convention weekend here in Saint John. 

The South Newbridge Yardmaster hard at work:

Delivering freight in Silverdale:

The westbound passenger train arrives in South Newbridge

Working in the Rosedale yard:

Some switching in Nortondale:

A group photo of the crew members on Friday evening:

Carleton Railway Video Tour

In March 2023, the Carleton Railway was featured as part of NERx -- the video tour is a quick (20 minute) look at the Carleton Railway from end to end:

Operating Sessions -- Winter 2023

It has been wonderful to host regular operating sessions once again--at last!  I am grateful for the many people who have been part of the crew each time.  The railway layout has seen a lot of change in the past few months as I have identified needed improvements.

The Carleton Railway is getting ready for Fundy Rail Fest 2023!

 

Potatoes and the Carleton Railway

The potato industry is very important in Carleton County, and the string of six line-side potato houses in Rosedale are an important source of freight for the Carleton Railway.

  

 

These photos show some of the scenery progress this fall in the "Big Lake" area between Millville and Hawkins Corner. Lots of details need to be added, but the track was ready for the operating session in late September.

Big Lake, in spite of its name, is actually a very small lake.  It is a quiet relaxing spot until a train crosses the bridge!  

The Carleton-York Peddler is powered by two RS3s as it passes the covered bridge near Big Lake. 

The Fast Freight West crosses the brook on its way from Millville to Avondale. 

 

More Stations of the Carleton Railway

Here are some photos of more stations on the Carleton Railway:

The old station in Deerville was once a busy stop, but only the local train stops here now.  The freight yard tracks have all been removed and what remains of the station track is used to store MOW equipment.  

The station in Waterville is surrounded by the industries that make this rural community an important source of revenue for the railway.

The old station in Wakefield is not very busy--other nearby stations now handle most of the work.  Only the daily passenger local still stops here.

The station in Pembroke is almost deserted.  Only pressure from local politicians keeps it open.  

The tiny Mulheron Street station is a flag stop for folks on the mixed train from Northampton who want a convenient stop for shopping in downtown South Newbridge.  The much busier South Newbridge station is located in an industrial area to the east of the main town.  

This view of the old station in South Newbridge shows how busy it can be when one of the limited passenger trains is due!

A very busy freight agent works at the depot in Northampton (built by Bob Boudreau).  The local industries here in Northampton and in nearby Grafton provide a lot of freight traffic for the Carleton Railway.  Northampton is located at the end of a branch line that joins with the Avondale Subdivision at South Newbridge.  

Here is another shot of the little station in Bull Lake.  Although trains don't even slow down here during most of the year, it is well maintained for those summer vacationers who travel by train to cool off during the hottest days of summer.   

The large Union Station has just been relocated to its new spot alongside the large yard in Millville.  It serves passengers for both the Carleton Railway and the Canadian Pacific Railway (Gibson subdivision).  More details and scenery will be added soon.  

Stations of the Carleton Railway

These photos show some of the railway stations in Carleton and York Counties.  

The first photo shows the eastbound Nor'Easter arriving in Rosedale on its way to Fredericton.  Rosedale is a rural farming community, but its long passing siding and its location between Woodstock and Hartland (with bus connections) make it an important stop.  During harvest season, Rosedale can be one of the busiest places on the railway with six large trackside potato sheds.  

Another long passing siding is at Clarkville--a very tiny settlement where only the local passenger train slows down to stop.  Meets between trains are often scheduled here.

Avondale is the busiest station and yard on the railway.  Six passenger trains (three in each direction) stop here daily while the yard crew works to keep freight traffic on time while switching local industries.  

The tiny station in South Newbridge sees very little activity.  There are no scheduled passenger trains, but occasionally a special order will send a coach to deliver students coming home for the holidays.

  

A daily commuter train leaves Lakeville early each morning and returns in the early evening.  

The old station at South Newbridge is located at an important junction with the Northampton Subdivision.  Both freight and passenger traffic keep the yard crew busy here.  A sleeping car is spotted in the early evening on the station track so passengers heading to Montreal can board early and settle in before the train arrives to pick up the sleeper late at night.  

The station in Nortondale is of a European design that matches the railway's posh resort in the community. The railway's owner maintains an apartment on the second floor of the station, and his extensive model railway fills the attic level.  

The little station in Bull Lake is only open seasonally--from the long weekend in May until Thanksgiving.  Vacationing families arrive on the daily local to spend time relaxing at the lake.  

The tiny station in Silverdale (on the far right in the photo below) sees minimal passenger traffic, but the nearby potato houses and farm-related industry make the station an important spot.  

The station in Lane's Creek is served by the local passenger train.  

The station in Millville is currently under construction (having been moved from its previous location in Hawkins Corner) and a brand new station (courtesy of Bob Kane) will soon be constructed in Hawkins Corner.  A station is still required in Maplewood.  Also not shown are the stations in Deerville, Waterville, Wakefield, Pembroke, and Nortondale, along with the tiny Mulheron Street flag stop between Grafton and South Newbridge.