From the Dome Car: Train 4 Track 6 (December-January 1995)













In this Dome Car, Morgan takes us to Russia to learn about model railroading through the eyes of a Canadian modeller. That was just five years after the Berlin Wall fell, a time when we thought maybe we were on the verge of a new and peaceful and less polarized world. And he notes that the next issue will mark the beginning of the fifth year of CRM—a real milestone for him and for the magazine. 

When it comes to modelling, railfanning and locomotive preservation, sometimes we don't realize how lucky we are here in North America, especially after reading a letter from a railfan who has recently returned from a visit to Russia. 

Jim Little, a CP modeller in the southern Ontario area who has written articles for us in the past, dropped me a note about his experiences during a trip he made this past summer with his wife to the former Soviet Union. Jim reports that while on a visit to a museum of Russian steam locomotives in St. Petersburg, that sadly all the equipment sits outside in the elements with little funds for any restoration work. 

They took a commuter train trip from the museum to a place called Puskin, that was packed with people heading to reap the harvest. The train was very old, in need of repairs and the coaches had wooden benches that sat passengers three abreast. 

On the train, Jim was told that five years ago, he would have been arrested for taking train pictures - RAILFANNING! When in Moscow, Jim and his wife visited the Moscow Railway Club, which was written up in the 1991 MR. He talked at length about what is happening in the hobby over here as they have no such hobby industry over there. 

Most everything they have is scratchbuilt or brought in by someone from western Europe. Their level of skill is reported to be quite good, as Jim was shown some of the locomotives, rolling stock and structures that his counterparts had built. Full size diesels in Russia apparently look amazingly like North American RS-ls, RS-lls and French box cab types, while a Moscow to St. Petersburg Express looked like the Japanese Bullet Train! 

And while we're on the subject of bullet trains: there I was working in my office the other day when a fellow modeller called me from his cellular to tell me that a CP freight was called to a halt awaiting clearance at a spot nearby and that I should grab my camera and get some shots of what was being dragged westward. 

Without hesitation, I shut down the PC and hustled to the spot, expecting to see the usual SD40s and perhaps one of CP's latest 'rentals' near the head end. To my complete and utter surprise, there I was beside two of GM's brand, spankin' new F59PH-Is! What a sight. Take a look at the photo in our Proto Photo section and tell me, that as a train nut, you can't fall in love with that beautiful piece of passenger power! That's the future my friends! 

And, while we're on the subject of the future: our next issue, believe it or not, will be the first issue of our fifth year: Train 1 Track 5! My question is, where did the time go? I knew when we started this magazine (and when I say we, I mean you and I) that some day we would publish T5T1, but I didn't think it would be so soon. 

Well, here we are, and we haven't finished yet. There's still lots more to be said and plenty more to be published. All thanks to you folks. With that, we'll wish all a happy holiday season with hopes that Santa showed up with that special something you've been looking at and we'll see you in the next issue.



 

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