From the Dome Car: Train 7 Track 3 (August-September 1997)

 

Another Dome Car by me! I focus on an era I never modelled or was interested in: The transition era. Actually, I modelled a different “transition era:” The mid-1990s, when SD40-2s still ruled but some newer power like the AC4400s were beginning to appear on the scene—just as first generation diesels began to supplant steam locomotives. In this case, it was about the 1950s, featuring two of Winnipeg’s best known transition era modellers: Stafford Swain and Fred Headon.

This Dome Car also has the bad news about the death of Jim Iredale, a local modeller who owned Ware House Hobbies in Winnipeg. That store closed about a year ago after being run for over 25 years by his widow, Bev. 

One of the most popular eras being modelled today is the transition era, the time period when diesels and steam locomotives shared the tracks together. 

One reason for its popularity is that many modellers are 50 or older—they are keeping alive the kind of railroading they experienced when they were young. 

But age only partially explains the popularity of that era. Many younger modellers who never saw a steam locomotive in regular service are also attracted to that period—people like Tim Warris, whose magnificent Port Kelsey layout was featured in Train 7, Track I. There's just something about that era that grabs hold of people and won't let them go. 

With this in mind, CRM is happy to begin a new regular feature called 'Fifties Flashback.' Through it, Fred Headon and Stafford Swain, two accomplished transition-era modellers, will take a look at photographs of Canadian railway scenes from the 1950s and identify and describe the various things modellers need to note to effectively capture that time period in their models and layouts. 

Fred will take a look at photos of the Canadian Pacific Railway, while Stafford will look at Canadian National Railways. We know that the two of them will provide transition-era modellers with a great deal of valuable information. 

The Fifties Flashback isn't the only new source of information for Canadian transition-era modellers. People who have access to the Internet can subscribe to the Circa-1950's Canadiana Modeller/Collector's List, an e-mail list devoted to the exchange of information among people who want to reproduce the flavour of the mid-1940's to the late 1950's era in model form, or for those who are simply nostalgic for 'what was.' 

Subscribers to the free list will find information about provincial highway signage, gasoline service station signs, billboard and building advertising, the industries, the cars and the trains of that period. 

One recent discussion focused on the colour of fire hydrants in Ontario, while a subscriber offered information about a good source of 1950s-era automobiles in S scale. To subscribe to the list, send an empty e-mail message with the word 'subscribe' in the subject field to: 50s-cdnrequest@railnet.nshore.org. The list is also available in digest form; send the same message to: 50s-cdn-drequest@railnet.nshore.org. 

Of course, we haven't forgotten modellers of the modern scene! With line sales, new shortlines and other changes, there's lots of transformations to Canada's railways today. Reaction to our Canadian Railway News column has been very positive; if you have information you think is suitable for the column, such as newspaper clippings or personal observations, send it to us by mail or e-mail. We're especially interested in news and photos of the new shortlines, so keep those cards and letters coming. By keeping us informed, we can keep others informed. 

Finally, a sad note: On July 30 Jim Iredale of Winnipeg died of a heart attack. As owner of Ware House Hobbies, Jim was an important part of the southern Manitoba railway scene as well as an excellent prototype modeller. He was also just beginning to make a notable contribution nationally through production of transition-era rolling stock, together with his friend John Morris. 

Some readers may remember meeting Jim while on his annual trek to the Toronto Train Show in March or while on a visit to his store in Winnipeg. Our condolences go out to his wife, Bev, and to his family and friends. Jim was just 39 years old.