From the Dome Car: Train 7 Track 6 (March-April 1998)












Remember the great ice storm of 1998? It started 28 years ago this week. I'm sure people in Ontario and Quebec who experienced it haven't forgotten! Morgan remembered it, too, in this Dome Car. He also recounted a visit to Australia to visit his daughter and grandchildren, and where he got to drive a train. And he draws attention to the fact this issue brings to a close the seventh year of CRM--quite an accomplishment, given postal strikes, rising costs and challenges getting good content. 

Right off the bat, we send our best wishes to those in the eastern Ontario, Quebec and the eastern U.S states who suffered through the ice storms and power blackouts during the month of January. Funny thing about Mother Nature; she doesn't discriminate. When it's your turn for a disaster, it's your turn! 

Again, the Canadian Army did their part in assisting those in need, just as they did in Manitoba last year during the flood. I speak for all of us when I say that I hope those victimized by these disasters are back on their feet again quickly. 

Around here, we're finally getting back to normal after a postal strike (that brought things to a stand-still for a month) and a trip abroad that ate-up three weeks worth of production time. But my journey to Australia wasn't all idle time. While there I met with Daryl Blake, a fellow modeller and e-mail pal who took me on a fabulous adventure in and around the Melbourne, Victoria rail yards and into a couple of hobby shops. Yes, they 'drive' their trains on the other side of the 'road' too! 

I saw and photographed several classes of both diesel and electric locomotives and managed to join a crew moving engines through the wash rack. The highlight was when our 'driver' hustled me up to the controls after I'd washed a few windows at the wash rack. Sure seemed strange, operating a new V -Line locomotive from the left side of the cab! Even stranger was that it had an operating cab at both ends! (No turntable needed for most engines on this railway.) You can imagine my thoughts when I saw my first double-ended F-unit. Thanks, Daryl, to you and all your 'mates' who made my railfanning adventure in Australia a truly memorable occasion. 

As our Train and Track number indicates, this is the final issue of our seventh year. This means it is time to choose a new colour border for the cover as we head into our eighth 'train'. 

Canadian Railway Modeller magazine has accomplished a lot over the past years; it has been our privilege to bring Canadian modelling to the forefront. Our industry is ever-changing, just like most are in the modern-day world, and we have followed that change by bringing you, our reader, as much of the news as we can. Without the articles and material submitted by modellers like you we'd be unable to bring a single issue to press. 

A personal, heartfelt thanks goes out to those that have presented both their modelling skills and photographs to us so we can in turn present them to our faithful readers. Your skill level, be it at the beginning stage or as a Master Model Railroader, is important to the hobby and we do thank those who have shared their talents with us. 

If you are working on a project that you think other readers would be interested in, please don't hesitate to write something up for us. We are asking for construction articles, including buildings and rolling stock, as well as more Modellers' Photos. We need to hear from you. 

Some readers may have noticed a page or two missing from the last issue. It was caused by a problem at the bindery shop and wasn't spotted until the issue had been mailed. If you have an incomplete copy of Train 7 Track 5, kindly let us know and we will send you a replacement copy. Our apologies for the inconvenience. 

And lastly, it's with sadness that we announce the passing of David Wilkie on January 22, 1998. Dave was an avid railfan and a founding member of the B.C. Railway Historical Association. The author of several books and a consultant on many other, he could always be found where a steam locomotive was running in the west or at a derailment, recording history. He will be remembered whenever we see his excellent photography. Our sympathy to all his many friends and to his family. See you in the next issue.



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