Dear CRO readers,

I have just completed a good one. This model is different from my others, as it's probably the engine I'm most familiar with personally, out of all 165 engines in my collection. I set out to do this one as a challenge to myself, to test my abilities to match paint, create custom decals and push my personal envelope towards masking. This engine is a good fit to my collection, operating as a running mate with another of my personal projects done in cooperation with the Atlas Model RR Company, as you'll see in the photos.

Herewith, I present some photos of my Lycoming Valley GP35R 5510, both model and real (for comparison). Several years ago I helped apply reflective vinyl decals bigger than the desk at which I now sit to this locomotive. Since then, I have countless hours spent in all three seats in the cab of this locomotive. And now I have my own mini-Beeliner for the display case.

The model was purchased as a Kato Reading GP35, but after having to add so many details and carbody changes, I stripped and repainted the model in the correct LVRR colors. I found Floquil BNSF yellow lightened with white to be a good match, along with TruColor's REA Green. Matching the paint was one of the toughest jobs. The diamond decals were made from the life-sized nose logos. I simply took a digital photo of the decal, put it through photoshop to make a clean black/white image, resized it for HO Scale approximations, and printed it out on Microscale Dulux Gold decal paper fed through a laser printer. Most of the other lettering was from Microscale's Reading Diesels decal sheet. The sill stripes were also from the dulux gold sheet.

I hope you enjoy my version of the 5510, faithfully recreated right down to the dark blue Quebec Southern fan grilles on the roof... Not visible, it is also my first try at installing DCC sound, so it even sounds a little bit like the real thing...

Mike Zollitch
Buffalo, NY

FROM THE EDITOR:
William H. Baird
editor@canadianrailwayobservations.com

Hi all,

It is with deep sadness that I must inform our readers that our friend Peter Cox passed away Friday October 18th. There was no particular medical event that took him from us, just an accumulation of the many conditions that Peter has been fighting over the past nine years. He was still in the Misercordia Hospital with family with him when he died. Peter was a long time contributor to CRO and his great Canadian railway photos were often posted in our Vignettes sections. We wish to offer our condolences to his family.

Peter Cox photographed CP RS-10 8581 leading a Commuter train out of downtown most likely operating in "channel 8" (throttle wide open) as they blast through Westmount, QC with St-Henri down below on the right on 9/20/1964

Peter also clicked CP RDC-2 9116 leading six other Budd Cars at Montreal West 9/20/1964.

SUBMITTING PHOTOS TO CRO:

We have new guidelines in place for those of you submitting photos to CRO. The size should be (APPROXIMATELY) no larger than an image width of 800 and a height of 500. We can no longer accept over sized photos. Include the date, location, train number (if known), and other pertinent information in the photo caption.

As our “Vignette” segments are very popular with our readers, please continue to submit railroad photos from the past, and send along suggestions for future Vignette subjects, and ideas for CRO Special Reports.
editor@canadianrailwayobservations.com

NEW PASSWORDS WILL BE REQUIRED TO ACCESS our JANUARY 1st 2014 issue of CRO:

For now, no password is needed to access CRO. This will change on JANUARY 1st, 2013 however, when a brand new USERNAME and PASSWORD will again be required. Only those who have who have renewed in 2013 will have access to the January issue, As well, VIP access will be granted to those who contribute photos and news items each month. If you have not yet renewed access for 12 more months, please do so via our Paypal link on the home page More on this coming next month.

CANADIAN RAILWAY OBSERVATIONS (CRO) is also on FACEBOOK and you may also post your photos there. Just include a caption (Date Location etc) with each post. We have been on Facebook for about six years, and have over 6100 Fans!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Canadian-Railway-Observations-CRO/287488550757?fref=ts

The mission of CRO remains the same: to keep CRO readers informed of pertinent Canadian train news, which is compiled and verified over the month, and updated as needed. The accurate information we post each month is obtained and confirmed from our reliable sources. CRO is also a vehicle to showcase beautiful locomotive shots submitted by our readers, credit them, and help promote their photography. We never post photos, without asking the photographer for permission, and once granted, they are given free CRO access for as long as this sharing relationship continues. The same goes for our valued news sources. This arrangement has worked out well for 10 years!

Take care all,
William H. Baird CRO
Editor
Montreal, QC
editor@canadianrailwayobservations.com

Are you a Hobby Shop, DVD distributor, Railway Museum Tourist Railway, Rail Photographer, and wish to tap into our railfan demographic? Contact us to learn of the advertising and promotional opportunities in CRO.   editor@canadianrailwayobservations.com

THANK YOU:

Guy-Pascal Arcouette, Eric Aucoin, Tim Ball, Tysen Biermann, Michael Berry (CRO), Christopher Bodkin, Kenneth Borg, Martin Baumann, Dan Braun, J-P Cadieux, Ian Campbell, Andy Cassidy, Bruce Chapman, Warren Calloway, Christopher Clune, Lon Coone, Peter Cox, Michel Daoust (TSH), Jeremy Davy (WCRA), Joe Deagnon, Daniel Dell’Unto, Patrick DeLarue, Richard Deuso, Matt Donnelly, Paul Donovan (CRO Eastern News), Darren Doss, John Duncan, Kevin Dunk, Brandon Dunne, Geoff Elliott, Ted Ellis (ACR), Ron Ellison (CP), John Eull, Ray Farand, Joe Ferguson, Mark Forseille, Francois Gagne-Audet, James Gardner, Mike Garza, Chris Gertz, John Godfrey, Bruce Harvey, Tim Hayman (CRO - VIA News Editor), Bob Heathorn, Tom Heher, Chris van der Heide, James Hoffman (ONR), Francois Jolin, Kim Kafura, Darin Larabee, Guillaume-Raymond Lavasseur, Joey Lemieux. Wayne Koch, Bob Krone, Flavio Lage, James Lalande, Roman Litarchuk (CRO), Cameron Lochli, Richard Marchi, Brian Marsh (Overland), Mike and Mark Mautner, Phillip Mason, Rob McCormack, Chris McMahon, Don McQueen (Froth), Jim McPherson, David Maiers, Bruce Mercer, Aivo Merimets, Earl Minnis, Jody Moore (Green Locomotive News), Terry Muirhead (VIA News), Cal Murray, Peter Murphy (Exporail-CRHA), Jason Noe (Railpace), Tim Organ, Robert Palmer, John and Malcolm Peakman, Mark A. Perry, Donna Peters (CRO), Walter Pffeferle (CRO), John Read “GR17f” (CRO), Earl Roberts (Branchline), Mike Robin (ONR), George Redmond, Ken Reiss, Davey Robinson, Kraus Rumbut, Wayne D. Shaw (ONR), Dave Schauer, Wilco van Schoonhoven (CPR Diesel Roster), Aaron C. Schlegal, Pat Scott, Cor van Steenis, Avrom Shtern (AMT News), Paul Smith (CP), Jason Tarasenko (J&L), Lorence Toutant, Jean-François Turcotte (CRO - AMT Editor),Ron Visockis, Craig Walker, Dennis Weber, Craig Williams, Alex Wood (CRO US news), Randy Zarowny, Mark Zulkoskey. My thanks as well to our many CRO Facebook contributors, the Bridge Line Historical Society, Tempo Jr. the Canadian Trackside Guide, and our good friends at Railpictures.net. Merci a Guillaume, Mac, Giulio, Don, Marc, Patrick, Peter, Mike, James, John, Michel, Denis, Richard, et Antonio, et tous mes amis a CP, CN, and AMT.

SUBMIT AN OBSERVATION

New issues of CRO are posted each month on our website. News stories pertaining to Canadian railways, photos, comments, favourite links, and questions are always welcome. Please send us your photos, newsworthy sightings and railway stories and if used, will be placed in the CRO newsletter.  Please indicate if you wish your name to be withheld. If your own website pertains to Canadian railways, please contact us.

Submissions should be sent to "CRO Editor" <editor@canadianrailwayobservations.com>

© CRO October 2013