The conclusion of tidbits of info. about the "History" of "Newfoundland Railway" ENJOY! Locomotives & Rolling Stock: Kitbashing locomotives and rolling stock may require the replacement or re-manufacture of wheelsets, drivetrains, and truck side frames. NorthWest Short Line (amongst others) produces many of these products in a variety of sizes to suit almost all situations. Large structural components may be fabricated using basic brass, wood, or styrene shapes. Portions of plastic or resin locomotive shells (both steam and diesel) may also be cut out and assembled, along with suitable detail parts to complete the model. S Scale 40 Ton Covered Hopper The West Short Line has a car that is a dead ringer for the Newfoundland (CN) 40 Ton Covered Hopper, NR series 6900 - 6925. Order it exclusively from Central Hobby Shop in East Syracuse. The NR had 18 units (grey color) 40 ton Plug Door Heated Boxcar American Models Plug Door Reefer is also a dead ringer for the 40 Ton Plug Door Heated Boxcar, NR series 6300 - 6364. They were originally built by the Eastern Car Company in 1938 for CN (series 290001 - 290190) and 65 were in use on the island. 30 Ton Steel Flatcars East Broad Top flatcars can be converted. The EBT cars are a bit too narrow so they must be split down the center and a 10" strip of styrene to bring them to the proper width of 8'-3". The length is perfect at 33'-7". In Newfoundland most of the flats, both 34' and 40', had the fishbelly center sills and the regular channel iron for the outside sills. You have to do a bit of "tweaking" of the centre sill flanges to allow the wheels to turn properly. Miscellaneous Tidbits "Mixed trains" were a normal sight. Railbed was 547 miles from Port aux Basque to St. John's 42" gauge is called "Cape gauge" by the British. 42" gauge railways are present in South Africa, Western Australia, and New Zealand. There was (is?) an elaborate station at St. John's. Spiral Helix: There used to be one on the Bonavista Branch. It was called "the Trinity Loop". Change in elevation was 34'. Last run on the Bonavista Branch Line departed Bonavista @ 2:08 Nov 29, 1988 - 5 cars - #802 loco The Newfoundland Railway was never converted to standard gauge. Instead, standard gauge wagons were retrucked with narrow gauge boggies on arrival at Port aux Basque. The impression is that tie spacing was same as main line and that ties stuck out same amount so were about one foot shorter than standard. Ballast was very variable from sand/gravel to beach pebbles to crushed rock. Many of the ties installed in later years were `standard gauge' ties. #593 was the last steam loco to operate in Nfld. It was retired in Nov 1958 & is preserved in Corner Brook. Most of the steam was retired in 1957. New Zealand received narrow gauge (3'6") Class Da - EMD G12's from London, Ontario in 1955. The MV "Fredrick Carter" operated between North Sydney NS and Port aux Basques NF from 1968 to 1986. This vessel was sold to European interests, modified, and renamed "Hansa Link". Built in 1967 by Davie Shipbuilding, Lauzon, Quebec. Excerpt from a Southwestern Newfoundland travel guide... Hurling gale force winds down from its summit to the stunted weather-beaten forest below, the moody Table Mountain sometimes raises gusts exceeding 160 km/h which disrupt highway traffic and were known to derail the now discontinued narrow gauge trains. Little wonder this area is called Wreck House! Table Mountain is now accessible by a trail which takes you to an excellent photo vantage where you can survey the surrounding area. During World War II, the United States built a radar station, an air strip and assorted buildings at the top of Table Mountain. In the valley below Table Mountain was the home of Lauchie MacDougall, the famous "human wind gauge." Lauchie was under contract to the railway to determine whether the area was passable for trains on any given day and to notify them if the gusts were too high. After his death in 1965, his wife continued his work until 1972. Other Railways in Newfoundland Abbreviated Chronology 1901 - Railway built from Millertown Junction, on the Newfoundland Railway, to Millertown, by a lumberman by the name of Col. John (Jack) Miller who brought his lumber business over from Europe. 1909 - Anglo-Newfoundland Development Company completes railway from paper mill at Grand Falls to ocean port of Botwood. 1910 - A.N.D. Co. buys Millertown Railway. Extends railway to Harpoon Brook for logging 1928 - Buchans Mining Company connects it's railway to Millertown Railway at Buchan's Junction. 1957 - both Harpoon Tramway and part of Millertown Railway between Buchans Junction and Millertown abandonded. 1957 - July 1st: Botwood Railway sold to new private interest: Grand Falls Central Railway Company. Millertown Railway 19.5 miles from Millertown Jc. to Millertown 3'6" gauge While independantly operated during 1901-1909, the railway was apparently worked by the owner using an ex-Harbour Grace Railway 4-4-0T (supposedly a Hunslet purchased from P.E.I. Railway in 1881). A.N.D. Co. hired Nfld Rwy crews and locos after 1909 to pull trains until traffic began on Buchans Railway in 1928. Nfld Rwy crews and engines were not often used after that point. The costal town of Lewisporte (formerly known as Burnt Harbour (?)) was named after his son, Lewis. Botwood Railway 22 miles from Grand Falls to Botwood 2 miles from Grand Falls to Windsor 3'6" gauge The first steam locomotive in Newfoundland (0-6-0T - c.1881) ended up in operation on this line. Harpoon Tramway 19 miles from Millertown to Harpoon Brook 3'6" gauge Built solely to take advantage of logging opportunities in the Harpoon Brook area. Buchans Railway 19 miles from Buchans Jc. to Buchans 3'6" gauge Buchans Mining Company, a subsidiary of American Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCo, USA), built a railway from Buchans to Buchans Junction on the Millertown Railway. The line was known as Buchans Railway. Grand Falls Central Railway Company 12 miles from Grand Falls to Bishop's Falls 10 miles from Bishop's Falls to Botwood 2 miles Grand Falls to Windsor 3'6" gauge The company incorporated in 1957 to aquire and operate the Botwood Railway. Operations began in July of 1957. Newfoundland Hardwood Lumber ??? miles 3'6" gauge This company apparently still operates a short section of track using a pair of 20T diesels