The Budd Car

The trickiest part of the build so far has been the (optional) shelf bracket extensions. I'm not sure if they're worth all the extra effort, but I didn't want my benchwork limited to standard bracket widths or customized to my wall stud locations in case I ever have to move. They're made from strips of 3/4" plywood glued into C-channels and require very tight tolerances to fit snugly over the brackets. Here's what the brackets / benchwork extensions look like in place: Extensions not fully seated to try different layout heights. Now I can build standardized benchwork modules, easy-peasy.

Modeling the Budd Car in my era requires an RDC-4, and as far as I know, the VH/Samhongsa model from ~1985* will remain the last, best Canadian RDC-4 model ever made (though I'd love to be proved wrong). So I jumped at the recent chance to get one and still can't quite believe my good luck... *Samhongsa made a SP/NWP RDC-4 for Hallmark Models in 1985.

I got the idea to use heavy duty shelf brackets to support my layout from Lance Mindheim, but I went with long uprights behind the benchwork instead of short ones below it — that way I can still adjust the layout / valance heights later on. Parts John Sterling Fast-Mount Shelving: 48" Wall Standard (upright) 20" Supported Shelf Bracket 13" Double Shelf Bracket Note: (b, c) are bracket extensions to support the front of the benchwork (d) / valance (e). Tools Stud finder Laser level Straight edge (48") Awl Drill / driver / bits Wood screws (#8 x 3") Shims Step ladder Eye / ear protection   Installation Determine height range for wall standards (I chose 35" –83" ) Mark vertical / horizontal centerlines for wall standards on studs Mark / pre-drill attachment points for wall standards Stripped / partially repaired attachment point Test fit / attach / shim wall standards Add shelf brackets (press-fit) Repeat Outdated photo

* indicates a change vs. prior version v1.0: Sudbury–White River v1.1: Cartier–Chapleau–Franz (after visiting Sudbury / White River) v1.2: Chapleau* –Franz v1.3: Chapleau* –Franz v2.0: Chapleau*–Franz (after visiting Chapleau) v3.0: Chapleau–Franz* (after visiting Franz)

Ten days after deciding to model the Budd Car, I was in Sudbury to ride the real thing (aka VIA 185 / 186 but let’s not call it that). Our consist was VIA 6105-6217-6250 with only 6217 in-service for safety  (fortunately just a temporary measure I don't need to model).  Onboard, it’s amazing how much friendlier the train is up north — it felt like a small community. Our stops were: Woman River (bye Rick), Chapleau (refuel), Nicholson (bye Peter) Swanson (+21 hunters), and White River (end). At the time, I planned to include White River on my layout so I explored as much as I could before dark. East end: 1957-built passenger facility (closed) Sign should read  186  departs  7:00am West end: 1927-built telegraph building (roadmaster HQ) South end: CP 434727 complete with smokejacks in the yard North end: Canada Post and the rest of the town The next morning, I was up at 5:00am to be sure I caught my train back because the next trip wasn't for another 3 days.   Sunrise onboard at

My name is Derek Pittman, and I've wanted a model train layout since I was a kid. Back then, I only got as far as a temporary loop on a ping-pong table. And now that my own kids have a similar setup, it's time to finally build my layout before they lose interest. So let’s get started...

The prototype runs all the way from Sudbury to White River but I’m modelling just the section between Chapleau and Franz.