My model railroading roots go back to the 1940's when my father and I were building table top layouts using Lionel equipment and constructing scenery and structures from basic materials (scratch). In 1948 my father purchased his first car kit, three 3ft lengths of track and a turnout in HO. It was HO from then on. I purchased my first equipment in HO shortly after and both of us enjoyed several layouts together and separately until 1985 when my father moved to a retirement home and gave up active modeling at age 80 years. All of my fathers collection through four decades now is part of the STR but still has it's own identity in that the locomotives are B&W and the passenger equipment bares the names of the communities along the original B&W.

The STR Railroad is a walk-in layout with adequate aisle space for operation which was the main consideration throughout the design. The track plan is point to point with a continuous cutoff option used only for those visitor display times when you are the lone operator. Each end of the scale 26 mile line (5ft scale mile) has a terminal with passenger and freight yard functions, engine turning ability, engine servicing facilities and a switcher/yard master on duty. The mainline is run on a two sub-division basis with a mid-junction where two branch-lines meet the mainline. Each sub has two on-line stations, 3 with sidings and all 4 with spurs to local industries. The headquarters of the STR is at Stump-Gulch, one of the terminals. The other end of the line is at Marysville, the other terminal. The mid-point junction is Rock Junction. The upper-branch ends at Iron Pot Mine, and the lower-branch ends at Sandy Valley. The Stump-Gulch sub has Westport and Torent on line and Marysville sub has Sorrow and Athens on line. At the cutoff location is Forfar and Tack Point, flag stops. Athens, Westport, and Forfar are named from the B&W. Bench-work is the time proven L-girder method with Spline and Block Roadbed, and plywood in yard areas for support. The track board is all Homosote, cut, slotted and curved in our own shop. Layout height was set to have the mine branch station trackage as close to eye level as possible (60 in) for the illusion of being up in the mountains, and the lower branch station which is at water level route at 45 in.. The two main terminals came out at about 55 in. due to the various grades throughout the railroad.

The track is all hand laid code 100 NS rail with main ladder turnouts #8 and all, others #6. The mainline is minimum 24 in. radius curves with easements and super elevation on the main curves. The branchlines are 18 in. radius. The grades are 2% max on the mainline and the upper branchline sports a hidden 7% grade.

Control is by DC so that all visitors who wish to run engines may do so. Conventional block control is handled by two walk-around push button controlled (duplicated at each station panel location) TAT IV motor driven throttles. These two throttles handle the way-freight work while the two elevated route cab (rotary block selection) engineers handle the through-freight and the passenger work. The Twin-T mainline 3 colour signal system provides trackside displays as well as elevated cab display and dispatcher's office display. The junction yard has two walkaround portable throttles for local work, one of which also handles the branchlines. The main terminals have switcher/yardmaster walkaround cabs and separate hostler cabs. The main yard and junction panels have overide control over incoming and outgoing trains. All panels and controls, including push buttons and pilot lights, were built in the STR shops. The 75 turnouts are powered by Hamond and Morgan machines modified with micro switches and relays added. These are energized by three STR built capacitor/ transistor discharge units.

Operation is run by a 5 minute hour scale clock, with station to station clearance by phone from the Dispatcher, who resides in his office along with the Trainmaster. The Dispatcher has a phone calling system and 5 on-line controlled order-boards, which along with writing some 19 orders and recording the session on the Dispatcher's work sheet, keeps him busy. The Trainmaster looks after all car movements using a computer printed switch-list system for all freight and passenger movement. Operation is run using a 1910 calendar and relating to the date, day, and time as much as possible to set the scene. A 5 minute hour provides a 24 hour day session in two actual hours of operation. A 24 hour clock is also used. The STR Railroad has been under operation since 1960. The regular operating night has been Monday since 1969. The sessions pickup each week where they stopped the session before and continue through 1910 until Dec 31,1910, then begin at Jan 1,1910 over again. We have gone through one complete year of 1910 and are part way into our second year. The crew who operate are the "STR Operators" and have ranged from 3 or 4 each night to 11 or 12. A dozen people can be kept busy with all the jobs on the railroad which include - Dispatcher, Trainmaster, 2 Yardmasters, 2 Wayfreight Engineer and Conductor crews, 2 Elevated Engineers, Branchline Engineer, Elevated Conductor, Branchline Conductor, 2 Hostlers, and as many on call substitute train crews as may be available. The early years of operation developed a card system for car, engine and van control. This system served very well up until the implementation of a computer switchlist system in 1986. Now all trains, freight and passenger, as well as local switcher tasks are handled by the computer. This system is currently handling 184 cars including freight, vans and all varieties of first and second section passenger equipment. The freight is serving 39 industries or team track locations. Each morning the main yardmasters receive orders for local work and a way-freight run. The way-freights service the online stations in their own sub. Stump-Gulch receives a through freight order and Marysville receives 1st and 2nd section passenger train orders. The through freight services the junction there by the branchlines as well as transfer freight sub to sub. Also the branchline crew receive orders for the Junction and the branches. In the afternoon each main yard receives another set of wayfreight orders and local spots, and Marysville gets a through freight order. Stump-Gulch will get the two passenger train orders and the Junction gets another local and branch set. Each train's activity is interdependent on the other for car transfer as well as timing for meets. Interchange at Stump-Gulch is handled through the back of the wye which represents the B&W connection and connection to the outside world. Interchange to other model railroads is also practiced through this connection.

Scenery is hard rock terrain of Eastern Ontario with plenty of vegetation and rock outcroppings. Using hard shell technique, rock molding and zip texturing the scene has been created. There are plenty of scratch built bridges and trestles in wood as well as stone bridges and retaining walls. The mountain effect at Iron Pot Mine rises up behind the valence out of sight to give the viewer the effect of being in the hills. Various weeds and lichen are used for the foliage providing a wide variety of trees and shrubs. The horizon line is high enough that only one wall has yet to be painted with a background scene. Lighting for the scene is done behind a valence except for over the yards and uses white incandescent 25 watt bulbs color toned with amber and red smaller lights. The building and overhead lights are controlled by a timing disk that is run in sync with the clocks. The buildings, platforms, and street lights are all sectioned to provide realistic light cycling. The dimmers for night lighting have yet to be installed. Night overhead will be general blue lighting.

The prime stations were scratch built to photographs of the original B&W structures. The paint scheme is yellow with tuscan red trim per STR color standards.

The terminal engine houses were scratch built wood frame structures built to an article in RMC April 1960. The Board Bros. Sawmill and various other small structures were scratch built from wood. The ice company and the Iron Pot Mine Company sorting plant are scratch built from styrene. The other structures include Dynamodel, Campbell, Muir, Alexander and miscellaneous plastic kit bashed items. Several structures are interior detailed and more are to be done. The trestles and bridges of wood were built for the locations and the wood was cut in the STR shops. The stone

Bridges and walls as well as portals are products of the STR masons. The main street scene in Stump-Gulch was constructed of a series of front reproductions in plaster combined with 2 plastic kit parts. The first 10 fronts of the street scene (from the left) are a recreation of the City Block in 1910 in downtown Brockville Ontario, including the proprietors and their commodities. The remaining stores have the names of merchants in Brockville at that time, but not in representative locations. Brockville was headquarters for the B&W Railway.

The motive power on the STR is mainly small steam engines with 4 larger turn of the century size for heavier trains. 17 STR steam, 5 B&W steam provide the main stable. Two three truck Model Diecast shays with Northwest Shortline gearing and closed cabs with extra detail parts added provide the doubleheaded power for the upper branch 7% grade. 8 STR and 1 B&W diesels do exist and being a freelance railroad can occasionally be used for the diesel fans. There are some leased engines that friends do bring to run and if they enjoy running diesels the rulebook of the STR allows them to operate during the sessions. The STR does provide refueling facilities for diesels. For open houses the President requests period steam only on the railroad. The majority of the small steam are brass engines and the others are kit which range from 1940s Mantua Belle of the Eighties and the Eight Ball Mogul, 1940s MDC switcher kit to larger Mantua Mikes and Pacifics. Many have can motors and gear boxes added.

The 184 cars on the rolling stock list consist of vans, brass and plastic, through style and way freight type, reefers - mainly wooden all iced, box cars - wooden and mainly truss rod style, gondolas - mainly wooden, hopper bottom and flat bottom, hoppers - twin bay only, tank cars - single dome, log cars - short flat car style with stakes, ore cars - wooden flat bottom, some maintenance of way cars, and express reefer/milk cars - used in milk service on the passenger trains. The passenger fleet consists of 3 baggage, 5 combines, 5 coaches in open vestibule, 1 diner, 2 parlor, 1 private car in closed vestibule. The cars range from kits of 1940s to current kits and cars such as log, ore, some coaches, and gondolas are scratch built. Kits include Varney, Globe, Model Diecast, Taylor, Park Models, Laconia, Silver Streak, Mantua, Athern, Central Lines, Ulrich, Golden Era, Ayres, A-C, Labelle, Strombecker, Juneco, Scotia Models, Ambroid, Redball, and Concor. All the rolling stock has Kadee couplers.

The management of the STR Railroad have suggested that during your visit to the STR that you travel over at least part of the line. If you have the time we can arrange a ride with a freight crew where all the action is. Since we have taken so much time in outlining the background of the STR Railroad and it is late in the day, let us stop into the Central Hotel in downtown Stump-Gulch for a leisurely dinner and a restful nights sleep as guests of the STR Railroad. When you awake early tomorrow morning we can take an early train out of Stump-Gulch and have most of the day to travel the line.

An early rising to a fine breakfast of bacon and eggs is a good start to a warm Monday on the 7th of March. The spring is early this year and all the snow has gone but the wind can still be a little vicious at times. We must hurry as it is past 5am and we have to catch up with our crew who we will start our day with. The horse drawn taxi from the hotel is not long getting us to the station. When we arrive we meet the President who welcomes us and introduces us to our crew and the Dispatcher. The Engineman is John Downer and the Chief Dispatcher is Bill Miller Sr.. We find out that the morning wayfreight we will be leaving on was ordered at 02:00 hours and is scheduled to depart at 06:00 hours. Our train is the Ground Hog-#1 and the local switcher crew John Cantwell has got it all made up and is waiting for our crew to pickup their locomotive in the engine yard and put it on the point. As we leave the station to walk over to the locomotive John is checking his order sheet to see what work he has for the trip. The van on the train is STR #25 and we will leave with 5 freight cars; an LCL box at the head end and our van at the rear.

The consist is 2 loaded ore cars, a loaded box, an empty reefer, and an empty gondola. As we approach our locomotive on the ready track we see that it is STR #7, a 2-6-0 Mogul. Climbing aboard we see that the engine is in top shape and fully steamed ready to depart. We barely get on board and we are moving out and switching back up the ladder to cross over to the freight ladder to find our train on the out bound. It is already 06:30 hours which means we are late and still not ready to depart. The dispatcher has given us clearance to Westport departing at 06:45 hours. As the air is pumped up we look ahead and see the turnouts aligned for our departure on the right hand track of the two track lead. As we move out passing the switch crew they give us a wave. We quickly dive into a two-track tunnel and emerge on the other side into bright sunlight and come quickly to the end of double track. The signal says we have a clear track ahead so our next point of reference is passing under the overhead timber-bridge at mile 4. This bridge carries the upper branch out onto a series of bridges and trestles across the gorge to Iron Pot Mine depot. As we pass under our yard limit signal tower we notice the sign for Forfar, a flag stop. We now notice the Engineman cut back on the throttle as we start down grade towards Westport and also he is preparing for the 20 miles per hour speed restriction on the Westport bridge at mile 7. As we slow the track runs out on a curved stone arch bridge then onto a wood trestle and continues onto a wood truss bridge to cross over the valley where a way down below we can see the lower branchline wind its way toward Sandy Valley. As the track straightens out the whistle gives a long blast for Westport station. This is our first station stop and as soon as we come to a full stop John is on the phone to report in to the Dispatcher his arrival time of 07:15 hours. The next activity is to prepare to spot NFR 68 empty reefer on the local team track. Before this can be done a loaded reefer, NYLE&WR 345, already on the team track, is to be lifted along with a loaded cattle car, LBR 83, from the cattle pen, at the rear of the team track. When our work is complete John is back on the phone to get time clearance to depart for Torent. Our clearance comes for 07:45 hours and off we go toward Torent. At mile 9 we plunge into another tunnel and pass the yard limit of Torent. At the west end of the tunnel we emerge into bright sun and come to a halt just before the east switch of Torent passing siding. As the crew throws the switch we ease into the siding with our train. John goes over to the station to report in with our arrival time of 08:00 hours. Looking at our switch list we see that there are 4 drops and 7 lifts at Torent which will take some time. John tells us that we will have Rabbit-#3 through freight, leaving late from Stump-Gulch at 11:30 hours, overtake and pass us just after lunch time and also we can expect Sun-#522, a passenger, to meet us at Torent, just after the freight goes through so we have about 4 hours to get some work done. First we pull down the siding and leave the rear cars on the siding and then going beyond the west switch we then back up the main to the team track. The loaded box, F&GR 6207, is to be set out on the team track, but first we have to lift the milk car at the head end of the siding and prepare to put it on the east end of the passing siding for #522 to lift after lunch. When the box is spotted we move back over to the siding to leave all the cars and prepare to run around our whole consist. The crew pulls the engine past the west switch, throws the switch and backs up the main to the east switch. Upon entering the siding at the rear of our train we pull back enough cars to set the milk car out on the main and then put it at the rear of our cut. The next move is to pull the loaded box car and 3 empty ore cars from the Iron Pot Mining Company's sidings. With these cars in front of the milk car we pull the engine into the spur again and leave the milk car accessible for the passenger pickup. It is lunch time and we join the crew in the van with our box lunch that the Central Hotel people very nicely packed for us.

There is very soon a faint whistle and John tells us that #3 is in the distance. We step out on the platform of the van to watch. All of a sudden there is a cloud of smoke coming out of the west portal of the tunnel in the distance and then a headlight. The sound pushes forward as #3 rushes past with a blast on the whistle and a rumble under our feet. Looking at his pocket watch, John mentions how late #3 is at 13:05 hours. It is obvious #522 the passenger is also late as he was suppose to depart here at 11:35 hours. Since as soon as #3 gets into Rock Junction #522 will depart for Torent, we will stay put in the spur and continue our lunch. After a few hands of cards we wander out onto the station platform to await the arrival of #522. The faint whistle in the west can finally be heard as the passenger approaches the yard limit of Torent. The next thing we see is the headlight of STR 16 on the point and as they round the curve on the stone arch bridge and approach Torent station we see STR 17 tucked in behind as a doubleheader. The consist is a head end express reefer milk car, a baggage, two coaches, and a parlor car. After a brief passenger stop #522 gets clearance to leave at 15:30 hours. John told us that a diner is run in the first division but is set out at Rock Junction, that is why we did not see it here. Also the doubleheaded Pacifics is a power transfer and is not necessary for the ruling grade up to Stump-Gulch. #522 moves up to the east switch and cuts out the Rutland milk car and lifts the milk reefer we set out for pickup earlier, then departs with the tail disappearing into the west tunnel portal amidst a cloud of smoke. Now we are clear to get back to work. Our crew pull back out of the spur and then couple on to the cut of cars on the siding, cutting them and pulling back to spot 2 loaded ore cars and the empty gon on the Iron Pot Mining Company Sorting Mill spur. This finishes our work on this side of the yard so the crew pull back of the east switch and come down the main to the spur into the Boomer Warehouse and Slotter Haus Meat plant. The spur goes through the platform where we have been watching the activity and the crew pull two stock cars and a reefer from the Slotter Haus plant. The train is put together on the siding and the engine is run around to the point. Now the milk car at the tail must be spotted at the front end of the team track spur for service and later pickup by #55. This has been a busy time and it is now 17:00 hours. John phones the Dispatcher and requests that we return from Torent to Stump-Gulch instead of going on to Rock Junction since there is no work or meets required at Rock Junction. The night way freight is due out of Stump-Gulch at 14:00 hours and we should have been back earlier. Permission is granted to depart eastward at 17:15 hours as #2, straight through to Stump-Gulch yard limit. As John puts the train in order for eastward departure we take a last look at Torent and climb aboard the van. Our return trip in the van was somewhat more comfortable and uneventful as there was no work or meets planned. Before too long we come to a stop at mile 5.5 which is Stump-Gulch yard limit. The crew get out on the trackside phone box to the Dispatcher to have the Yard Master notified of our arrival. Since the Yard Master is aware of our being a little late we are allowed into the yard right away. As we come to a halt on the inbound fright track we climb down the steps just as our engine is quietly easing back up the escape track beside us. John stops his engine long enough for us to thank our crew for a wonderful day on the Ground Hog and maybe next time we will have to see more of then STR System first hand. All that is left to do today is to take a horse cab back to the Central Hotel, enjoy a delightful meal and sift through all our fond memories of this day.

The future of the STR Railroad System includes plans for the addition of the Buells Creek Railway in 3 foot gauge to service a pyrite mine and acid plant connection as well as the sawmill at Sorrow and a dock facility at Sandy Valley. Also the log service from Sandy valley is so busy that electrification is being studied for the lower branch freight service. The extension of the interchange at Stump-Gulch into the shop area for a hidden 5 track offline yard to provide a source for B&W traffic over the STR to Marysville is in the plan book. A dynamic railroad, with a dedicated crew of STR Operators, can look forward to many more enjoyable hours of operation and continuing service to the hobby with promotion of sound engineering standards, promotion of new developments, support for operation and its development, and development of techniques and material sources for layout builders. No matter in what form your operation of your model railroad comes, the main contribution is it leads to many hours of enjoyment and fellowship. Thank you for riding with us today and thank you to our crews as always, because if we were without the support of our crew members the whole experience would not have been possible. By the way todays trip was a recreation of a portion of an actual operating session which took place January 26,1987 on the STR Railroad.

STR CREWS Bill Miller Sr Chief Dispatcher

John Cantwell Stump-Gulch Yard Master

Kevan Wagner Marysville Yard Master

Brian Hume Branchline Crew

John Downer Stump-Gulch Way Freight

Bill Ball Marysville Way Freight

Russ McElroy Mainline Engineer

Jeff Noakes Mainline Engineer

Bill Miller Jr On Call

Roger Hollingworth On Call

Jack Tjepkema On Call

Phil Short On Call

This article is dedicated to the memory of Edgar C. Ackland a long standing Model Railroader who took his last trip April 15,1987 at the age of 82.

Bill Ackland MMR, President STR

1987