Dixmont & Winslow Railway
These pages are about my mythical HOn30 Dixmont & Winslow Railway and
associated lines located in Penobscot, Waldo and Kennebec Counties in Maine.
Someday they may contain a route map, history, track plan and other items of interest relating
to my HOn30 modelling but for now all they contain is images of the DMR #8 and a few other
pieces of equipment.
Stations
I have been working on stations.
The first is the Alna Center Station by Portland Locomotive Works (now Banta . . .)
The model went together well. Needs the smoke stack (can't find the suggested piece), a door
knob, signs and stuff on the platform. Don't know if anybody makes the correct type of milk
container. For now I may use cut down CMA cans.
Headtide Station
I have been working on a model of Headtide Station. The basic structure is a laser kit made using
the Kitomat Software. This gives a basic box (walls, roof panels, doors and frames, windows and
frames) to which much needs to be added. The structure has progressed further since the pictures
were taken but there is still a lot to do.
The roof braces need to be finished. All of the trim around the edges of the roof needs to be done,
as well the rain gutter at the front of the building. A platform needs to be built and signs and
other details to bring the station to life need to be added. The freight doors need to be planked
(done). After painting the windows are too large for their openings. The openings need to be filed
a bit larger. Needs a chimney - suggestions?
Being my first attempt at using the Kitomat software to make a structure a few errors have
creeped into the model. All of the windows are supposed to be the same height of the ground -
one is six inches higher than the others. The two freight doors should be the same height - one is
a foot taller than the other.
Still I am pleased with the results. Learning much on how and how not to do things. Most errors
are being caused by working too fast. Was in a rush to get the station ready for photographing at
a show just passed. I made it but the station is not finished and has errors..
Dixmont Mineral Railway
The DMR (Dixmont Mineral Railway) interchanges with the DWR (Dixmont & Winslow
Railroad) at Dixmont in Penobscot County, Maine. It serves the various mine workings and
lumber companies around Mt Harris.
DMR #8
The first piece of motive power for the Dixmont Mineral Railway is a Mocalova Box Cab.
This was assembled in my usual throw it together and see what happens construction method. As
the pictures show, reasonable results were obtained. The two side centre windows were filled in
with styrene rod to make louvers, otherwise the unit is stock. I think that the unit could use a
sister so when funds permit, I will acquire a second kit. On the new kit I will spend a little more
time cleaning up the castings, making sure that everything is square. I'll build and install the
louvers before assembling the body. I'll change the headlights and install lighting and
do whatever else strikes my fancy at that time. There is a lot of room for a DCC decoder so I
expect that both units will be decodered before Portland in 2008.
DMR #8 approaching No Name Creek with a string of Micro Trains log cars.
DMR #8 on No Name Creek bridge.
The pictures are shot on a small scenery base that sits on a mini corner (3 foot square instead
of the standard four foot square) built to the MMRS (Mainland Modular Railway Society)
standards (which are modified NMRA standards). The mini corner joins two standard 2 foot by
four foot modules with MMRS standard gauge trackage on the front and HOn30 track on the
rear.
Mini corners being smaller, are much lighter than standard corners. The only problem with a
mini corner is that if you wish to follow the HOn30 modular standards you end up with a 15"
radius curve instead of the 18" radius curve the standard calls for. For now the fact that I can
display and run HOn30 equipment at some MMRS displays outweighs the drawbacks of the
tighter radius.
DMR #8 meets Mavis. Mavis definitely out weighs the Box Cab. Another Mavis is on hand. I
don't know if I will convert the second unit. One may be enough.
DMR #8 beside a Mocalova Diesel Switcher. The switcher is from the BnF HOn30 Train set.
The box cab looks good pulling a string of Grandt Line Koppel dump cars.
Box Cab DMR #8 pulling a string of three cars. The box car is a R. La Regina kit. The flat car is
a PGP Models body. The tank car is a scratch built model acquired some years ago. DMR #8 is
dwarfed by the box car.
This picture Walthers N Scale modern log car with DMR #8. I wasn't sure how the N Scale car
wood look with other HOn30 equipment but as the car cost $ 2.00 I didn't think there was much
to lose. I think the car has possibilities. Now that these cars have been re released I think I will
acquire another one or two cars.
This is a shot of a BnF Train Set. The caboose seems a bit out of scale to the other cars. Perhaps
a waycar style of caboose would be better. Now that I have settled on a Railroad Name (or
names) it is time to letter these (and other) cars. These cars have since been repainted in various
shades of oxide brown.
Today I was down with my wife at her favorite quilt store (Thread Bear). I found an interesting
fall woodsy fabric and had her buy a fat quarter to experiment with. This is the result. Maybe a
bit too intense but it has possibilities.
Bill Dixon's Railway Pages
Last Updated: March 25, 2007, Copyright 2006, 2007. W.R.Dixon.