Back Again

[cpr_paul]

Hello again,

After disappearing for a while due to work and relocation issues, I'm ready to resume model railway activities again. A recent new (to us) home purchase includes a 16'x10' room which can be dedicated (pretty much) to the new MR empire.

Switching gears a bit, I've shifted my focus away from modelling modern-day CPR in Northern Ontario towards a new challenge; modelling the railways of my new hometown - Ottawa, Ontario. I've been smitten with the history of the downtown railway network, which was largely removed in the 1960s to make way for "beautification" projects. In my universe, the downtown train station was not closed in 1966, and survives into the VIA era. At this point, I'm planning on modelling the 1970s to allow for a bit of operational flexibility (CP, CN, and VIA passsenger operations). I may even extend my alternate reality to include a continued New York Central/Amtrak connection, just 'cause!

I've started my research and found several excellent websites (e.g. Colin Churcher's Ottawa Railway History Page). If anybody has any other website or book suggestions, I would appreciate hearing about them. I'm desperate to find a track plan showing the approaches to Union Station as it was just before closure!

Cheers

CPR_Paul

 

[60103]

Paul: there was a Canadian atlas published by the government in the 60s? I have a page from it that shows different map scales and the 4 maps are centered about on Ottawa station. There might be a copy in one of your libraries; I bought from a pile of loose pages about 40 years ago. You might find that there's a bigger map.

Bytown Railway Society sell a map of Ottawa with rail and trolley lines marked, not sure what date but possibly too early.
And I have a print of a painting of the station on the wall at home.

 

[cpr_paul]

Thanks David. I actually found some aerial photography on-line which has helped figure things out somewhat, but a trackplan would be best. Not sure if the scale on those maps you mentioned would be sufficient to show all the sidings, etc. Apparently there are some excellent resources at the City archives, it's just a matter of finding the time to head over there and browse for a bit.