Best Of Kanto Sub Division of the Puddington Valley

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Unless you have evidence/proof of where it comes from, what is just about every modeler's #1 rule ?  It's my(your) railroad.   If you want it to come from Australia, so be it ... 

Grr....

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Nah.... you see, that plant in York has a package designer named Fryer D Hogfat and Mr. Hogfat, besides being known for questionable personal hygiene and a pension for weekends at the track is the inventor of numerous unique and patented box designs, including the now famous Hogfat Bacon box. The Bacon box is produced by the York plant for several major packing houses but utilizes a high compression 57lb liner that currently is only being run in wide (91 & 95") widths by Domtar's Puddington Valley mill.

The York plant has a trade agreement for 150 tonnes per month which they are swapping lightweight board into Ontario and Manitoba for.......

Nothing to it Ed.......

Now this I like.

So, I guess I need to get me some CP boxcars, right?

[wm3798]

Not just any CP car...

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Heh. Where IS that thing these days?

[Puddington]

Heh. Where IS that thing these days?

Any 50' would be just about right - and Lil' Puddy is here in my office - she goes to shows, talks to kids (Jason freaks out at the way Dan and I refer to a little boxcar like its alive...she is by the way) and all in all Lil' Puddy is enjoying semi retirement....

[wm3798]

Can we pin this for a few days so people can be reminded of what a great contributor we've lost?  This layout, from conception to execution, defines for me what was so special about Mike.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Can we pin this for a few days so people can be reminded of what a great contributor we've lost?  This layout, from conception to execution, defines for me what was so special about Mike.

Great idea.

Done.

[MVW]

So cool, so wonderful that Mike and Sam were able to do this together. And yet so sad.

Probably a good lesson here for all of us, a reminder to cherish those that are important to us.

Jim

[gelboy45]

I am so sad that Mike has passed away. I was thinking of him and his family all day yesterday and I offer my sincere condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.

His regular posts have been inspiring to me and will have done so much to encourage others to consider Canadian N scale modeling. He recently kindly responded to my request for a track plan of his latest layout and I am really sad that he will not be here to share his skills with us again.

Ride that Turbo Mike!

Gerry





 

[GimpLizard]

My condolences to all of Mike's family and friends. Especially Sam. Your dad was an inspiration to all of us, Sam. He will be greatly missed.

[BCR 570]

Like many others on this forum, I was saddened to learn this morning that our friend Mike McGrattan has passed away.  I first "met" Mike years ago on another forum called Scale Rails Online, and quickly came to know him as a fellow modeller who was passionate about N Scale and Canadian railways.  He lived for a short time in British Columbia although I did not know him at that time, and his tenure here led to him basing his freelanced Puddington Valley Railway in British Columbia.

It was during our time at Scale Rails Online, which had an international following including a strong Canadian contingent, that Mike conceived the idea of sending a boxcar around the world to run on everyone's layout.  The Adventures of Lil' Pud can be read over on the Rapido website, and I was privileged to be able to coordinate several layout visits for the boxcar here in the Vancouver area.  When SRO eventually shut down, a number of us including Mike and I migrated over to the Railwire.

This afternoon I located the photographs from Lil' Pud's visit to B.C.; here is a photograph of it crossing my Pine River bridge:



I had the good fortune to meet Mike when he flew out to Vancouver to testify at a hearing relating to the pulp and paper industry, in which he was employed.  His stay was a very brief one but we did manage to meet up for dinner at my favourite Italian restaurant (sadly also now gone).  it was a memorable evening with good food, good wine and good company, and we had far more to talk about than one evening could permit.  In those early days of the Internet and online forums, it was a revelation to meet someone I felt I knew well, but had never met.

On my way to church this morning I received an idea for an appropriate way in which our online N Scale community might pay tribute to Mike.  I have discussed it with Geoff Gooderham and after we have refined the idea we will suggest it at a later time.

I wish to extend my heartfelt sympathies and prayers to Mike's wife Margaret and son Sam at this time, and also to Jason and the employees at Rapido Trains.  Like everyone else here I will remember him with much fondness and respect.


Tim

[OldEastRR]

I've wondered why he was called "Puddington"? Was it an TRW inside joke?

[Missaberoad]

I've wondered why he was called "Puddington"? Was it an TRW inside joke?

It predates Mike's involvement with the Railwire. He called his layouts the Puddington valley division of the CPR, or some variation of that. As for its origin I'm not certain, my guess would be a place or region close to Mike. 

[OldEastRR]

Not to be ghoulish but does the family say what they're going to do with all his N scale stuff?

[wm3798]

I'm sure Sam and Marge will treasure every scrap of it.