Completing the structure
Image copyright 2005 Tim Warris
There are lots of pictures here, will take a while on a slower connection….
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Posted by: | 08-21-2005 | 09:08 PM
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By-products from writing documentation….
Image copyright 2005 Tim Warris
While writing the documentation for our upcoming “TwistTies” laser cut flexible turnout tie strips, I had to build and scenic a complete curved turnout. Once complete, I took several pictures of it from different angles, and settled on a couple of “keepers” that would be used in the documents.
There were a few others I liked, so I thought I would put them up here.
Image copyright 2005 Tim Warris
This is a #8 curved turnout that was built with the new TwistTies. More on those later….
Posted by: | 08-15-2005 | 08:08 AM
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Stratford revisited.
Image copyright 2005 Tim Warris
The last time I visited the (abandoned) CNR shops in Stratford it was a very cold day in the winter. Today, I dropped by again, and it was the exact opposite, very hot! I had dropped by in June as well, and intended on updating the information I had about it then, but the time slipped by.
To be honest, I just don’t know what to make of what is going on there. When I was here in the winter I thought it was just another abandoned railroad building. I had noticed a sign showing what a developer was hoping to do with the property.
click on image for larger view
While there in June, with my brother, we were looking into what was left of the turntable pit, which looked more like a garbage pit, when a guy in a cowboy hat started walking over to us. It was during the week, and there were a few people working around the place. I figured he was coming over to tell us to get off the property, but to my surprise he was very friendly. His first words to us were “we are going to be putting a working steam engine onto the new turntable”. Not what I had expected to hear.
He introduced himself as Lawrence Ryan, the owner of the property. He started explaining what he (and a few investors) were going to do with the place, and it is ambitious to say the least. A shopping center, water park with a wave pool, a 5000 seat stadium, IMAX theater, luxury hotel with a facade to resemble downtown Stratford as it looked in 1907 and several working steam engines running excursions from the area. He seems very serious about the project and did a good job of convincing us it will happen. Work has been under way for some time now, cleaning up the property, but I don’t see any signs of serious construction.
He also told us about his woes with the local city council, or as he put it, a few idiots who have their own agenda. I can’t say that I’m surprised, I have never been a big fan of the city council types. I can’t imagine why any city council in their right mind would block an opportunity to expand their tax base. Stratford is very well known for its annual Stratford Theatre festival, and could easily support a project like this, and Canada is sorely lacking any form of serious railroad heritage.
I wish Lawrence all the best in this endeavor, I would certainly like to see it happen, as the alternative I sure would be some condos or other uninspired creation on the property.
The town of Stratford I’m sure would like to see something happen here, the property in its current state is an eyesore and a lawsuit waiting to happen. I’m sure if Mr. Ryan sees this through a lot of the councilors will change their tune.
The well published battles are getting hotter, and I’m sure the lawsuits between the developers and the councilors will stall this where possible. I read an op-ed piece in one of the local papers about it, and it sure sounds petty to me, like a bad divorce.
I really don’t know if Lawrence Ryan is just a dreamer with a broom only stalling the inevitable, or, a serious developer that has the ability to see this happen, I guess time will tell.
What follows are a few pictures I took around the outside of the place today, enjoy!
Posted by: | 08-01-2005 | 05:08 PM
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