This Sunday the Riverbend guys held an FGRS open house in their Motorcoach Park. (Amazing place - very high end RVs parked in large spaces, with room for a few cars and a small cottage.)

They have a concrete roadbed and lay the track every year (so I’m told) - everything goes back in sheds for storage when they leave after the winter.

As you can see, it is mostly RGS models from various sources. I believe some of the members spend their summers in Colorado. At least one guy I was talking to is from Durango.

As you can see, everything is on a base. Nice coal stage! #102 is a modified Bachmann 2-8-0. Battery r/c operation only (usually) though no reason alternative fuels (like live steam) won’t work.

Last run this year is March 16th, after which it all goes in storage for the summer. I’m hoping to get there with my C-19 live steamer and some EBT equipment.

Sounds like a real people pleaser Pete. Looks like a good turnout also. (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

Cool!

I went back for their end-of-season run this weekend. After this, all the track and buildings goes in to storage until next season.

I took my live steam C-19 as the track is fairly flat - but they run several trains at once on each track so r/c is absolutely necessary.

I felt bad posting this photo of the lush tropical foliage, but hey - you could all be here if you wanted.

My latest - Accucraft ‘Countess’ (renamed Edward, or Eddie for short.)

EBT #7 parked and cooling down in the service facility.

My host, Bill Sewell, the club President, on the dispatchers desk. Air operated turnouts work very well outdoors.

I wasn’t the only guy on the track.

Downtown.

Double-headed freight with another loco halfway back - guess that’s triple power.

Last call. All the buildings are already put away.

Looks like a lot of fun, Pete. They have a great layout. Thanks for sharing your adventures.

Very nice, Pete. Where is that at, statewise?

Mike Wlez said:

Very nice, Pete. Where is that at, statewise?

Riverbend Park is a 680-acre park in the Jupiter Farms section of Jupiter, in Palm Beach County, Florida.

Joe Zullo said:

Mike Wlez said:

Very nice, Pete. Where is that at, statewise?

Riverbend Park is a 680-acre park in the Jupiter Farms section of Jupiter, in Palm Beach County, Florida.

Sorry Joe, that must be a different Park and I got the name wrong! This one is officially RiverBend Motorcoach Resort on the Caloosahatchee river near Fort Myers on the Gulf coast.

Looks to be a nice setting with agreeable weather, and people too!

Wonder if air operated turnouts would be a different ballgame where it freezes for a month or more during winter.

Delightful railroad layout. Would love to see it. Irony is that they’re putting there layout away just when I’m just bringing mine out. Thanks Pete.

Forrest Scott Wood said:

Looks to be a nice setting with agreeable weather, and people too!

Wonder if air operated turnouts would be a different ballgame where it freezes for a month or more during winter.

Freezes? Winter ? What does that mean ?

Pete Thornton said:

Forrest Scott Wood said:

Looks to be a nice setting with agreeable weather, and people too!

Wonder if air operated turnouts would be a different ballgame where it freezes for a month or more during winter.

Freezes? Winter ? What does that mean ?

It’s the opposite of your summer infliction!

You have heat and humidity, while they are cold and freeze dried!

Regarding air lines; the hoses can get brittle with age, but not often, unless you over pressure during extreme cold spells. Think of hoses under your hood (vacuum lines), the rest should be buried and safe.

John

Pete Thornton said:

Joe Zullo said:

Mike Wlez said:

Very nice, Pete. Where is that at, statewise?

Riverbend Park is a 680-acre park in the Jupiter Farms section of Jupiter, in Palm Beach County, Florida.

Sorry Joe, that must be a different Park and I got the name wrong! This one is officially RiverBend Motorcoach Resort on the Caloosahatchee river near Fort Myers on the Gulf coast.

Yes Pete the name makes all the difference. RiverBend Motorcoach Resort

I am in Clearwater two hours north, how do I get invited to see this next season?

Mark Demyan said:

I am in Clearwater two hours north, how do I get invited to see this next season?

The main event was a Florida Garden Railway Society [http://www.fgrs.org/] ‘meeting’ to which all members were invited. FGRS is regional, as FL is large and there are lots of garden RR in each division. So get yourself on the mailing list or join the club.

Mark - there are a lot of active garden RR guys around Tampa. FGRS is the best way to find them.

A short 1:10 video of EBT #7 and the triple header.

Pete,

The above video is “Private”.

Pete Thornton said:

Mark Demyan said:

I am in Clearwater two hours north, how do I get invited to see this next season?

The main event was a Florida Garden Railway Society [http://www.fgrs.org/] ‘meeting’ to which all members were invited. FGRS is regional, as FL is large and there are lots of garden RR in each division. So get yourself on the mailing list or join the club.

Mark - there are a lot of active garden RR guys around Tampa. FGRS is the best way to find them.

Thanks Pete I will connect with Fred

Joe Zullo said:

Pete,

The above video is “Private”.

Hmmm . . It didn’t finish correctly in Youtube, which now says it’s a draft. I ‘published’ it and it now says it is Public, so try again!

Thanks Pete. That was cool! (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)