Large Scale Central

Just another sunny day in Florida

Do I need to say any more ?

Can’t seem to embed the video, so it’s here: http://youtu.be/UwegAS_QYtE

That looks like a neat layout! Raised for easy access AND sceniced! Fun fun fun!

This is the closest I can get to something looking like live steam !!!

Great pics Pete…Very jealous!

Thats a neat way to do an elevated layout. Its sunny here as well just not warm. -5 this morning ugh…

Wow, WOW, WOW, WOW.

Very nice!

Is that a USAT GG1 or MTH?

What a great look! I really like the blend of the ironwork and the slashes of rock detail amoungst the foliage. The lack of snow really helps too. Are any of the iron pieces from Eaglewings Ironcraft? They make some high quality structures. Very nice

Vincent D’Agostino said:

Very nice!

Is that a USAT GG1 or MTH?

I believe it is MTH, with MTH coaches. 1/32nd, so it looks a bit small compared with the USAT coach set. It has Locolinc r/c and (?) sound.

The black Hudson #5405 isn’t the USA Trains version - it’s the LGB/Aster brass ‘special’ version. Turns out to be 1/29th scale. (It is so old the traction tires are a real problem. Anyone know of a source for spare wheels?)

Mark Betlem said:

What a great look! I really like the blend of the ironwork and the slashes of rock detail amoungst the foliage. The lack of snow really helps too. Are any of the iron pieces from Eaglewings Ironcraft? They make some high quality structures. Very nice

Mark, the metalwork is Eaglewings. The owner isn’t too happy with it, as EI are in Arizona, where it is dry. In humid Florida it is rusting at the edges on the uprights, etc! The bridges seem to be holding up.

Pete, First of all I was trying to use a compementary word to describe the way the nicely detailed rockwork was placed and spell checker changed my word from splashes to slashes. And of course I missed it. Sorry 'bout that. I really like the look.

I also have used some of Eaglewings Ironcraft bridges up here in PA and moisture has caused some issues here. The ironwork is great but it doesn’t seem like the powdercoating process that they out-source to does a substantial enough job. I have also had corrosion in various places. Some of it at the ends but sometimes in the middle of flat surfaces like on girder bridges where I wouldn’t have thought water would be a problem. After two years outside here I had them sandblasted and re-powdercoated at a local shop where they assured me they were coated four times to better protect the steel from the elements.

I also had another weather related issue that hopefully you will never experience in Florida. Last spring I noticed that one of the horizontal tubular braces (1"x2"x9"long) on one of my suspension bridge piers was no longer rectangular in shape but was round. Apparently condensation collected inside the tube and could not drain out and froze solid to distort the steel. I had new tube welded in place but before I had it re-powder coated I drilled 3/8" holes in each one of the hollow tubes. Each void will be filled with fiberglass resin to prevent any more moisture from collecting inside again. I had to get the coating done before the resin was installed due to the 400 degree baking that they had to go through to set the powder. This will be done once the weather warms up a bit. Mark

Drool.

tac

Ottawa Valley GRS

Really cool looking layout. Glade to see the Dryfuss in action. Drool drool. Later RJD

I resisted the temptation to open a new thread - it’s always sunny in Florida.

We visited the Tradewinds & Atlantic RR g-1 track on Sunday, a Public Run day (on the 7 1/2" track) so there were lots of spectators. My last chance to run the Hudson this season, as it is stayng in FL for the summer.

Dreyfuss Hudson TARR 032215

It was also a chance to take photos of my ‘interim’ Obs. The Observation coaches are on back-order at USAT, and I have been told every year that they will be coming ‘soon’. With some searchig, I discovered a Santa Fe “Chief” stainless streamliner in the UK (!) I also found a photo of the NYC backup Observation “Wingate Brook” on the ‘Century’ - there were two stainless Budd-built cars that were used when the two regular Observations weren’t available.

I printed nameboards on photo paper and blackened the edges - Voila: “Wingate Brook”

(Then, of course, Paul in NY offered new a virtually new NYC Observation, so this one is getting converted back and sold.)

Finally, as the wife was along to supervise the operation of the big Hudson, I also ran the DeWinton, “Annie”, named after guess who . .

A short (1 min) video of the runs: https://youtu.be/rsbWV6P6rf8

Very nice! I also love the first layout. It is very visually appealing. It only gets better with your new acquisition running around it. Glad you’re having fun with it. The observation stand-in does nicely too. Sorry to hear I won’t see any of this in York though. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-frown.gif)Maybe next year? Thanks for posting.

Randy Lehrian Jr. said:

Very nice! I also love the first layout. It is very visually appealing. It only gets better with your new acquisition running around it. Glad you’re having fun with it. The observation stand-in does nicely too. Sorry to hear I won’t see any of this in York though. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-frown.gif)Maybe next year? Thanks for posting.

Randy,

The ‘first’ layout belongs to a pal who has a growing business and a young family. He doesn’t have a lot of time for trains, so I go where I am invited! Fortunately there’s another garden layout in Fort Myers, though it isn’t suitable for the Hudson. Photos to come . .

I doubt you’ll ever see it in York, as we don’t head back from FL until mid-May. I sometimes get to run a car home at the same time as Cabin Fever, as I will do this year. However, there’s no room in the MD condo and my EBT #12 hasn’t turned a wheel since last summer! The Hudson is staying in Florida forever, I suspect.

Pete,

That’s a fantastic looking engine and train.

We are back in Carlyle.

Will miss you at York.

Enjoy the sunny days.

That layout in the first pics looks really cool. Very Nice!!

I like the DEWINTON Best(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)