Freelance 2015-1

[torikoos]

Very nicely done Reinhard. I like the Florida atmosphere. And love those new plants from the modeltreeshop too.

Now all you need is getting a couple of billboards with local adds and it will really set the scene. How about a billboard for for a Jai Alai game? (or on top of a taxi cab roof billboard).

Koos

PS: That container with the rubbish / trash spilling out is a great detail!

[shortliner]

Reinhard, as you have added the transload area, I thought you might appreciate this as a possible scenic addition to that area <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="https://milepost15.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/slemp_nerpm_20150529_037.jpg">https://milepost15.files.wordpress.com/ ... 29_037.jpg</a><!-- m -->
The photo comes from <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://milepost15.com/2015/05/30/new-englandnortheast-rpm-meet-2015/">http://milepost15.com/2015/05/30/new-en ... meet-2015/</a><!-- m --> and I like the way the Auger is being driven by the power take-off from the tractor.

[faraway]

Reinhard, as you have added the transload area, I thought you might appreciate this as a possible scenic addition to that area <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="https://milepost15.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/slemp_nerpm_20150529_037.jpg">https://milepost15.files.wordpress.com/ ... 29_037.jpg</a><!-- m -->
The photo comes from <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://milepost15.com/2015/05/30/new-englandnortheast-rpm-meet-2015/">http://milepost15.com/2015/05/30/new-en ... meet-2015/</a><!-- m --> and I like the way the Auger is being driven by the power take-off from the tractor.

I have a more fundamental problem understanding FCEN business and transloading in particular.

1. FCEN has some of such facilities. To be more specific most are a dirt road next to an abandoned track. They do not look important or busy. Tank cars are some times found at or close to those facilities.
2. If you look for Florida business you find tourism, tourism and again tourism. Next is construction (I cover that with a lumber dealer), citrus and west of Tampa phosphate. The phosphate is moved in special open hoppers to large industries producing fertilizer. That fertilizer is shipped in covered hoppers. That phosphate/fertilizer installations are far out of proportion for my layout.
3. Scattered over Florida are smaller industries with loading tracks. About 75% have tank cars at those tracks. The others are utilized by covered hoppers. I do not know what the receive or ship via rail.
4. FCEN trains carry quite almost some tank cars and some covered hoppers. The huge blocks of fertilizer hoppers are more likely moved by class 1 railroads (CSX, NS).

I would like to close my knowledge gap. In the meantime do I use my facility with generic (black GATX) tank cars and unlabeled tank trucks.

[shortliner]

Reinhard - I don't know if this is of any help - not FEC, but some CSX freights in Plant City, Fla. <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=20&v=53mWMTkiatY">https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=20&v=53mWMTkiatY</a><!-- m -->

Also found this <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://forum.atlasrr.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=64566&whichpage=1">http://forum.atlasrr.com/forum/topic.as ... hichpage=1</a><!-- m -->

...and this lists the types of freight carried <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="https://www.fecrwy.com/about/todays-fecr">https://www.fecrwy.com/about/todays-fecr</a><!-- m -->

This - for Florida Central - may be useful <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.pinsly.com/transload-services/">http://www.pinsly.com/transload-services/</a><!-- m -->

[wsor4490uk]

Reinhard
you asked for it ....
This is what I've found out, mostly from trawling the internet

   

First of all have a look at this https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL...K8JFuEg7cv
This is the Florida Midland Railroad (FMID) and they have two branchs, one that starts from a small yard at Lake Wales https://goo.gl/maps/LvqGc and move alota lumber to Frostproof https://goo.gl/maps/g3xnM plus a large amount of hoppers to Florida's Natural Growers https://goo.gl/maps/4q8fE

Their second line runs from the CSX at Winter Haven https://goo.gl/maps/wskaf to Bartow Municipal Airport and Industrial Park https://goo.gl/maps/cj9eo As well as the ethanol tankcars there seems to be boxcars and more lumber cars .

I plan to check out these two line in seven weeks time when we go back to Florida

Next is the Florida Central Railroad (FCEN) which runs out of Modello Yard https://goo.gl/maps/qInjS to the CSX at Taffs yard Orlando in the south.
To the north they run to Apopka, Zellwood, Mt. Dora, Tavares, Eustis, Umatilla, Ocoee, and Winter Garden plus the Silver Star Industrial Park
Modello Yard is on my list of places to visit.
They move vegetable oils and corn from the Midwest to Frito’s Orlando manufacturing plant https://goo.gl/maps/HQeTu
Lumber to Lowe’s, Sunbelt Forest Products, Mid Florida Lumber, 84 Lumber, Dixie Plywood and others
They move the plastic pellets to Fiskars’ production plant in Apopka https://goo.gl/maps/EmcjS
They move all of the corn syrup from the Midwest to Coke’s Orlando bottling facility and their CO2 https://goo.gl/maps/itdfX
Move all Corona beer and most Miller/Coors products to Florida Distributing Company’s warehousehttps://goo.gl/maps/bSBen
Move LPG to multiple AmeriGas and Blue Rhino locations

This area looks interesting to model as well https://goo.gl/maps/9eMhG
there seems to be a lumber yard, feed and seed plant, plastics plant Citrus juices producer and even an Auto rake unloading point

Then you have the Florida Northern (FNOR) based out of Ocala https://goo.gl/maps/pNJZv
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL...6uZYO9J6zl

This place even has street running.
There is also another branch of the Florida Northern up at Newberry https://goo.gl/maps/iM1Tx
But this is mostly unit coal trains I think https://youtu.be/MtLFZ6ME6H8

So there you go plenty of freight
Plenty of industries
But only two working CF7s now

[faraway]

Chris thank you for the long append.

This is the information I was looking for:
It explains what goods are moved in what kind of cars where. Excellent!

....
They move vegetable oils and corn from the Midwest to Frito’s Orlando manufacturing plant https://goo.gl/maps/HQeTu
Lumber to Lowe’s, Sunbelt Forest Products, Mid Florida Lumber, 84 Lumber, Dixie Plywood and others
They move the plastic pellets to Fiskars’ production plant in Apopka https://goo.gl/maps/EmcjS
They move all of the corn syrup from the Midwest to Coke’s Orlando bottling facility and their CO2 https://goo.gl/maps/itdfX
Move all Corona beer and most Miller/Coors products to Florida Distributing Company’s warehousehttps://goo.gl/maps/bSBen
Move LPG to multiple AmeriGas and Blue Rhino locations
...

Some RR publish their customers by name and location. Those lists are sometimes improved by rail fans with the kind of good, frequency of service etc. But it looks like the is no such information for the Pinky RR and CSX in FL. But your list is very close. Thanks again.

[faraway]

Athearn genesis motor is actually a Roco motor, they're very good usually, I have a few genesis locos and they're very smooth runners, but please be your own judge . ...

The Athearn Genesis motor arrived.
They fit with little milling and cutting some plastic from the motor support


Perfect horizontal mount. It looks like the motor is higher than the old one. But that is not true. The flywheels are perfect level if you put the motors on a flat surface.


The old truck-motor connection is very short at one side but works fine


The other side is ok


This photo shows the length variations at both sides. The motors are put side by side aligned at their mounting points. It is easy to see how the lower end is significant shorter than the old RTR motor.


It is an easy conversion and the new motor is great indeed. Problem are the old RTR trucks. They make a lot of noise too. The replacement motor is a great choice if the motor is the only problem to be solved. A complete Atlas Trainman GP3x drive is the best choice if the entire RTR drive does not suite your requirements.

I have thanks to Athearn non existing quality control a funny situation.
All this was triggered by two GP40-2 with the usual RTR sound. I converted them to dummy, ran them with Atlas engines and waited for the motors and two further GP-40. It was my intention to run two pairs of CSX GP40-2. Each one with a drive and a dummy.
The other two arrived about a week ago. To my surprise is the drive far better than everything I have every heard from Athearn RTR so far. Those two are in revenue service and run quite well (not perfect but quite well). I will keep it that way and put the Genesis motor on stock for other conversion when Athene quality control produces the next junk motor

[faraway]

Another green step, the concrete sidewalks are replaced by lawn.

[faraway]

Pinsly has on it's FB page two nice photos of transloading facilities in Florida. I am downgrading mine to gravel too.
Note the tank rail and street cars have no hazmat signs and there is no spill protection at the tracks. Looks like the facilities are restricted to environmental friendly goods only.

https://scontent-fra3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hph...e=5601B225
https://scontent-fra3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hph...e=55F98BCA

This is an even more simple "constructed" facility.
https://scontent-fra3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hph...e=55F13B52

[faraway]

The new transloading facility "Pinsly style" matches the style of the layout better than concrete. The color should become lighter when the glue has set tomorrow.




Next day morning became the track "dirt running".

[faraway]

I played with my iPhone and the new Photo app on my iMac to create and publish via YouTube a simple video sweep over the layout. Have fun 2:23 minutes
https://youtu.be/wMXCPFfYPrE

...... I'm enjoyed to see your changed layout which now is looking like "new" and fresh to me.....

Bernhard, I needed some time to adjust to a "green" layout but you are right. Even small spots of green change the overall impression. I feel more and more comfortable with the new look.

[shortliner]

Very nice video, Reinhard - looks good with the greenery!

[alcanman]

I'm liking the 'Florida' version of Freelance very much, Reinhard. The video gives a great overview of the layout and the spacious look that you have created.

Mal

[faraway]

Thanks for the nice comments.

I did it again in landscape mode
https://youtu.be/O3j2hO2fknU

and a low fly version too.
https://youtu.be/pjKOkPM1kOo

a short clip FCEN CF7 passing by
https://youtu.be/rcxSIYaRkYc

[Twist]

Reinhard,
very nice videos of your fantastic layout. Great work.

Cheers,Chris