South Florida Reload

[alcanman]

After the demise of my previous layout, I'd been looking for inspiration for a new small switching layout. A thread here on Big Blue led me to Matco Reload, a transloading facility in Pompano Beach FL served by the Florida East Coast Railway.

FEC local 960 operates between Ft. Lauderdale, FL and Pompano Beach, FL where a spur off the FEC main leads to Matco Reload. A siding (run around) further along the lead enables reversals. The local can then shove into Matco and the other small industries.

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Here is local 960 in action with a typical varied load of cars.

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I wanted a different type of layout plan from previous layouts. I've always liked the 'double inglenook' arrangement as it gives a lot of switching in a small area.

In the plan, there are two staging tracks, but, I've imagined they are actually one end of a siding (run around loop) with the other end further along the line. For this reason, the turnout used for the 2 tracks will be included in the scenicked portion of the layout.

   

more later ....

[alcanman]

On the track plan 2 of the industries served by local 960 are shown:

Gold Coast Beverage Distribution - a beer distributor receiving boxcars (I'm a big fan of US craft beers so this industry had to be incuded!)

A warehouse re-cycled from my previous layout was a perfect fit.

   

Flexsol Packaging - a plastics packaging manufacturer and distributor receiving plastic pellets in covered hoppers.

For this structure I remembered another thread here on Big Blue relating to 'Silgan Plastics' which had a simple covered unloading shed.

   

A Walthers Cornerstone kit would provide the basis for this structure

   

[Rscott417]

Looks like you're off to a good start but shhh, you can't mention run arounds here.
Also how many cars do you plan on spotting at the plastic pellet shed? Looks like it might be a little tight trying to switch there, maybe 3 cars tops.

[faraway]

.....A warehouse re-cycled from my previous layout was a perfect fit.....

That front is classic clean and elegant. I liked it immediately at the first time.

ps. Will we see the sunny beaches of North Cumberland again

[alcanman]

Looks like you're off to a good start but shhh, you can't mention run arounds here.
Also how many cars do you plan on spotting at the plastic pellet shed? Looks like it might be a little tight trying to switch there, maybe 3 cars tops.

Thanks

2 Cars are usually spotted at the unloading shed track and they will be switched for 2 incoming loaded cars. The adjacent storage track is used to faciliate the switching move.


   


Reinhard - as the layout is located at Pompano Beach, there's a good chance we'll see a Northumberland beach backscene.

ps. I forgot to mention that the layout is my usual 9ft x 15 ins.

[jonte]

Quite simply, Mal: I love it!

Have been watching this develop and have to say that apart from everything else, I'm impressed with the speed at wch it has come together; bearing in mind your recent domestic upheaval

Will keep watching.

Regards,

Jonte

[alcanman]

Thank Jonte, always good to hear from you.

Yes, the 'domestic upheaval' continues resulting in both modelling and switching activities being temporarily suspended. :x

Since I started planning the layout, I've been looking for a FEC geep, preferably dcc sound fitted. I eventually found an Atlas GP40-2 on US e-bay described as 'essentially new'.
I believe the paint scheme is the original 'as delivered' blue, dating back to the 70s/80s. FEC have recently repainted some of their GP40-2s from the standard dark blue to a lighter 'Retro Blue'

By coincidence the loco comes from the same Atlas 2009 run as my old CSX GP40-2. Arrived last week. Here it is straight out the box, just needing front and rear handrails attaching and weathering.

   

[faraway]

..... Northumberland .....

I am sorry for garbling the name. Is the original name "North" "Thumberland" that became joined into one word?
I have just learned from Wiki that Cumberland is in the very north west.

[alcanman]

..... Northumberland .....

I am sorry for garbling the name. Is the original name "North" "Thumberland" that became joined into one word?
I have just learned from Wiki that Cumberland is in the very north west.

The name originates from medieval times. Originally, 'the land North of the Humber' (river) in north east England. Alnwick Castle in Northumberland is the location of Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films.

[long island jack]

Yep, Cumberland or Cumbria as it's known now, is the other side of country from Mal, that's where I live.
we have some nice beach too, they use to glow at night (thanks to Sellafield) but they've all been clean up now

keep up the good work Mal, i'm still watching in the background

Ray

[long island jack]

Yep, Cumberland or Cumbria as it's known now, is the other side of country from Mal, that's where I live.
we have some nice beach too, they use to glow at night (thanks to Sellafield) but they've all been cleaned up now

keep up the good work Mal, i'm still watching in the background

Ray

[alcanman]

Thanks Ray.

Although the track plan shows a non-rail served warehouse located in the middle of the layout, I decided to expand the line of trees from Gold Coast Beverages to the staging area.

This seems to give more depth. A small stack of storage containers finishes off the background.

In these pics CSX provide power.


   


   

[alcanman]

I've added more taller palm trees, as I felt the original ones didn't stand out against the tree line background.


   


   

[torikoos]

Looking very nice Mal ;-)

Koos

[Steamtrains]

That's some great landscaping..!! Are the palm trees commercially available..?? Or are they scratch-built..??
Will the warehouses get some weathering..??
Keep up the amazing work..!!