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The Scale Rails of Southwest Florida Model Railroad Club has an HO scale model train layout that’s set in California and Colorado from 1955 to 1965. The club also has a freelanced N scale layout where steam locomotives share the rails with modern-era diesel locomotives. Watch model trains run through scenes on both model railroads in this video bonus from Great Model Railroads 2017.
I forgot to mention that after serving three years in the US Army Transportation Corps I spent nine years switching for the Cotton Belt as well as Santa Fe in the greater D/FW metroplex of Texas. The Santa Fe reefer block sure brings back a train load of memories. As late as the mid-70s produce was still being shipped in SFRD ice bunker reefers which were still in service on ATSF. I spotted many of them on the East Dallas team track for re-icing before they were handed over to SP for unloading at the Farmer’s Market located in the shadow of Big D.
Randy, I assume your layout will be constructed following Lance Mindheim’s excellent and proven shelf layout concept? His Miami theme CSX HO scale layout is simply fantastic and proves that model railroading is still fun regardless if one models in any scale from Z to G or in between! Not much room for large scale but I’ve purchased a LGB Santa Fe caboose from my dealer, Modellbahn Ritzer, located within walking distance (5 minutes) from the Friedrich-Ebert-Platz station on the fully automated U3 subway line in Nuremberg Germany. You can board the U3 at Deutsche Bahn’s main train station in Nuremberg for a quick 10 minute ride to F-E-P! A great little shop featuring model trains Z to G), vehicles, current and out of print books, magazines, DVDs, collectables, and much more. English spoken! (See link below)
Great Model Railroads 2012 featured Uncle Bob’s 1:29 large scale CSX Miami theme layout based on Lance Mindheim’s HO scale shelf layout. Bob has moved and the equipment will be reborn on a new large scale indoor layout based in Tennessee. Much of the Miami layout has been saved and will be reused. (See link below)
My basement is really small but I’ve decided that a compact point to point U shape large scale shelf layout is best suited to my aging eyes and short fat fingers. Besides, I love the “feel” when I hold large scale in my hands. Large scale: Try it, you’ll like it, and probably will never model anything smaller the rest of your life!
http://www.freerails.com Model Railroad Forums>Large Scale>Uncle Bob’s Railroad
http://www.modellbahnritzer.de
Amen to that, Josrph Toth. I live in Jax, and there is a lot of fascinating history here with Jacksonville Terminal, which used ACL Seaboard, FEC and Southern passenger trains, and our Strauss Bascule Trunnion double track FEC bridge over the St.Johns, not to mention pulp mill woodchip and logging operations and our ports, are all interesting modeling that I want to make on my HO spare bedroom layout. We also have a coal fired power plant, and Anheiser Busch brewery here, as well. Too much to fit in my bedroom in HO scale! Randy
Just saw these layouts on Tuesday as I was passing through the city. My first impression was that of quality work. The members were very friendly and inviting.
A very nice looking layout. That said, I gotta ask: Why are ALL the trains all going the SAME speed?!? The passenger train probably should be going somewhat faster than the freight. The variety of speed gives the layout more realism. Otherwise, the camera shots looks staged.
Uh guys California never had any coal fired power plants and export coal is relatively new. The railroads did briefly use coal brought from England as ballast in ships picking up wheat. If you go by Port Costa in San Francisco Bay all you see is a few pilings left and a wide spot in the railroad, that is all that is left of one of the largest grain shipping ports in the 1870’s thru 1890’s. There was some coal mining activity in Black Diamond and Somersville but it only lasted three or four years. Nice otherwise.
Maybe because the locals in SW Florida feel that the railroads there are boring?
Excelent issue!, congratulations to all the Modelrailroader team!, I will never miss an issue!
Nice work. Looks real good. I just live 5 miles from the club building. I must go there to see the layouts in person. It’s been a couple of years since I was there. I am sure there has been a lot of change. Keep up the good work guy’s.
Very nice but if they’re from SW Florida why don’t they model SW Florida railroads instead of these over-modelled lugubriously boring western scenes with equally boring UP, SF trains and bland scenery?
Yeah, I didn’t know that either, really nice layouts, only missing some Union Pacific action!!! LOL
Did not realize that Florida was such a hotbed of West Coast railroading. Good job on both layouts.
Nice layouts, neat trains, but appears that the C&E on the FEC passenger train misread their orders and took a wrong switch at Jax! I assume the SP Cab Forward is the last example that has been preserved at the California Railroad Museum and is out on a test run? Having lived in Tampa during the late 50s and early 60s wish the layouts had been constructed with a Florida theme. You just can’t beat the pre- and post-war steam and diesel on ACL, SAL, and FEC. Still, I’m impressed with the professional modeling by a bunch of good ole boys (maybe girls too?) and thank all of you for sharing with the model railroad community!
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