Plant City Florida Potato Spur

[fulton]

Have become interested in modelling this spur, after seeing it in our track plan section page 26, good information from google and bing, question at the end of the central road there is a fenced and gated area which holds around four cars, only the width of the cars with no provision for loading or unloading that I can see, what is its purpose? The irrigation company has a fenced and gated area for unloading tank cars could it be for off spot storage?

[fulton]

After some time work has started on my new layout, no lack of time now, those in the Kent area NMRA group will be sad to know my extensive garage layout is now sitting in a Jumbo skip bag on my drive, hence room for this new project. Had originally planned to use PECO code 70 but still not available, code 83 points are available but could not find any track, so have gone for code 83 points and code 70 track, all from Model Junction, somehow I expected the code 83 to look heavier and the code 70 to look lighter, but they to my eye they match very well, very little packing required to raise the code 70.  

[fulton]

This is an overview of the area I plan to model, the spur is off the CSX A line just on the edge of Plant city, it serves Triest Irrigation, tank cars, Builders First Source, building materials, Florida Potato and Onion, reefers and a secure car storage area. Layout will be 16' long by 2' 6" wide, length compressed by 40%, width will be scale.

[Alcanman]

Looks like an interesting project which I'll; be following I've built a few small layouts with a Florida theme.

 

This is Deerfield Beach FL which featured 2 of the local industries, Sun Sentinel (newsprint) and Publix (plastic bottling)

[PaulRhB]

On 12/04/2019 at 21:20, fulton said:

there is a fenced and gated area which holds around four cars, only the width of the cars with no provision for loading or unloading that I can see, what is its purpose? The irrigation company has a fenced and gated area for unloading tank cars could it be for off spot storage?

Yes I think it is just for spotting cars waiting to be switched to the industry track. On street view there’s a line of reefers in it, identical to the ones on the industry track. I wonder if they just wait for a RR crew switch job or there’s a trackmobile used by the industries in the spur?

[dave1905]

Not sure which 4 car spur you are talking about. 

 

There is the industrial lead, with one track breaking off to the left, that serves a 3 spot track with liquid unloading cranes.  Unless the irrigation company , which deals in pipe, has some business with liquid commodities, it does not appear the irrigation company is rail served since there is no place I can see where carloads of pipe could be unloaded.

 

There are two spurs breaking off to the right, one to the building supply dealer, that appears to be capable of rail service with about 2-3 spots,  and a spur serving the potato warehouse, that appears to have two spots (since its a potato warehouse would those be spots or "eyes"? .)  Any other cars on the potato track or on the lead would be off spot cars, awaiting loading or unloading.

 

[PaulRhB]

He means this one

[fulton]

Not sure of Triest Irrigations full business, but the three tank car unloading spots and tank farm are all in their property, also the sign on the gate warns of pesticide storage.

[fulton]

The end of the fenced in area.

[dave1905]

If you go to the TriEst website, it says they sell fertilizers under the "Liberty Acres" brand.  Those tank cars are probably bringing in fertilizers which are mixed to the specific product formula.  TriEst doesn't appear to be rail served for irrigation products.

 

The fenced in lead is just a holding area.  Probably leased by the potato warehouse and fenced to reduce pilferage.

 

On the UP a potato car was called a "spud" car.  You don't want to let the reefer die on a car of onions.  I've been around a tractor trailer of onions that overheated and went bad, That was horrible, a 60 ft car would be waaaaaaay unpleasant.

Edited May 19, 2020 by dave1905

[fulton]

Thanks for the information, unfortunately UK computers are barred from the Triest site, came up as blacklisted when I tried, so any info you can find would be good. Bases boards now complete, marking out the track work now in progress.

[fulton]

First track laid today, this is two of the four boards, the staging is behind the back board, no provision for trains to run through, only the Plant city switcher comes out switches the industries, then returns, it will push the cars off the scene to the passing siding not far away towards Plant City. It would be nice to run through trains but I do not have the space and the layout will be quite enough to take to exhibitions anyway.

[fulton]

Have been busy, track now all laid, wiring complete, now running test trains, all went well just the normal couple of wires back to front and a bad solder joint in a din plug. After struggling under my last layout to plug leads in, and getting older, this time all connections are made above board at the back, the main control box has a long lead so at exhibitions I will operate from the back and at home from the front.

[fulton]

Another photo showing the rear staging and the leads plugged in from each board.

[NickBrad]

That's looking like a great canvas and I can see many hours of fun working those spurs

[fulton]

Another busy time, ballasting complete after my first try with an airbrush to paint and weather the track, used Ammo Mig track colours. Started on buildings two non rail served businesses  Cook Construction and Incryo Systems, as an ex construction man am looking forward to fitting out Cook Construction plant yard. As the layout length has been reduced by 40% I had to take out one of the entrance porches.

[fulton]

Over view of current progress.

[fulton]

More progress mainly on Triest Irrigation, have tried out some, new to me, products Tamiya texture paint for concrete and tarmac watched some U Tube tutorials and am pleased with the results, needs to be thinned a lot to avoid brush stokes.

[fulton]

Another view of Triest Irrigation, the unloading gantries started life as aircraft access platforms 1/72 scale, which I wanted to use from an aircraft diorama. 

[fulton]

Progressing well, I'm pleased with the results, Florida Potato and Onion a big project in its self due to the size, mounting board structure with embossed Slaters plasticard overlaid. Modified Walthers AC units, awaiting new grills from Scale Model Scenery. the original grills very lightly moulded and indistinct.

[fulton]

Builders First Source also progressing, not a lot to it, the forklift is 3D printed from Shapeways, had trouble finding a suitable vehicle most seem the be too small prototypes, in an earlier life I used to drive one very similar, timber packs from Scale Model Scenery, I know they are OO but I think they look the part, I've used their pallets and crates.

[enginelane]

Very nice 

[z4driver]

@fulton Do you have a link to the forklift on Shapeways?

 

Thanks Lee

[fulton]

Not sure how to do a link, go to Shapeways, vehicles, Lenni-Teleloader, by Lenni's Modelshop, Seems quite expensive but comes with several attachments, not for the faint hearted as it has lots of small parts and many working features, I made most of them solid so not to be so fragile. I also left the engine door off and fitted one, engine not supplied, and added some hydraulic hoses.

[z4driver]

Found it, thanks Lee