Central Alonzo (HO Cuban Sugar Mill)

[298]

This is the chassis, similar to extended Underground Ernie ones I've previously used in my Yakima Interurban cars except the truck mountings are now 3d printed. I also thought I'd try 3d printing some gears to replace the Bachmann ones that invariably crack and despite having reservations they've worked straight off the printer (well, after washing and curing). I didn't even have to clean up the supports, they just pulled straight off and the gears seem to mesh ok without locking or excess motor current. I'm not sure of how long the resin will last so will fix up a test rig to see.

 

 

Edited July 8, 2022 by 298

[Koala Creek]

Great layout!

 

Just some info which might be useful. While investigating 65-DE-19A Whitcomb locomotives, which were used by the US Army Transportation Corps during the Second World War in Europe, Potomac Edison Co. sold their № 1 to the Hershey Chocolate Co. They shipped it to Cuba, probably for use at the Hershey Sugar Mill & Refinery.

 

Here is a photo of their № 1:

 

 

... and a colour photo of their № 2 for reference:

 

 

Piko issued a great model of the USATC version of this locomotive last year and will issue a US version this month. Might be a great add to your locomotive roster. 

[298]

Unfortunately I can't find any trace of this model of Whitcomb in Cuba at all from my reliable sources, the Hershey probably wouldn't have needed one in 1958 because of line closures and sparing use of their own diesel fleet outside of the harvest season. 

 

I'm trying to initially limit the era to the late 50s, but if you go a bit later then it's amazing what could have turned up so I'll bear that in mind.

[Koala Creek]

The info can be found in Railroad Magazine (which is a reliable source), Volumes 104-105 from 1978. See:

 

https://books.google.nl/books?id=_UxYAAAAMAAJ&q=Hershey+cuba+whitcomb&dq=Hershey+cuba+whitcomb&hl=nl&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiP95GHq735AhUuwQIHHW8yDKUQ6AF6BAgKEAM

 

It basically states that Potomac Edison Co. was sold to the Hershey Chocolate Co. In 1958 and shipped to Cuba. As everything else, it was confiscated by the Cuban government after the revolution. 

 

Not trying to force you in buying a Whitcomb 😉

Just wanted to make you aware, as this fact is not widely known. 

 

Edited August 10, 2022 by Koala Creek

[298]

I did a quick search when I first read your post and went off on a tangent after finding a photo of one with a Southern Railway design brake van...in Beirut. 

 

Then I realised these locos had led to the demise of my favourite GE Steeplecabs at Potomac Edison, for which the overhead wire is visible in your colour photo...🤬

 

I'm currently experimenting with pan mounts for this pair, using magnets....

 

 

 

 

[298]

@Koala Creekhas just reminded me that I've been neglecting updates of late. It's not that progress has stalled, far from it as I'm hurriedly working through a list tasks that need completing for Crawley next weekend, and haven't had time to consider other things. The layout certainly won't be as complete as I intend and has yet to have a proper test session, but should largely be presentable. 

 

One recent milestone was the running under the wire of a pair of Steeplecabs, the very reason why I wanted to build a Hershey layout in the first place. Only the contact wire is in place but there haven't been any major issues apart from the strength of the droppers, however it should say a bit more with the catenary support wired in place. 

After overdoing the static grass and running out of the intended colours I thought I'd created a load of issues, but a quick clean and everything seems to be running ok (albeit with the stay alives probably being overworked). 

 

 

 

 

[298]

Test running with a pair of Brill Interurban cars, normally only one would have it's pan up but I've yet to finish the poles (actually I have printed the bases, but can't decide how to couple them). The wire is just single lengths of contact wire, I'll add the catenary wire when it is fully proven :

 

https://youtu.be/mW85kBO0K9o

Edited September 11, 2022 by 298

[doctor quinn]

Looking good

 

[298]

Now set up at the Seaboard Southern show in Crawley tomorrow, I'm still having issues with the overhead and have decided not to paint it just yet as alot will need adjusting. I must have put in a couple of hours every night after worth this week, about 12 yesterday and all of this morning packing it up and finishing some of the jobs on the snagging list. Thanks to the help from the Seaboard Southern club members it went back together very well, and i'm keeping my fingers crossed for tomorrow.

[298]

I think the debut was a reasonable success, thanks to the invite and help from the Seaboard Southern club and Mike as operator. The overhead didn't look as good as it should but after a few tweaks was relaible. The sector plate didn't cause as many issues as I thought it would and I've since sanded the base level as the droop towards the middle was causing height issues. The biggest challenge unresolved issue was Steeplecab 28 dying three times and needing a few minutes off the layout but I did manage to double head the oil tanks with it and 21 at the end.

 

Unfortunately I didn't take too many photos so if anyone did and wants to post them here it'd be appreciated.

 

 

 

 

 

[stivesnick]

Great to see the layout at Crawley on Saturday - very impressive and a layout that looks interesting to operate. 

 

Great stuff and I look forward to see more updates

 

Nick

[298]

Some more, in B/W. I thought I'd get home and dump the layout in the garage, but I've actually been motivated enough to set it up and start tackling the snagging list without the pressure of a show deadline anymore. I've even put some stock on and undertook some switching...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 21, 2022 by 298

[298]

 

 

 

[298]

A few updates following some annual leave from work when we weren't doing glad term things, firstly a near complete baggage car (minus footsteps and roof gubbins):

 

Next are some of the six Accurail 36' cars, using the remaining stock of decals. These replace some 40' cars that were too long. I'll produce another set now I've seen a few variations in existing liveries:

 

 

And finally Steeplecab 28 is currently undertaking switching duties at the Blue Heron inglenook, in an attempt to pin down the cause of it cutting out:

[Dave John]

I really like this, something very different and well modelled. 

 

I fancy having a go with something involving catenary one day, those steeplecabs are very appealing. 

[298]

Winter freight car project #1 is a Walthers (USRA?) Hopper finished for the Hershey and used to carry sunflower seeds. http://7051.sydneyplus.com/archive/final/portal.aspx?lang=en-US

 

As with the others photos are scarce so I'll have to interpret what the data markings should read and add them to the next custom white decal sheet.

 

The car itself was found last week on a new stall on Coventry market selling new and secondhand, called Thunderbolt models. It was quite nostalgic to see mint boxed models that I coveted as a child in the 1980s!

 

Also in the pipeline are a couple of 36' gondolas and a Caboose.

 

 

 

Edited November 20, 2022 by 298

[298]

On 25/04/2022 at 20:23, 298 said:

 

I'm pretty certain that's what would have happened, the only issue being I'm not sure which cars would have been used as there is no evidence of HERSHEY or H cars at work in the US and little evidence of US cars on the Hershey. But they did seem to have a large number of boxcars for their Cuban operation.

 

 

I brought a copy of Railroad Magazine November 1946 because I figured the Hershey article was quite long, and it was at 11 pages and as many photos. One shows a string of Sinclair oil tanks behind a Steeplecab carrying a P marker which is a current mystery as my only other photo shows it on one with a string of cane cars. It does mention Boxcars from certain Eastern roads which makes sense for cars exporting sugar to Hershey factory in Pennsylvania, but still no photos of them. 

 

 

I've found a few spare Accurail 40' OB boxcars that might be suitable but that takes the car count to over 20 on a layout that can only handle about a dozen so I'll soon reach the magic double figure for over-provision.

[Talltim]

On 06/05/2022 at 09:55, 298 said:

Some progress this week with scenery and building placement what with the warmer weather down in the car-hole:

 

 

 

The best position for the hotel seems to be forwards of the corner, I'm not sure what to put in the black square at the front of the layout, possibly a small single story with a higher facade.

 

Another problem is the height of the proscenium arch, I'm nearly 6' and the temporary one seen here makes the viewing window between 48" (track level) and 58", so at normal viewing distances blocks the backscene and doesn't give the sense of big sky or big mill buildings. I could raise it by cutting the support down but it's only 12mm ply and I fear it being too weak and getting broken. 

 

Although viewers like leaning on barriers and that lowers their eyeline not every show has them and something I've learnt from building a variable height layout is its never the right height for everyone anyway...

 

I know you asked this question ages ago, but could the top of the backscene curve into a partial 'roof' that makes the sky seem to go up further for short viewers, without actually raising the height of it?

[298]

I have just looked at that, but realised I still need to rely on a certain amount of ambient lighting as the LED strips are insufficient on their own. It would probably impede access and create an ugly shadow (but is what I did with Blue Heron). 

 

Both of these photos are taken at about a foot distance and at 1.4x zoom, the higher one is about 5' and the lower one is just over 4'. 

 

 

 

I think both still have plenty of sky to not make the edge look too jarring, and despite the obvious compromises there is enough to draw the eye into the scene rather than looking for the peripherals*, although this has been a problem during the mag photoshoot where I've eyeballed a scene I like but have trouble framing it.

 

Otherwise, after reading the Railroad Mag article that describes slide valve Moguls dragging Hershey cars with the power off due to hurricane damage, I've been playing at the same with the mill's Alco.

 

*Does not include backscenes with totems stuck on them like a Zeppelin.

[PaulRhB]

Andy, taking your lower pic and cropping out the distracting dark angle as it draws the eye reveals a bit more. That back corner above the short palm is noticeably darker so I think you could try some extra light there to pull it up.
 

 

For photography I use white paper reflectors and even infill separate led strips to add light for pics that the layout rig doesn’t quite work for.  
I’ve got a two foot long double strip I can clamp above the layout or I use my homemade light box with four strips in a Weston-boxes 12x12 thin storage box, that gives a wider angle of fill light albeit smaller. 

[298]

With the article for Continental Modeller submitted (watch out for it in the autumn) I have had some spare modelling time to address some of the many issues with the overhead and pantographs. For the former, I have added better tensioners thanks to my traditional use of Meccano and despite the heat it is more reliable (enough to convince me I don't need v shaped guides on converging routes), and for the Steeplecab pans that ended up sitting too high I have basically taken one apart and turned the base upside down to lower the pixot axles. It is currently on test with no.28.

 

 

 

 

[Nick_Burman]

On 31/05/2023 at 10:00, 298 said:

Steeplecab carrying a P marker

 

"Patio" - assigned to yard service?

 

Cheers NB

[298]

8 hours ago, Nick_Burman said:

 

"Patio" - assigned to yard service?

 

Cheers NB

 

Very good, that certainly fits with the photos.

[298]

21 is currently in "Patio" service, thanks to a temporary marker made from plasticard and something that I have just had to explain to the kids is Letraset. It'll do for now, but I'll draw it correctly and add it to the next white transfer sheet.

 

Edited June 18, 2023 by 298

[298]

On 18/06/2023 at 00:53, Nick_Burman said:

 

"Patio" - assigned to yard service?

 

Cheers NB

 

Now I remember where I've seen it before- as a yard marker in the Cuban photo in this book...

https://morningsunbooks.com/products/electric-railways-of-north-america-in-color

 

Edited June 22, 2023 by 298