Central Alonzo (HO Cuban Sugar Mill)

[298]

Nothing much in the way of an update as the layout is in storage for the winter, although I might have a show for it next month. But I have recently discovered a couple of photos that are eye openers and had to be shared. 

 

The first is claimed to be a Hershey Steeplecab, complete with "Go faster stripes". The number fits with the Hershey series and the hood rivets (or lack of) fit with one of the locos absorbed from the Havana Central, but the renumbering into the FCdeC series is a grey area and there isn't a lot of info and photos from the early 1960s as attentions in Cuba were elsewhere...

 

The second is the eastern end of the line in Matanzas, I'd seen photos of the covered station area on the right and the yard on the left with tracks going into the building, but never clicked that they were the same place! Since I prefer to model actual locations, I'm now distracted by modelling this as it'd be good to operate with the small yard with the Church in the background and harbour/refinery branch on the extreme right next to the Yumuri river.

[298]

I've just had confirmation details from Central Alonzo's next public appearance at the NMRA(BR) 2024 winter meet in Stokenchurch, just off junction 5 of the M40:

 

Stokenchurch Community Centre,

Saturday 17th February 2024.

 

The venue can be found at:

Bartholomew Tipping Way, Stokenchurch, High Wycombe HP14 3RX.

 

I went last year and it is an excellent venue and well worth supporting.

Edited January 12 by 298

[298]

With all the talk of doom and gloom over the last week, may I highlight the modelling of Cuban Alejandro Cordoves, "Enamorado de Los Trenes":

 

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100084988162960

 

No shows to exhibit at over there but fortunately he is able to show his work online, and his scratchbuilds use household items such as cut down toothpaste tube caps for wheels...

Edited February 18 by 298

[298]

A few quick projects prior to the layouts appearance at Stokenchurch tomorrow: finally fitting licence plates to the vehicles (the array of 1950s Cuban plates came from the internet and we're reduced to 3.5*1.75mm, the Washington State plates are for someone else).

I gave up trying to decide whether the colour relates to the date of issue and whether they would be changed by the expiry date, and just chose the prettiest colours. 

 

 

And a laminated card showing how I packed the stock into box files, to save time putting it all away again...

 

 

Edited February 16 by 298

[298]

Some of @Gilbert's photos from yesterday although I must have missed him at the layout when I nipped out for lunch-thanks for taking them.

 

 

 

 

 

Although it was the layouts fourth show, it was actually the first where it's been out and back in a day. One problem with a lack of power in one direction to the frog in front of the 44 tonner above couldn't be traced, so I sprayed some electrical contact cleaner in it and cycled it a few times, and then it seemed to work. It was only a problem for the Cincinnati Car, which is the only vehicle without a stay alive- it didn't completely stall but the ABC programming caused it to reverse.

 

The show seemed well attended, although there is still the issue that the layout doesn't seem to be recognisable as Cuba, albeit one where everything is American. 

 

 

Edited February 18 by 298

[Gilbert]

I really enjoyed seeing your layout again - top notch - along with Kamiack Falls it set a very high standard.

Chris

[298]

Another order of custom decals turned around quickly by John from Precision Labels- I thought I'd messed up by not specifying double pass white as I must have done previously and they look quite thin on the backing sheet, but seem to have sufficient density when applied. I copied the font from a side photo of 965 in the Hershey archives, noting that it lacked the serifs on the lettering. As usual the S was the most difficult, but I found a similar font to manipulate:

 

 

 

 

 

The lower car of the three is an incorrect Walthers 40' box, finished before I realised the dimensions and weights I copied from a builders photo pretty much pointed to all Hershey cars being 36', the Accurail inside and outside braced cars being closest in design (1049 is now relegated to test status as I have enough 36' cars).

 

If I was smart enough I would have worked out exactly where the bracing went and adjusted the artwork to sit over it, instead of cutting it in position and painting over the gaps.