New member - clark33

[clark33]

Hello, I’m in Catarman, Northern Samar, Philippines. On the edge of the north-western pacific. Here as elsewhere in Philippines, there is a dearth of Model Railroaders / Railway Modellers. The only hobby shop I know in Manila, 475 kms NW of here, seems to be a factory outlet of Tamiya. LOts of large sacale boats, cars, space-ships and military dioramas, but no trains. My current solution is to have my mate Brad in Sydney fill a box, to then be picked up by BM express http://www.bmexpress.com/bmexpress/sea-cargo.php The service is called a balikbayan box (BB), a sea-cargo 5 weeks to here. BBs are shipped by the million by the millions of overseas Filipino workers (OFW). Started by Marcos, 30 years ago, supposedly unopened and tax exempt.

 

I’m still not used to the lack of supplies here. No 9V PP9 batteries, no brass screws, no jig saw or Stanley knife blades, no drill smaller than 10mm, no coloured wire for mains electric light. Unlike UK, where the home store stocks everything, and will cut your plywood to size at so much per cut; here you hire a carpenter by the day, buy sheets of 8 by 4 foot plywood, even supply a saw. All is cut by hand; it’s a straight line. I’ts a world of hammer and nails and no power tools.

 

However, I now have time and space, am putting together an H0 single level DCC 1960s Seaboard Airline Railroad (SAL). Now, 18 months into the project: a series of adjacent 4 by 2 foot modules. All removable to my bench. I use a wheelchair, I can’t get to underneath otherwise; and as I don’t stand, no double deck. Havew tsaken notes and snapshots. Feel free to ask.

 

Phil Clark.

[eastwestdivide]

Well, welcome and we can only admire your dedication and patience being so far from what some of us would call "civilization"!