fulton

Florida Potato and Onion, distribution warehouse Plant City.

Genset switching, an Atlas model with MRC sound and lights, the airboat and figures from Shapeways.

Oversize load on State Road 574, near Plant City Florida, HO scale, vehicles from Shapeways.

Unfortunately no photos but I recall in the 1970's when building houses in Lower Halstow, Kent, we cut through the 2' gauge line still crossing The Street (common local name for the main road) under 9" of tarmac, which connected the clay pit with the brickworks, we also found buried a number of rusted out skip wagons and the point lever which I kept. Similarly we found the narrow gauge line still crossing Grange Road, Gillingham, Kent, under 1' of concrete and tarmac which connected the chalk pit with the cement works. Both probably still there. 

Yes the public side will see a gray ply back to FP&O, with a Digitrax outlet in it for when I want to operate from the front, the control panel is on a long lead to allow this, was not sure how to deal with this otherwise as I really like the operator view of FP&O which the public will not have. Cannot get a photo of the public side at the moment as the layout is set up against a wall. Do not know if RCP platforms are still in use.

Plant City Florida, Potato Spur.

Just completed two kits from Showcase Miniatures, ordered direct, came in five days lucky I did not get done for tax, both went together well, kits are a mixture of resin, white metal, etched brass and etched stainless steel, particularly liked the etched stainless steel, which I left mainly unpainted.

I understand the boiler was etched brass, I will continue to use PVA glue as it is cheap and easy to use, the NS rail is weathered anyway, with the top polished.

Just to add my bit, part of the problem could be down the PVA glue, I find it tarnishes NS rail during ballasting and the vapors hang around for sometime, I have seen a thread that explained PVA glue is not inert even when dry which was explaining why a loco boiler filled with lead glued in with PVA "exploded" after ten years due to the chemical reacting with the lead, as others have said ventilation is a big part of the answer.

Good memories of the Chatham Show in the Historic Dockyard, No3 Slip, prior to opening not sure of the year, but me as a slimmer, younger man.

We must be lucky here in Medway, (not lucky for much else!) green garden waste bin emptied each week, sometimes I think it is the only service I get for my Council Tax.

Hi Been away for awhile, diverted into model aircraft, as they say a change is as good as a rest, just weathered this Exactrail box car, we were due to travel to Germany the day the French closed the border, so frantic covid test my wife's results came on the 24th at 9am mine at 2pm a quick change of Eurotunnel booking, to the 6,20pm shuttle, all a bit stressful, not helped by the M20 being closed for operation stack and the Police at the checkin saying it was up to the French if they excepted our documents or not, but all was well arrived back in Dusseldorf at 1am Christmas day. 

CSX Transportation SD40-2 switches Plant City Florida, Potato Spur.

Post Brexit, ordered a number of modelling items from Spain, on line Sunday, from Ammo MIg, delivered today, Wednesday, no hold up, no extra charge.

Was DCC, I agree it was caused by slop in the drive train, I also found one loco, a Kato GP35, had no play what so ever to allow for any change in gradient, derailed every time on the transition from level to grade, another loco relegated to level sections. 

Something else to consider, test your locos going DOWN a gradient, I had the experience on my old garage layout that some locos "hunted" terribly going down a 2% gradient, due to slack in their drive trains, maybe thrust washers would have helped but I just relegated those locos to the flat sections, this was all HO American diesels.

Agree with above, having built houses including timber frame, for 30 years the roof void is designed as a cold space, when the wind blows it should be like a gale up there, lots of ventilation, in one photo looks like the fixings to one gable iron strap are missing.

Yes that was the fence in question, thank you for your informative reply.

Traveled on EURO TUNNEL today, question what is the purpose of the heavy duty, looking, tall "fencing" around 5m tall at each terminal by the loading/unloading platforms, wind break maybe? Curious every time I travel through the tunnel. Noted very quiet today, French terminal buildings closed , was sent directly to the loading area, so caught the earlier shuttle which was handy.

Used code 75 on home and exhibition layouts with no problems, IMHO when ballasted and weathered looks good, my latest layout I thought I would give the recently available code 70 or 83 a try, I could get code 83 points but no track, or code 70 track but no points! So have used Code 83 points and code 70 track, a little bit of packing all works and looks good. Photo shows code 83 points with code 70 track, I run everything from Athearn blue box to Exact Rail without problems, careful laying and flat baseboards are the key.

Shoving platform ready to lead CSX train Q-709 back to Plant City.

CSX train Q-709, the Plant City switcher, about to return to Plant City, Florida, pushing the train using a shoving platform, the crew person on board will direct the engineer in the locomotive cab by radio, and use a hand held air horn to sound a warning at grade crossings. Shoving platforms are often converted cabooses, with all facilities removed.

Gated entrance to the secure tank car storage area at Plant City, Florida, Potato Spur, used to store tank cars when there was no room at Triest Irrigation unloading facility, tank cars are carrying pesticides, this traffic ended around 2015. This compound holds five cars and Triest Irrigation can hold four, my model can hold three and three.

The other end.

Have been operating today, with working gates for the first time. The tank car secure storage compound for off spot cars to Triest Irrigation.