[HD] CSX Q453-30 - Dania, FL - 07.30.11

So I was able to secure a little catch on the CSX tracks last night after doing some IKEA shopping and running an errand at Sawgr-ass mills mall. (Well, there's a LEGO store coming but I still don't like the place)

One thing I will try to neglect as little as I can is catching inbound manifest on CSX. I was fully okay with neglecting FEC 101, FEC 222, blah, givens. I didn't care about Amtrak today. Even so, Q452, with its recent short size wasn't "production value". (Super 8 reference) But what serves a modeler's plate well for his turf is what comes in. It shows who is still demanding what. So I managed to figure out where more or less 3/4 of the train goes, but the numerous standard size boxcars don't necessarily correlate to Fort Lauderdale anyway. Even so I gathered a couple of road numbers to trace accordingly as to their status.

The train is not blocked per industry at Waycross; this is the Miami yard jobs' duties. So things that pair up for the same destination might be split up, after all. I do admit it surprised me not a single Bad Order Yelvington empty was on this train. O717 demands are in light blue. Transflo Loads are in green.

1: Likely for new rock offloading facility @ Opa-Locka, OR Cemex Miami, Fly-ash most likely

2-5, 53: Newsprint for Sun-Sentinel

6-9, 21-24, 28, 36-38, 42-44: Miami Area, can be Fort Lauderdale bound

10-13: By principle it looks like what Orr Treatment Plant in Kendall would receive, but can be for TRANSFLO

14: Certainly for TRANSFLO, Pressureaide of Plastic Polymers

15: Likely Newsprint for Sun-Sentinel

16-18, 49-51: Likely for TRANSFLO

19-20: Home Depot. Note pieces of wrap were dangling. This is why I do not recommend setting up literally next to the train. Camera was unattended when train was through, even though it was 5' away

25: Plastics. Looks like it can be headed to Publix since a new TILX was seen there.

26-27: Chlorine. Likely for Orr.

29: Plastics. Different reporting mark tells me may head to Seal-Tite or Nailite

30: Chlorine. Either FLL Water Treatment Plant, Orr, or Sentry

31-32: ECUX Plastics hoppers, very likely TRANSFLO

33, 35, 45: May be newsprint or headed for Trujillo.

34: Empty Scrap, Miami Iron & Metal

39-41: Likely to be for Miami Iron & Metal or for the recycling place No. of Hialeah

46: BAM. Coal Ash for Cemex Miami... NDYX 912052, my hope for Lehigh operations this week

47-48: Either TRANSFLO, AFEC, or Orr

52: Allsteel & Gypsum

And there you have it. Hope one day going car by car is something I won't want to do because the train would be too long. ;)

YouTube: Review of Atlas TRAINMAN CSX 50'6" Boxcar

In this one I review the aspects of the simplistic TRAINMAN line item. I also explain why it is better to get these cars now than in the future.

Option B

I might scrap the yard-included version in favor of this double decker plan. You can see the two together roughly, in one pic, and the top deck alone, which is O717's turf. I'm only going to do the top deck first then figure out a way to do the FLL yard.

Apparently some errors made there be two decks in one in this screen, but this was not saved. You can see where the yard on the lower deck will go. I took the opportunity to bitmap this one just to show how the two can look together.

The 'helix' is removable and actually will be just one steep downgrade turn. This is the upper deck, the meat of the layout.

My purpose in splitting the two is, well, without either Cross Deck, the WTP, or Amerigas, you can't have O717. You can't have it without BrickAmerica, and ESPECIALLY Home Depot. I'll use hinge- and - wire "technology" to display the extensions when needed. Think of it as when you lift the hood of a car and it's manual, so you have to attach a metal rod to the front bumper area. The first section to be done will be Deerfield to Pompano, with the temporary staging along the upper two industries. The under-deck will likely be affected by the wooden supports and will be a separate budget as I hit senior year.

Review coming soon!

Going to explain the importance of getting as many low-cost rolling stock items NOW in an impending YouTube video. This relates to basic Walthers and Atlas Trainman series. Coinciding with the importance is a nifty review of the Atlas 50'6" CSX boxcar I bought on July 6.

Miami - Cuban Coffee - Photo Essay

A bunch of us have been chatting it up on the South Florida Railfans Yahoo! Group about the various restaurants that have stands laden with Café Cubano.

Some of these are actually hidden along rail corridors! And they are not far when scouting the local in question.

Here are three alone I've been to and how much I recommend them.

The Homestead Sub has two nearby restaurants with formica countered coffee stands, La Carreta (Bird Road) and Rinconcito Latino.

Rinconcito is a chain that is fast growing, and offers great food and though I haven't tried it, the Cuban Coffee is probably great too. Hell, almost anywhere the brew should be good.

 

I've been to the 105th and Bird location that spells MIAMI well. This is however, 3.3 miles from the SXH 1044.22. There is one though by Coral and Ludlam, 0.4 miles east of the SXH 1043.21. And it is a great grab-n-go when chasing O721. RL is the closest "Lance friendly" coffee stand to the Homestead Sub, which guarantees a train every day anywhere between 4:15 and 6:15 PM, and its return in a wider window between 10 PM and 1 AM. I have a pic from 104/bird and a GSV look at Ludlam/Coral. The bird road location should be essentially similar... it has formica tables and counters, and the food is one of the best deals anyone can find. Where can you get a nice made-to-order sandwich for $5? Perfect for when one is done with chasing O721 to Krome.

The only reason I never tried RL's coffee is... well... La Carreta and only the Bird Rd has THE BEST and ABSOLUTE BEST Cafe Cubano anyone can find. Their stand spells Miami all around and can actually be more personal and down home than others. This location unlike RL has lasted 25 years and counting. Coffee is a good $0.70 + tip so say, a buck total. The flavor is so rich you'll be in heaven for a little bit... and here the ambiance is "Lance Friendly" as well. People have told me stories there about the FEC, Miami history, and even one person who works by Miami Iron / FPT told me about the downtown job (Y120) and how basically it works FPT, taking its cut across N River, switching, and so on. The counter sandwich bar inside is also a nice place to have some grub as well. As for the pic of the half empty and already consumed cup, I gotta say, I was so enticed to drink the coffee that I forgot to take a pic of it. :P

Pics:

One string attached though: It's 1.4 miles away from the Homestead Sub's SXH 1044.22. Though the side trip is worth it.

The last picture was a bit of compensation for the half full to show how a fairly full size cup looks like, albeit ordered to go (para llevar), though it was taken at their Int'l Mall location. More catered to the nearby mall, the place isn't nearly as exotic, though it is only a short 5 minute walk away from the Lehigh Spur's SXL 1045.51. The Lehigh Spur at one point boasted 70 car Florida Rock trains, but I hope to god that business isn't gone forever. FRKX has recently only shipped out of Krome.

Cuban Coffee is the secret ingredient to the magic of railfanning in Miami. It is also the conduit for exchanging stories, experiences, and can be a very lasting memento when in town for a day or two. I personally recommend stopping for it fully to enjoy it, as god intended, in a ceramic cup. Definitely like Lance says, it's one thing you won't find in a Starbucks, McDonald's, or Dunkin Donuts.

Friday Night Hollywood Railfanning

A fairly fruitful outing yielded a classic Miami Sub meet. O720 met Q453 in front of my eyes... I really like both trains. Q453 is the manifest carrier that sets up O717, 18, 20, 21, 22, and all the yard jobs. O720 yesterday had lots of freight for Conrad Yelvington.

Enjoy the video!

CSX Y120

While not a figure of the Fort Lauderdale area, Y120 is really an interesting operation.

I was the first ever person to post a video of that train on YouTube which answers questions a many about ops on the exotic Downtown Spur, while still leaving several unanswered.

The job coming back is truly a hidden treasure, as it arrived in late morning hours. People are sought after daylight moves on CSX, and this is one of the five trains you can see in daylight no matter what time of year.

The train today was also a barometric measure of how well the Downtown Spur's industries are doing. 13 cars tells me they are just fine... This is certainly one of the longer switchers I've seen in South Florida.

 

The 13 cars were laid out like so: (Loads in green)

2 boxcars for Trujillo Foods (Trailing Westbound)

2 Tankers for Sun Gas (Trailing Westbound)

1 lone FPTX Scrap Gondola (Trailing Eastbound)

5 Miami Iron & Metal Scrap Gondolas (Trailing Eastbound)

1 Tanker for Family & Son Produce (Trailing Eastbound)

2 Boxcars for Family & Son Produce (Trailing Eastbound)

The trailing points westbound were kind of blocked in reverse order. I would've expected Trujillo to be behind Sun Gas but I guess switchwork is switchwork. Maybe CSX would've blocked a crossing w/ those TTX cars tacked on to the 11 remaining cars.  

The trailing indicator refers to the switching procedure and it helped me arrive those conclusions. CSX does not do multiple run arounds on their train, only one at the end.

Hope you enjoy the brief video cramped in gritty chain link fences, rusted industrial spurs, and loud clanking of the warehouses.

Antique Prick Stone?

Someone must've had too much time in their hands and fooled around with the Antique Brick and Stone sign along the West Rail customer that Y220 now serves. lol

CSX O718 - What is O718?

The other job CSX runs is much more closely knit to Fort Lauderdale Yard. While I am doing Fort Lauderdale Yard, it is a subordinate focus to represent this train. In real life it switches Transflo as it is allowed to, after daytime hours. It also shuttles Transflo cars between Dania house tracks, the Middle and Back Track, and the mix of F05 and the Transflo yard. Transflo is a granular/bulk transloading facility, owned by CSX. In real life the 4 tracks can hold some 30 spots but in my layout, 8. But that'll do as quite so, model railroading is very expensive a hobby. As nocturnal as it is, and as hard to catch it as it is, I don't really have photos of the job, nor video.

Nonetheless you'll be seeing a new set of cars in my hands in the near future, thanks to a very dedicated contributor online here.

[HD] CSX O721-17 through Coral Way Miami, FL 07.17.11 - Tropical Railfan...

Things like this you really won't find anywhere else... CSX runs their Homestead Sub through the tightest neighborhoods ever. You can say you're in North Cuba when you have stucco houses facing a net of trees, garbage bins, driveways, powerlines and communication cables, but the true element is the rock-train laden CSX tracks smack-dab down the median of NW 72 Ave! Enjoy this video of a train through the "runner up" for my MRR layout area, the Homestead Sub.

What is O717?

Lately I took a closer look at this train.

O717 is the Fort Lauderdale to Deerfield Beach local that works the manifest industries with the exception of Conrad Yelvington in Cypress Creek. The working order is as follows:

• Departs at 10 AM and usually ties down at 6 PM
• May switch the north end of S Dania yard
• Switching is straightforward, trailing point NB then run-around then trailing point SB. 
• Does not access Amerigas deep in the spur, which I learned a trackmobile is responsible for
• Crew ends the day at Flossie's in Dania (Thanks, Ted... ;) )
• Monday-Friday
• Sets out cars at FLL Yard at 4pm or so, on F05.

The lingo is pretty simple when it comes to O717. Now, the workload is what makes it THE local I have chosen to model. Its train can contain many different cars; different shapes, if you will from an artistic point of view. Also there is eye candy to see such as the train stepping on the track 2 platform at Deerfield to work Sun-sentinel, and the light move to Flossie's.

Types of cars (2011-)
Boxcars (of course) - 50' low cube, 50' high cube, 60' high cube
Centerbeam flats
Coil Cars
Tank cars - 25500 gal, new LPG tanks
Refrigerator cars (57')
Covered Hoppers (Plastics)

Now I put 2011 in parentheses because the past few years this train was responsible for Dania's Gerdau Ameristeel, the Plastic manufacturer in Sheridan, Cemex, and at times, Golden Glades's customers... now that work is that of O722.

The other local i am representing is O718 which will be familiarized at a later time.

CSX O717

Courtesy Mike M., my local as seen a few months ago according to him. Well, for this here layout I call it mine. Coincidentally it had the unit I bought from Warrick's, 4305. Here O717 is at a good size with 18 cars. I don't get the two empty centerbeams at the end though... I wonder if they were on the same spur as the Cross Dock and Cold Storage (which I had referred to wrongly as CarbAmericas)

Car by Car:
Covered Hopper for Publix
First three boxcars for St. Pete Times
TTX boxcar for Home Depot
First two tankers for W.R. Grace and Co.
Remaining 6 tankers for Amerigas
Centerbeams remain a mystery since they were empty but I'm assuming Allsteel was to load them with gypsum
Reefers from Cold Storage

CSX O717

Rudy caught the CSX local barometer today...

From where it came looks like it just set out a few cars at Home Depot, who will be included on this layout at a later time. Hope one car is a centerbeam full of panels of extruded foam. ;)

O717 as seen in Pompano Beach had quite a distinguishable assortment. Though the boxcar on top is a mystery, and I believe it's for BrickAmerica on the trip home, the hopper is clearly for Publix as it's the only such recipient on this stretch of cov'd hoppers, and the 6 LPG tankers were for Amerigas. Hell, I'm modeling Amerigas on this layout. ;)

Purchase from Ready To Roll Last Wednesday

Made off with two yards of wood C83 Flex Track from Ready To Roll Trains and an Atlas CSX Trainman HO Scale boxcar.

The video I will be posting towards the end of the week explains the importance of getting what you can now as it relates to price hikes and whatnot.

Pics soon, well that'll be the video.

Industry Update for Fort Lauderdale-Pompano

BrickAmerica and Allsteel/Gypsum were dead last week (7/4-7/8)... But it looks like Q453 is to the rescue with 6 coil cars for Allsteel/Gypsum, the only recipient of such in south Florida!
















Meanwhile Home Depot had a couple of 60 footers in sight.

The above industries I mentioned are all worked by O717 and it is critical to know of activity. I am really only including Allsteel out of the three but the other may see placement in an extended layout.

Tip on Layout Building

Lance Mindheim seemed to have done it and I am planning to do. When you want to build a layout it is highly recommended that the tables be pretty high up. While smaller children won't have access to it, which can be a good thing anyway, adults and teens like myself alike can maintain a better posture. A 4' high means you do not have to bend your neck or back to reach it, which can reduce the likelihood of scoliosis. It also can provide additional storage space and can allow more to be stored whereas you can still troubleshoot faults in wiring or what not.

MSL Episode 1: CSX Atlas TRAINMAN GP39-2

My Main Unit: CSX GP39-2 #4305

Managed to scope out a CSX GP39-2 on my trip last Saturday from Warrick's. It's a DCC ready but not decoded (?) model from Atlas Trainman, which is already cheap to begin with. I think DCC and sound CAN fit in it.

I got it for $81... It needs work such as ditchlights, MU Cables, MU hoses, brakeline, and maybe a horn change but otherwise it looks great!

Compared to her sister the SD70MAC, the handrails are super sturdy as well.

This unit will be the flagship switcher unit for the layout as work is often carried out by a GP39-2. I hope to have it pimped out with DCC this winter.

More Industry By Industry: Sun-Sentinel

I really have not neglected the continuing series of "Industry by Industry" that only shone in early 2011. I managed to seek out a few pics around the Sun-Sentinel area, but mainly got snaps of Tri-Rail's station as it is really essential to the progress of this here route. Also I got lucky and fortunate, catching Amtrak 91 with a B32-8WH! Enjoy the photo study for my layout's critical DFB section.

Amtrak 91 has a surprise, B32-8WH #516 leading the train to the station. Deerfield regularly hosts four Amtrak trains.

A look down the Amtrak Station. This photo can be useful to aggregate data on station infrastructure + the SFRM, which its members are closely affiliated with my group and some relate well to my efforts in this project.

Sun-Sentinel had four boxcars for the weekend, which I believe is the most that can be handled.

The surface for the Track 1 Platform is different. It's an asphalt platform unlike the typical concrete of others.

This was a needed shot to emphasize the details of the Sentinel Spur. There is a Stop/ Dismount sign, which I duly know Lance Mindheim mentioned on his site