Visalia District

[newhaven48]

Thank you for posting the pictures of Visalia jwb. I did not move to the area until 1998 and by the time I first was in Visalia most of the Santa Fe tracks were gone except for about 3.5 miles of track south of town which is still there. I did look up on Google map and found the location that you took those photos. Nothing remains of the tracks, and otherwise only the city water tank and a few buildings are still visible. Wondering if you have more pictures of the area that you may have taken?
Al Jones

[jwb]

As far as I can remember, I only took two others. I believe this is the Visalia Electric/SP crossing with the Santa Fe just north of the photos above:

   

Here is an interesting spur to the printing plant of the local paper, off the SP/Visalia Electric:

   

[newhaven48]

Thanks again for posting the new pictures jwb. I was able to find the location of the picture that you took of the boxcar in a siding at the newspaper building. The newspaper building and the tracks in the street are still there and the tracks are used on a regular basis. The siding was pulled out at sometime in the past but a short section of track still remains in the the street. The other picture I am unable to determine the exact location but by the process of elimination I think I found it but none of the buildings are the same. Amazing how things have changed in just 20 years. The other thing that has changed in the area is the 2 new very large warehouses, one on the UP in Delano and one on the BNSF about 12 miles north of Hanford where product of all kinds are put together in multi car trains for daily and or weekly shipments east. This would make a great theme for a modern switching layout as you only need one type of car--the 64' white reefer-- and a switch engine of your choice
Al Jones

[jwb]

I agree that reefer traffic in the area is resurgent -- I'm hesitant to hijack this thread on that issue, though. Maybe start a new one. Have you taken any photos of the Delano operation in particular? I think I glimpsed it from route 99 not long ago.

[newhaven48]

Hi GVL I was hoping you might post some more photos of you layout as you do have a very nice layout.
Al

[GVL]

Al, not much to report lately. I did some work on my NW2 switcher from Broadway Limited and corrected the most obvious deviation from the real Santa Fe machines. The sloped transition between cab and engine hood (typical for the final production phase of the NW2) was carefully cut out and replaced by a stepped one (a milled plastic part).
After painting the replacement part, the machine was lightly weathered.
I like to add the (canvas?) sunshades above the front and side windows as well but I am still undecided as to what material to use to replicate that detail.



Gino

[Breezer]

Gino, very nice work

sunshades on my Alco S1 out of paper handkerchiefs "Tempo"...



more http://www.frankenmodell.de/galeriewp509.html

Alexander