Tolga's Railroad Repository

Christmas is over, so it's time to watch stores for After-Christmas clearances. Historically, I scored the Sphinx set, which is a great parts pack, for half off at Walmart. This year, I hope to miraculously score Laval's Royal Fighter from Chima. Wait, why am I mentioning clearances? Because of what they can do to what I am really going to talk about... my 2014 LEGO plans. 2012 and 2013 have been marked by a boom in LEGO's color palette... not so much for earth tones, even though, yes, Olive Green sprouted and more Dark Tan than ever was being put out in sets. Dark orange made a 8 year comeback as well. But case in point, the big growth has been within the Friends and Chima lines. And it only took me until this summer to capitalize on it. Laval's Royal Fighter has a healthy chunk of Flame Yellowish parts that will help greatly when building FEC or CSX locomotives. This tone of yellow will look better than standard Bright Yellow on locomotives and even TTX boxcars....

If there's one tree NOT to put your gifts and stocking stuffers beneath, it's MY tree. History Since 2001, and with minimal fail (2003, 2008), I have managed to get some Laygoe trains running around the tree. The 2001 effort started with a botched copy of 4561, botched I say since we bought some half-assed version from Toys R Us with loads of missing pieces and got filled and reimbursed by the company. It was complemented with the 4553 Train Wash. 2002 had what I remember to be fragments of the 4565 Freight and Crane Railway as I managed to get it (and gazillions of other classic system and train sets) from St. Vincent de Paul (became Hearts United of Florida and now Maxyne's Thrift Shop). For 2003, I went back to HO Scale but it only lasted one year as the Life Like HO tracks were producing sparks, and not to mention I had no knowledge of what a 22" radius meant (my Opera centerbeam didn't like the layout) much less was able to differentiate the Wal...

Better Late Than Never I am pleased to announce, with only one week before Christmas, the 2013 holiday layout. This layout will be installed beneath my Christmas tree for about one month and will be removed Martin Luther King weekend. The reason I was late to do this was because of academia and finals. Also, the way the house was being cleaned up prevented earlier setup. Features include the Footbridge from 2012, McDonalds, Starbucks as seen before, and new models including the Modular Building that was finished a couple of weeks ago. The Gas Station is tentatively going to appear for the last time before a heavily needed rebuild is performed on it... it's the oldest existing building on the layout at 5 and half years of age. There should be an industrial section with appropriate models and buildings. I am not sure if I will be doing any sort of yards or team tracks. Just like the 2012, there will be one elongated pigtail loop, a trick that I kind of learned from the ol...

While Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is gracing Norwegian's 787-8 , more promising news have come from the airport, hot of the press today. http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/broward/fl-southwest-terminal-makeover-20131210,0,5567298.story Southwest and the Airport have joined forces to make (long-overdue) enhancements to Terminal A. The plan is to modernize the terminal as well as provide enhanced security and concessions. Five additional gates will add capacity. This is great especially considering that this capacity is now more possible thanks to the mammoth Runway Expansion project. Meanwhile in Miami, sources are saying LAN is expected to begin flying the 787-8 into Miami starting in late August. The flight will come in when it's dark and take off after 7AM, once a week. Air Europa and Royal Jordanian have, since my last praising post about 2014 at KMIA, announced intentions to fly here as well. 2014 is looking great for South Florida aviation. 20...

Sifting through some inventories on Bricklink, I found the parts list for the less than desirable Sunshine Ranch Friends Set and found two oddballs: 14719 Tile 2x2 Corner - A fairly essential piece, it resolves the need for improvising this configuration with a 1x2 and 1x1. Personally, I find this as juniorization for this configuration but it can certainly come in handy. This set has four in white. 15397 Plate 3x3 Cross - AKA "Railroad Crossing" piece, this part is the combination of a 1x3 with 1x1s off the center, making a perfect X. Robin and I used a similar but thicker configuration to rig crossbucks as I remember it, but this piece will, when released in white, eliminate the need for it. 1 of this is in Dark Orange in the ranch, presumably for the tree. Trees and certain connections will render this part quite useful.

POWER Most of the rock train power we have had has been an array of Dash-8s. In balance, Q453 and Q452 have bounced some goodies. CSX 72 (AC4400CW) - came in on V157-18 11/22, left pretty promptly CSX 231 (AC4400CW) - came in on Q453 11/11, left the next CSX 399 (AC4400CW) - came in on V157-18 11/22 CSX 448 (AC4400CW) - rotated on Rock train power, I think K995 brought it in CSX 8405 (BL SD40-2) - came in on Q453 11/14, left on Q452 CSX 8585 (SD50) - came in on Q453 11/11, left 11/12 on Q452 AMTK 511 (B32-8WH) Hot of the press, came right in on P097 in a "epic" lashup If I get recapped with more power I'll let you guys know in an addendum FEC 711 came back in Champion colors AMTK 189 "Big Game Train" rotated in and out Unit Trains I think it's this month a K962-K961 ran K996-K995 K950-K951 K978-K977- this pair has run frequently V157-18 and V187 I think for the FEC which its cars came in on 109 last Wednesday N016 has been continuing to run to November, but...

I don't usually railfan on weekdays, citing the fact that traffic is just plain a beyotch in South Florida, and usually I'm on campus until 5-6 PM except Mondays, where I'm there until 9 PM. This Friday would have been just like any Friday, but when I heard that FEC 109 was to have two heritage units and was a late runner, my mind changed and I was heading home much earlier. Thanks to my folks for making this possible (I'll be getting me a car soon though). FEC 109  109 ran into Hialeah at 4:50 PM in less than desirable weather. My photoshopping managed to make it a more colorful shot, but I was still unimpressed with the lighting and lack thereof. I'll make a point about the long string of racks later in this entry. I also heard something on the radio which will pertain to the last half of this entry. More related to this, Hialeah Yard on CSX was coming in with Y220 and O721 both building their trains. I decided on a whim to check out Hialeah Yard and get ...

The Holiday Season is fast approaching, and since I am writing with relation to my YouTube channel, I'm thinking it would help to highlight some key activities and events happening around that I may participate in. This is my first year in the University so there are finals in the way; a huge inconvenience and something to accustom to, but something I can work with. It will be interesting to have that extra week off though after finals. Aviation Planespotting at Miami International Airport, Wed. Nov. 27, 2013 - after the two classes that would matter for the day, I'll be watching MIA ops up until Sundown A Day of Railfanning Toys for Tots Train Chase - Tentative - Sat., Dec. 14, 2013. This item will be discussed most likely at a little meeting/getty with the other railfans, it has happened in the past, so that's why I put it in the calendar. If I can't chase it with them for whatever reason, I'll probably catch it locally like done in 2011 (a GRAND way to en...

It felt like yesterday when almost exactly three years ago, the fictious restaurant with promising and riveting detail, to the caliber the Miniatur Wunderland guys pulled off, was completed. The video was posted here to thousands of viewers: The model was pretty much a direct and expanded result of the Burrow set, 4840. It was laden with a limited parts palette and in some respects didn't look right (especially the black back wall for the "Second Floor".) It only served in mini-layouts like the one videotaped, and was downstairs for the Christmas layout in 2010 and 2011. Its spot was lost to McDonald's in 2012, (wow, what a big loss!), but at the same time, the model just began to get dusty and disintegrate. I already lost a huge chunk of sidewalk somewhere in the process. As some may have noticed it never made it to Plant City, and already then it was unofficially slated for retirement. What I really liked about the job I did on it was the fully furnished int...

Photo: Air France 695 lines up for takeoff at Runway 8R during the Sunday, Nov. 17 session of planespotting. Winter time at MIA is one of the best, and most bonafide times of the year to spot planes. While admittedly, the days are shorter, the difference in the diurnal cycle between summer and winter is insignificant compared to many other parts of the world due to the low latitude here in South Florida (truly a three hour difference), and the lighting is much better. Also, the weather is drier offering days of better sunlight. I started the "Spotting Sunday" tradition with famed "Miami Spotter" Carlos L. in the Winter 2011 aviation season (October 2011-March 2012). It was a fun season with lots of great spotting days, favorable (and unfavorable weather) and the development of both our video and photo skills. Summer was a hiatus in 2012, but I still sneaked out (Very Few) times. I picked up the spotting slate again in September with Carlos at the Holes, my f...

Just the fact that I live in Miami makes me look pretty meticulously at the Friends line. Even though I still stand without a single Friends set, I have already gotten a hold of pieces in Bright and dark Pink, Magenta, Medium Azure, and Medium Lavender. Just revealed and listed on Walmart's site is the 41035 Juice Bar . Just like the Heartlake City High, and I believe one or two other buildings, it is a set that I am looking at purchasing because it has just enough good pieces to offset the surplus of others. Features that add punch to this set (no pun intended) include: Flame Yellowish Orange basic brick; these parts are on my considerations list for future bulk, and as such since there isn't so many on this set or any set for that matter, I'll still do it but it's still at a noteworthy quantity in this set. The hue below it is classic orange which is welcome as well. Light (Cool) Yellow Baseplates - Two "Art Deco Curve Plates" and what look like a...

IMG_9691 , a photo by fiu on Flickr. I got caught on camera during the TED event ;)... I'm on the upper left of the shot, beard showing in the blur of the image.

High Speed Rail mentioned or not, the TED talks have piqued my interest and I made sure to book my free tickets for the Fall 2013 TEDxFIU , even willing to miss 25 minutes of an otherwise boring Chemistry lecture to do it. I succeeded, fortunately within that one minute window of availability. When I learned that there was going to be a speech regarding HSR, my anticipation for the event grew. Now that we are on the day of, I did some research for the event to recap what I will be ready to hear about and even discuss, and found (in the site linked above) that the speaker for HSR was missing from the final list even though his topic was still advertised. I did some more looking around and found his twitter with the disappointing news . Even though the topic that stood out really well will not make the cut for me, I still will go regardless and am looking forward to hearing the various topics, especially the topic about quantum physics and the Higgs Bosom. Also, I missed Dr. Marty...

Apparently today's not the day to chase around the Florida East Coast mainline as the line is mute... entirely. Before I become devil's advocate, the more heartening news. The South End of Gifford siding is now renamed in honor of the ailing veteran FEC signalman Robert Bougard. I really appreciate this selfless effort on the RR. He has been a dedicated employee and it is unfortunate that his health status is rough at the moment. Prayers are for a quick and speedy recovery. We remain hopeful and optimistic for him to improve rapidly. The naming conditions allow for the South End to be named "Bougard" and the North End to be named "Gifford". And now, the really negative stuff. Two incidents happened; one minor and one pretty drastic. In Hialeah, a car was stuck on the tracks, and hit by a local from Fort Lauderdale. I believe unfortunately this resulted in a casualty. This happened around noon, and I remember seeing the train lined on the monitor out of Dan...

WOW. This is why I strongly recommend railfanning at a safe distance. Apparently Andrew and his brother were out trainwatching at Boca Raton, when out of the blue, (no pun intended), the CITX leader's cylinders burst. It is presumed to be an engine failure, but quite drastic for EMD. I would expect that as bad as it was, they could fix this with a new prime mover. More on the 141 later.

Update on the Element Skyscraper Element has been a construction project for almost as long as the real thing, in Tampa, FL. It's my modern, SoBe-ish entry into the GFLUG Downtown Display. Only problem is, this Summer I ran into a shortage of white parts for the tower and couldn't find a way. Now, I have an out with a surplus of bley plate. The building has been on an unfortunate hiatus since and collected dust as well as stored PAB cups of LUGBULK on the pool deck... A solution that would speed construction was reached. Every time I'd pass it in Tampa, the white would not stand out strongly. So I figured, the ample load of Medium Stone Grey plates that I do have now could be used to frame the windows for a chunk of the mid-section to simulate the effect of cloud cover. Since high noon has the sun tracking from the south, the north side will be 100 % grey window frame. In order to compensate the color difference, the corresponding part of the concrete wall may be d...

LADY PICK A BRICK , a photo by brickbuilder711 on Flickr. Another mini-golden era has set in at LEGO PAB. Aventura Mall in Miami received a huge cut of girl parts, and when pastel pink, lavender, and the more masculine olive green is in the picture, it's truly an epic selection. Well, real men wear, and buy pink and I did no different. 1,249 tiles in the cup to the top alone, btw. WOW. Expect to see these parts used generously throughout my layout, and the 1x4 I got last year to complement it. Other key parts to look out for in US stores include: Gold Grillz bley mortars, 1x2s, 2x2 tiles, and round tile 1x1s (already covered for me by LUGBULK in the case of the latter) Dk Pink 1x4 (Aventura had it, I didn't want it) TrLtBlue 1x2 tile (I want it) White round 2x2 with grill and more...

HOT OFF THE PRESS! My thoughts favor the Great Vehix. It's nice to see things like a logging truck, a tow truck, etc. The auto transporter leaves a nostalgic memory in me, as my first city set ever was the 6432 Highway Haulers. However, from what I've seen, sets from the police line are a bit flat (they're not in the video). Nonetheless you could expect a few early reviews especially since I have a bit more money that can be invested into these sets this year.  LEGO is hitting very well with the Great Vehicles line once again; now I can't wait to see what's in store for the summer!

LEGO Store Aventura had these on the wall and also Dark Pink 1x4, which I neglected. No regrets, both missing out on that and getting these three cups.

Yesterday, yes on my birthday, I stood around for a two hour meeting regarding the pretty well hyped UniversityCity project that FIU is a part of. It sounds great and progressive for the city of Sweetwater. I was happy to be there nonetheless especially as a part of the Honors College. Now to clear things up for people who have vaguely heard of the project, it is not a transformation for the city but somewhat a catalyst for it. It will include beefing up transport options to and from the campus and a beautification project on 109th Ave to make it a true city street. It's a "Main Street" project in disguise. Two truly conspicuous improvements include a Pedestrian bridge over Calle Ocho and FIU's new garage, PG6. The mayor and people involved with this spoke and took questions. I asked about the Sweetwater Trolley and how sporadic it is and they said a schedule/ETA app for the circulator will be developed as part of the technology branch of this funding grant. I t...

One of the reasons I chose to reshape this blog is because of the dynamically changing transportation scene, which is indeed my cup of tea. Florida East Coast Railway is building a container transfer yard at Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale. It's old news and I saw the site myself when my mom and I were there on business. However, Local 10 has just had a story on it . video platform video management video solutions video player To hear that this project is finally inching towards completion is great news. It is a big economic plus for FEC as well as Port Everglades and South Florida. It will probably lead to the reinstatement of trains 117-218 as more capacity means more trains. Already, it will mean fewer trucks and less congested roadways. This project was something that should have been done years ago but the port lead in Everglades has been deteriorating. Now, it's being rebuilt and reshaped. Just earlier this year, ethanol made its debut at Motiva Enterprises ...

Before I start: Sometimes I feel pretty unstable with blogs, and change the way I post time to time on Blogger. In the first place, I had a previous account until I standardized everything under "TolgaCSXRailfan" in 2011 so some of the topics may seem redundant. In 2011, I created just about four to five blogs but I feel that it is too dilute right now. Statistically, the most popular blog is my Trainz Simulator 12 blog, and I am very satisfied about that. Nonetheless, I want to bring attention to the other topics that I deal with on YouTube and web media but I will still focus on Trainz. I still might keep that blog independent but all of the other topics are being fused to this one. The reason is simple; not because of lack of traffic but because 1. everything is relative and 2. there are being so many changes that you cannot imagine to the infrastructure (rail, sea, air, etc.) that I want to document and cover both by video and text (sometimes, text only when I feel it ap...

I have been a YouTuber for 5 and a half years and have been through the peak of the site... and now the trough of it. They rolled out a new design early this month and it is.... terrible. Not to mention a big middle finger to the contributors and partners  like ME. A Look Back at Previous Channels In case it is not known, my channel is focused on a hodgepodge of videos of transportation and scale models built with LEGO bricks and the like. I achieved partnership in 2010 so many of these screencaps lack the perks but show the drive that I had to become one... I did, but that's when things turned southward. The first design I caught up with had MANY, MANY features. I wasn't a partner then but was to some extent up and coming. Note: hobbies and media (I was in adolescence at the time, which is why I was quite expressive), being a "Director" (Wait, what's that now?), etc... and more in the subsequent screenies.  This my friends is how YouTube became popular. ...