No, you won't find "Camellia Park" in any listing of cities and towns of Alabama, but it exists on my new Birmingham Terminal Division layout. As I explained in a previous thread, my friend Dick Schultz sratch-built from original plans the Cedar Rapids, Iowa Union Depot, and it ended up in our basement. I was going to simply display it, but my wife Marsha insisted that it be integrated into the layout. So rather than trying to model the Birmingham Terminal Station again, I instead "incorporated" a new fictitious suburb of Birmingham called Camellia Park. It is the home of the famous Camellia Park Raceway, featuring thoroughbred horse racing (not just the Frisco's "thoroughbreds") and affording the opportunity to set out horse/baggage cars, sleepers and the Frisco's business cars that arrive for the quarterly meetings of the company Board of Directors. Before showing you the Frisco trains that call at Camellia Park, I thought I would let you see this magnificent depot in its new setting. I'll show the trains later. I hope you enjoy this little tour. The last photo I just had to add for the benefit of Greg Stout, in honor of his excellent book on the Southern Railway's passenger trains. It's the "Pelican" southbound from New York, rumbling into Camellia Park. Ken McElreath
Very nice Ken! Congrats to Marsha for insisting you use it on your layout. Does the Cedar Rapids Union Depot still exist? I used to call on customers in Cedar Rapids in 1970-1971 and I think I might have seen it, but I'm not sure. That was a while ago! Ken
Excellent Ken! Thank you Marsha for making him put it on the railroad. I like the wet look on the platform, adds atmosphere. I guess steam is dead there now judging from the '58 Impala.
Ken, the prototype Cedar Rapids depot was demolished to build two parking garages in 1961. And Don, steam is not dead! That '58 Chevy can disappear in an instant. Rewinding the clock by ten years, in 1948 the Frisco moved three 4300s (4301, 4302 and 4303) across the Mississippi River to serve as power for the Kansas City-Florida Special between Memphis and Birmingham until the new diesels showed up. Here is #4303 arriving at Camellia Park in early 1950 on the Special. I am also including a sequence of the northbound Sunnyland with #1522 on the head end, preparing to pick up Business Car #4 to take it back to St. Louis.
Thanks Ken, I was afraid you'd gone over to the dark side. Glad to hear common sense still prevails there. Nice work!
That is one superb piece of prototype modeling! How many hours do you reckon he put into the station? I've considered similar treatment on our KC Northern Division: instead of modeling KCUS, I'd considered bringing old Union Depot back to life as a joint SL-SF/AT&SF station, or do something similar to Chuck Hitchcock's old "Argentine" depot, as depicted in Model Railroad Planning c. 1997. Ken, your heavyweight passenger car models should make any streamlined passenger car hang its diaphragms in shame. Best Regards,
Question for Ken McElreath: Is your 4303 a brass model? Or a scratch? Kitbash? It's a really handsome brute! Thanks, Tom G.
Tom, Number 4303 is an Overland Models brass engine, custom painted by Don Wirth, with all of the passion he brings to the project. Ken
In February 1950 the Frisco began receiving its batch of 17 EMD E8As, numbered 2006 through 2022. Here is an ordered sequence of photos of #2013 "Sea Biscuit" and #2011 "Gallant Fox," working the Kansas City-Florida Special #106 northbound with some head-end switching at Camellia Park and then departing. The diner/lounge is also added there instead of downtown Birmingham in order to give more time for servicing/restocking and to save terminal switching costs. Since the Southern Railway "owns" Camellia Park Union Depot and the Frisco is a tenant, the switching for the Special is handled by the Southern's station switcher on this shift. On alternate shifts, the Frisco provides the switcher and crew. The "story" makes for some interesting layout operations. Please forgive my deficient photography skills. The depth of field of my camera is a challenge with limited lighting. But then, what do you expect from 1950s technology? Enjoy. Ken McElreath
Ken - Who's E8's are those? Not P2K? Overland? Love the blue coonskin on the E8's. I wish Frisco would have continued using those, but the color didn't hold up very well. I used a blue one on my SLSF 2022 Champion. Looks great. Ken
The two E8s are Oriental Models; you can still find them at train shows or on the internet occasionally. I added custom Frisco details, then painted and decaled them with those suberb Microscale two-layer decals. Ken McElreath
Loving these pictures. Would love to post some on my facebook page for friends and family if I have permission.
Craig, You certainly may use any of these photos as you wish. I am thrilled that they warrant your consideration. This applies to anyone else on the forum as well, maybe even for a mouse pad! For me, the hobby is about enjoying it with you all. I don't find many people in Iowa who would, as my wife says, "Ooh and Aah" appropriately. Ken McElreath
