Calusa Creek at a Glance
Anatomy of the Railroad
The 500+ feet of roadway is mostly Llagas Creek Code 215 nickel silver “G” flex track. There are sections of code 250 flex track made by either Llagas Creek or Sunset Railroad. (Special clamps are used to mesh the rail of different code.) Much of the track is laid on brick placed on tamped soil. Shoulders are mudded using painted stucco mix. This approach to track bed seems to work best in Florida where the soil is mostly sand. A combination of rail joiners and clamps by Split Jaw and Llagas join the sections of track.
A spur exists for loading trains or serves as a siding.The engine house accommodates three locomotives and a harp stand switch is thrown for entry and egress from each of the stalls.
There is a winding narrow gauge spur for shorter locos, mostly steam engines, which labor with the changing grade.
Scratch built structures have popped up around the layout. Theses are constructed using PVC sheeting and plumbers glue. Trestles are built with Hardie cement board. These items can be finished to have the appearance of wood but will stand up to the harsh weather, especially humidity, encountered here. Ideas for these structures derive from pictures in magazines or on the net.
Most of the 17 hand-made switches are from Llagas Creek. The switches are activated by pneumatic controls which rely on a compressor hidden in a building on the layout. All switch controls at the present time are operated from a single box. The pneumatic air control fittings and switches are supplied by Clippard.
All engines have been converted to DC analog power and use lithium-ion rechargeable batteries. The batteries are either 14.8 or 18 volt packs from various suppliers.
The wireless control and sound are QSI Titan decoders and receivers with throttles supplied by NCE. One exception is the GG1 electric engine made by MTH with uses its own proprietary Proto system.
Rolling stock consist of countless freight and passenger cars from various manufacturers—LGB, Aristocraft, MTH and USA Trains. A few freight cars are hand made from Hartford Products kits.
A combination of knuckle and hook and loop couplers are used. All coupling is manual.
Buildings are mostly scratch built using PVA ¼” or ½” sheet. A couple of buildings are wood using kits from Garden Structures.
Engines:
1. LGB articulated saddle tank steam mogul
2. Aristocraft ALCO FA=FB Sante Fe
Warbonnet units, 0-6-0 and 0-6-0
3. LGB Bumblebee steam mogul 211-D, 2-6-0
4. LGB Davenport diesel Switcher 0-4-0
5. Maerklin electric Crocodile 2-6-6-2
6. Bachmann Ely Thomas Two Truck steam Shay 4-0-4
7. Aristocraft steam mallet with Vanderbilt
Tender 2-8-8-2
8. LGB Short electric Crododile 2-6-6-2
9. MTS GG-1 electric 4-6-6-4
10.. Harland trolley 'self propelling'
11 MTH GG-1 Electric
12. MTH Dash 8 diesel
13, Several engines including live steamers owned by friends.
Rolling Stock: 80 pieces, mostly LGB,
some Bachmann and USA
Control: G Wire QSI, Airwire and Crest
Buildings: Scratchbuilt
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Name: Calusa Creek Railway
Location: Fort Myers, Florida
Size of Railway: 150’ x 50’
Scale: G Scale with sizes ranging
from 1:29 to 1:32
Length of Track: 350’ of passenger and
freight; 100’ of branch line;
sidings and yard 100’
Minimum Radius: 11’ Diameter main line,
8’ branch line
Motive power: Lithium Ion Batteries
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