Model Layout Photos From Florida's
Suncoast Model Railroad Club's Pikes
In Clearwater, Florida.

Robert (Bob) Sparkes is a fellow member of our Canadian Association of Railway Modellers (CARM) Chapter group operating out of an area north of Toronto, Canada.

Bob, like many other Canadians, chooses to escape the snow and when the geese fly south, so does he.

He does his winter model railroading in the Clearwater, Florida area at the Suncoast Model Railroad Club.

Bob kindly gave me some photos he took at the club so I can share them here with you. There are photos of some excellent buildings that I think were constructed with Design Preservation modular walls.

The Suncoast Club is HO but they also have a portable HO layout, an N scale layout and some ON30 modules.

Bob says it's a very active club. They have also participated in an annual show put on by one of the biggest hobby shops in Florida, HR Trains. Below are a few photos taken of the portable layout at that meet.

Click on the thumbnails for a larger view.

The Suncoast ON30 module

In Bob's words, "The module is On30, in other words, O scale on HO track. The little stone building is a station. All the buildings were cast in Hydrocal. The water tank was made on a commercial toilet roll tube by my buddy Ray Feldt. Ray also made the pine trees."

Bob points out that he made the tree and painted the shingled roof on the station. He used pinking shears to cut the paper. The result is very effective. All in all, a great scene.

Bob emailed me some new photos during the 2008 Christmas holidays. There is a lovely photo of the downtown area and three photos of bridges constructed with bass wood and card stock by a member trained in architecture. These bridges are spectacular.