Layouts to Remember, Part I, South Baltimore

e*Train Issue: Apr 2019 | Posted in: Operating & Layouts

By John S. Halajko, TCA# 84-20653 Spring 2019

One of the best benefits of being a TCA member is that of being invited to visit fellow member homes with layouts or train gardens. For many years I lived in Baltimore on work assignment and developed closer TCA friends there than at home in New Jersey. The layout that follows is the second one that I remember seeing in the Federal Hill home of Frank G. Hubbard. Alas, Frank is no longer with us. His arrangements of music, church bell playing and service to this church is missed.

Frank Hubbard and his Baltimore home layout

This wonderful layout is no longer together, and the trains are now with new owners. Let’s take a tour of Frank’s large-scale layout and take in the theme of FDR visiting a small town in Colorado. Lots going on, so let’s get started.

FDR has arrived in this small Colorado Town serviced by a narrow-gauge railroad. He and Eleanor follow the Marine Corps detachment down main street. Life in this small town still goes on without interruption of the Presidential Visit.

Notice the parade vehicles in tow and the detailing around trackside. Frank was a master modeler. Many of his O-Gauge Buildings of downtown Baltimore (from a previous layout) are with the B&O Museum in Baltimore.

His work to finish off buildings and trackside with interesting figures is simply fascinating. Enjoy the views.

Shop Amazon and Help TCA

TCA members who shop at Amazon.com can have each of their normal purchases generate a modest payment to TCA! And it won’t cost you anything!

The Train Collectors Association is now a participant with AmazonSmile, which is a special website operated by Amazon that lets customers enjoy the same wide selection of products, low prices and convenient shopping features as on Amazon.com.

The difference is that when customers shop at AmazonSmile (smile.amazon.com), the AmazonSmile Foundation donates 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases to the charitable organizations selected by customers.

The process is simple. Just search for and select Train Collectors Association when you sign up and shop at smile.amazon.com.

You use your regular Amazon.com username and password, but when you log in to smile.amazon.com, you’ll see that you are supporting TCA with your purchases:

Note that if you just log in to the regular amazon.com, this benefit does not operate.

There are no costs to either you or TCA, but TCA benefits!

This is a great way for TCA to earn extra cash to offset costs, so sign up today to help support TCA.

* Note: TCA is not a party to any of your Amazon transactions, and does not endorse any products or vendors.

Helping TCA with your ebay purchases when you use PayPal

If you’re an ebay user and have a PayPal account you use to make payments, you can designate a donation for TCA when you’re checking out — any amount, small or large.
If you’re a regular seller on ebay, you can pre-designate a percentage of your sales to be donated automatically in your name to TCA as long as the purchaser pays with their PayPal account.

In both cases, you will receive a donation receipt from the PayPal Giving Fund, and enjoy applicable tax advantages.

How to do it:

Click on the image above, or use this link. This will take you to ebay, where you will see the following page (log in to ebay if you are not already):

This offers TCA as an option. Click on the “Add to My Charities” button where indicated with the red arrow. Thereafter, when you make a purchase, at checkout you will be offered the option to make a donation to TCA in any amount of your choosing. Small amounts add up, larger ones are great! It’s always up to you!

The option will appear at the lower part of your checkout page, something like this:

If you’re a regular seller on ebay, you can allocate a portion of your sales proceeds to be donated to TCA. Look at the green arrow marked “Optional” above to see how to do it. Details on how ebay calculates the donation may be read here. This is a wonderful way to share the financial benefits of your hobby with the organization that promotes it!

An added benefit to TCA is that these donations are not subject to normal processing fees, so that makes your donation work harder!

* Note. TCA is not a party to any of your eBay transactions, and does not endorse any products or vendors. PayPal issues the receipts to you for your donation, not TCA.

Layouts to Remember, Part I, South Baltimore

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