Hand Building A Turnout

Posted on May 19, 2019 by timf

My current track plan has about 12 turnouts (switches) in it. The quality code 83 Shinohara (no longer manufactured) and Walthers (coming soon) turnouts cost about $25-$30 each, even on eBay. That’s a lot of cheddar for turnouts. (About $300 if you do the math.)

I’d never considered hand-laying track before, but I thought I’d give it a try. The components are actually pretty reasonable. Central Valley Model Works makes molded plastic tie sets for building turnouts and they are $9.95 for two.

Continue reading →
Posted in Track Work | Comments Off on Hand Building A Turnout

Ready to start construction of the benchwork!

Posted on May 19, 2019 by timf

Yesterday afternoon I borrowed my friend Gus and his pickup truck and ran to Home Depot to buy the sheet goods required to build the benchwork.

Sitting in my garage waiting for it to stop raining is:

  • 1 sheet 3/4″ plywood
  • 1 sheet 3/8″ plywood
  • 1 sheet 1/8″ hardboard
  • 1 sheet 1-1/2″ pink foam

This morning I remeasured the room and then drew up some plans for the benchwork.

It’s supposed to be pretty nice tomorrow, so hopefully I can get a start on ripping up the plywood and building the benchwork!

Today I’ll use the laser level and stud finder to mark the walls for attaching the benchwork and work some more on the track plan.

I’m excited to get started!

Posted in Construction | Comments Off on Ready to start construction of the benchwork!

Welcome!

Posted on May 17, 2019 by timf

The Blackwing and Western is a model railroad based on a fictional branch of the Great Northern Railway. The town of Blackwing is located in Eastern Montana and has several small industries serviced by the Great Northern.

The time period is somewhere around 1958 give or take a few years and the Great Northern is still running steam with the addition of some early diesel power.

This blog will feature posts about the construction of the layout, industries, rolling stock and motive power (and any other railroad related items that come to mind.)

If you want to read about other things that I’m doing, you can check my personal blog at https://timf.anansi-web.com/wp/

Posted in Misc | Comments Off on Welcome!