I have been wanting to start my switcher junkyard for a long time now. Well with the garage now built, I started building the bench work today. I have four 4' X 6' sections and one 4' X 6' that will be rounded. Right now the height is 44" high once the plywood gets put on tomorrow, but I'm thinking about lowering that another 4". So here's today's progress shots.

Last edited: May 17, 2020

Comments

#181

Nice. I have one of those kits to build later when I move and can expand my layout.

#182

Very cool adding some history to the place, I’m doing something similar with my cement spurline!

#183

4th and last shelf unit built today, then populated with cars that are 100% done (metal wheels, Kadee #158's, weighted, weathered)

#184

Abandoned coal tower completed.

#185

I love the plywood covered doors. Awesome touch!

#186

More track refinements being made. More switching options needed.

Additional track being added on the left side to offer more access to the yard other than through the turntable.

#187

Track work is finished. Added a couple more buildings, still a few more to find.

#188

Looking awesome!

#189

Jerome: Your layout is really great!!! The structures add so much more to the overall realism of the layout and give more and more logic to the switching theme of the locomotive maintenance facility.

Again, Nice work.

Greg

nh

#190

Been repainting buildings and trying to get all of the detail parts on them. Making some progress.

#191

Wow that makes a big difference, very nice!
Your'e gonna need a butt load of gravel and weeds!

#192

It is looking good. I think the ladders would have been removed from the coaling tower to keep curious trespassers from themselves.

#193

I agree with kjd about the ladders on the coal tower, unless you have some coal fired steam switchers. I posted this in the diner this morning as I want to add eventually a concrete tower over my tracks. This is Clyman Junction in Wisconsin the summer of the 2019 and the Big Boy chase on the UP main. No ladders. I love the yard you are building and with structures it is starting to get dimension. TomO

#194

wheeler1963 said:
Track work is finished. Added a couple more buildings, still a few more to find.

View attachment 121391 View attachment 121392

Interesting layout, very smart use of your space! I also really like the buildings and overall concept!

#195

A note on the abandoned coal tower. Leaving the ladders in place, if you notice the bottom ladder is cut off a scale 15 foot from the bottom.

Ok, moving on. I made some bases for the small gantry crane. This shop will be for removing engine hoods and diesel engines.

The next big gantry crane is for taking engines off of flat cars or trucks. this requires a huge crane. I am scratch building the frames for them.

#196

I like everything you are doing here. I had not noticed the ladders are not near the ground and are cut off. I have always had a desire to just model a large engine facility during what is now called the age of transition. I had multiple steamers and well ove a hundred diesels but few qualified as transition era. The big turntable and huge roundhouse with the diesel house was of great interest. Maybe down the road but I am enjoying my current ISL.

Do you have an idea yet on the ground cover or the next group of buildings?

TomO

#197

Tom, Most of the gray painted area will be ballast. I'm going with a theme here that the right side to include the roundhouse was an existing railroad from way back (hence the abandoned coal tower and water tower that is being cut apart). That area will get a darker ballast. The left side with most of the newer style aluminum buildings will be a lighter ballast because they were built a lot later. There will be a lot of weeds and grassy areas everywhere. I need to go paint my roads back in, then a lot more will be clearer.

#198

Ok, I painted in the roads. Most will be dirt or gravel but you get the idea where they will be.

#199

I got the main girders glued together and their feet installed today. Once all that glue dries I'll Sand all of the joints down smooth and start on the back support legs.