Benchwork!!

Well, progress was made this weekend. I installed the benchwork for the Puerto Cortes and part of Santa Barbara!!

Here's a shot in the "paint it before installing it" mode... It's made of 3/4" plywood, ripped down on my table saw.

Here it is installed...

Your looking into the room with the port on the right. I need to assemble the other two sections and then I can start installing sub roadbed and maybe we'll get some track done!!!

I will admit, a moment came over me to just build an N scale layout instead. I do have alot of that, but I'm going to continue with the HOn30..

Also, got the rivet decals in the mail last week and installed them on the tank car. Now I just need to paint the tank and we should be good...

I'm not committed to anything the next 2 weeks, so I plan to get more done on the layout..

Tank car update...

Here's a tank car with a brass tank.

The tank is 1/2" K&S tube, cut to a 25' length. .040 stryene caps were applied. The dome in Evergreen 3/8 tube with a 040 cap and 020 lid with Grandt NBW details added. The timbers on the flat car deck are HOn3 ties with NBW castings added. The rod is the drain for the tank itself.

I'm now waiting for some of the Micro-Marl rivet decals to show to apply to the tank itself, then I'll get it painted.

Tank car progress..

Something I'm playing with. I need a few tank cars for petro service and for molasses service from the sugar refinery to the rum plant. So, I started with a basic frame and added a strip wood deck. Also shown here is a tank made of 1/2" stryene and a dome of 3/8" stryene. I think I'm going to go with 1/2" brass instead for added weight with the petro cars. It'll also make them a little larger.

In the background is a flat car that has since had a diamond plated deck added to it. I'll have a photo of it a little later. 

More testing..

Okay, first up is the test section with some scenery and ballast in place. Sitting on the track is my stock car..

Looks good to me. Now to get my rear in gear and finish cleaning! 

Also, I needed a way to test my scratchbuilt #6 turnouts. Here's the test stand...

Since I'll need to power the frogs, I'm stealing an idea from the guys on The Railwire N scale forum and using slide switches. Digi-key sells them cheap enough to make it worth while. With this jig I can test turnouts both ways and make sure they'll work like they are supposed to!