BC&W Layout Trackwork

BC&W HO scale layout trackwork using Peco Streamline Code 70.

I completed some trackwork on my BC&W layout, using Peco Streamline Code 70 #6 turnouts and flextrack.

First, I painted the subroadbed a tan color to create a base for the scenery. Afterwards, I laid the Woodland Scenics Track-Bed and glued the track in place.

Next, I soldered the feeders using low-temperature solder to avoid melting the ties. Then, I installed Tortoise switch machines to operate the turnouts.

The following video shows the entire process, from the bare subroadbed to the first test run with a locomotive and a few freight cars.

With this section complete, the Buffalo Creek & Western has taken another important step forward. Trains can now run over a small portion of the layout, and every new piece of track makes it easier to picture how operating sessions will eventually unfold. It is always rewarding to see a locomotive move over track that only a few days earlier existed only on paper.

Even so, there is still plenty of work ahead. At this point, less than half of the layout is complete, and many hours of construction remain before the railroad reaches its full size. That is part of the fun, though. Every finished section adds something new and keeps the motivation high.

Next, I will tackle one of the most challenging scenes on the layout. The line crosses Buffalo Creek on a bridge, and that area will require much more than simply laying track. The bridge itself, the abutments, the retaining walls, the creek, and the surrounding scenery all have to come together as one convincing scene. It will certainly take more time than a regular stretch of track, but I also expect it to become one of the visual highlights of the entire railroad.

For now, the trains can keep running while the Buffalo Creek & Western continues to grow, one section at a time.