Category: On18

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Bandit Canyon Railway | The Blackjack Mine Pt 1

Posted on by Dave Meek

BCRy Part III. This is the first of two episodes on the Blackjack Mine, a small complex with loads of character for my On18 Bandit Canyon Railway project. In this installment, I scratchbuild the freelanced head frame and shaft house using some repurposed parts from an earlier project. Lots of info on typical mine construction out west, plus modeling tips for wood construction, using stencils, weathering, and making your own corrugated roofing. Cinefoil “Black Wrap”

Thanks for watching, amigos!
Dave

Bandit Canyon Railway | Roadbed, Track and Power

Posted on by Dave Meek

 

BCRy Part II. Work continues on my On18 Bandit Canyon Ry micro-layout! This week, I add risers to raise the plywood sub-roadbed up to the desired height, then it’s time for cork roadbed, laying some Peco flextrack, building a simple manual turnout linkage, and hooking up the DC power. Join me as I bring the BCRy to life for the first time and explain a few tips and tricks learned over the years to make all of these tasks a little smoother and easier.

Thanks for watching, amigos!
Dave

New On18 Project | The Bandit Canyon Railway Rides Again!

Posted on by Dave Meek

I’m always up for a new project when inspiration strikes! This time I’m revisiting the Bandit Canyon Ry in On18 scale. This 2×3′ portable micro-layout will combine spectacular Southwestern scenery with the legends of Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid and the Hole in the Wall gang. This video introduces the layout concept with plans and drawings, and we begin work on a portable stand and base.

Thanks for watching, amigos!
Dave

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On18 Bobber Caboose

Posted on by Dave Meek

 

Let’s build a tiny bobber caboose for my On18 Big Thunder & Calico mining tram! On18 uses N scale mechanisms and other components to model this common industrial railway gauge in 1:48, O scale. The results of this scale/gauge mashup can often be rather whimsical and filled with unique character. For this project, I use a readily available Bachmann N scale “shorty” caboose as a starting point for an original design, inspired by the homebuilt logging and mining bobbers of the late 19th century. I demonstrate my methods for a road-worn, weathered paint finish, along with wood construction and car roofing techniques.

Thanks for watching, amigos!
Dave

Calico Mountain Expansion Part 3: Going Vertical

Posted on by Dave Meek

 

Time for episode 3 in the Calico Mountain Expansion how-to series! In this one, construction goes vertical with the addition of an upper deck for the On18 line. I'll take you step by step through the carpentry and tools I used to get this project off the ground floor. Don't forget to subscribe and hit that notification bell so you don't miss a single episode.

Thanks for tuning in, amigos!
Dave

Calico Mountain Expansion Part 1: Building Benchwork

Posted on by Dave Meek

 

Welcome to the first episode in this new series on building the Calico Mountain Expansion to the Thunder Mesa model railroad layout! In this episode, I cover the basics of building model railroad benchwork on this new On30/On18 section. Future episodes will cover track and wiring, building scenery and structures, backdrop painting, and so much more. A huge thank you to my Thunder Mesa patrons for helping to make this expansion and these how-to videos possible!

Thanks for tuning in, amigos!
Dave

Calico Expansion and a New Layout Map

Posted on by Dave Meek

 

Thunder Mesa is expanding! In 2021, a new 3x5' Calico Mountain Extension will be built next to the town of Calico, adding a longer run and a reverse loop option to the On30 mainline. On a higher level, the new On18 Calico Mining Company Ry will wind in and out of the mountain in a figure 8 pattern, evoking the look and feel of Knott's famous Calico Mine Ride. Both lines will journey underground, passing through detailed mining scenes inspired by the Knott's original. Some version of Calico Mountain has been part of the plan for Thunder Mesa from the earliest days, and I'm excited to finally be bringing this to life. Here's a first look at the new Calico Mountain Extension, and an all new layout map for 2021!

Above is the first new layout map I've published since 2016, and as you can see, there have been a lot of changes! At left is a floor plan of the Jerome studio, showing how the layout fits in with everything else.  In this week's video, I demonstrate a little bit of my process for making these plans, and go into more detail on the new Calico Mountain section.

Thanks for following along, amigos. Registered users can leave questions and comments below so, please, join in the conversation!

Happy Holidays,
Dave