The Wimberley Blanco & Southern is a privately owned track
outside San Antonio, Texas. Through a mutual friend I got in contact
with both the owner Nick Edwards and fellow live-steamer James Hitzfelder. They occasionally have a mini-meet (up) in the spring
and when they heard I was visiting Texas on our way back to the UK,
they arranged to meet when I was around.
The WB&S is a truly remarkable railroad on numerous counts, not
least of which is that it can accommodate both 7¼" and 7½"
at the same time. The clearances are "a bit tight" for 7½" and a bit loose for 7¼"
- and it works very well.
The trackwork is immaculate and is second only to the
Beer Heights Light Railway at the
Peco factory in Devon. Peco has the advantage of four resident,
permanent gardeners so is perhaps not a fair comparison!
The run must be about 1 mile in total and is a "folded dogbone",
so for much of its length it appears to be double-tracked. Nick
already has two yards and one switching area and is in the process
of building a another - probably using
John Allen's "timesaver" plan. Once finished, you will be able
to operate real switching moves which will greatly add to what is
already a superb track.
I was made to feel very welcome on my visit and look forward to
being able to visit again in the future.
CLICK on the trackplan to view a
larger version
The main station with the Lackawanna (inspired)
Hudson (left) and the USRA Heavy Mikado
Nick's own personal observation car - all the cars
rode very smoothly
Once the yards and switching areas are completed
the fleet of freight cars will come into their own
A "staged" shot of both locos running into the
station
Roy Tomlin's 0-4-0 switcher
The spotlessly clean workshop with a track panel
jig in the foreground
A very handy petrol track tamper built by Mike
Hales - it can do the same work as 8 men in less time
Quail Hollow Junction
James Hitzfelder driving his Consolidation with a freight train
Richard Finlayson driving the Mikado at Two Bridges
Oak Ridge Yard
Granheim Junction with the Springer Branch
(switching) going off to the left
Wimberley
Blanco & Southern, San Antonio, TX - 7¼" & 7½" gauge
March
2011
