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Make A Wish for ANGEL

What a whirlwind of week! TrainDame along with the Traingineers headed out on Monday to Amarillo, Texas to meet up with our Make A Wish Program Director, Lilly Walker at Angel’s house. Once we arrived, Traingineers; Roger, Mike Ellis, and George went to work transforming Angel’s bedroom into a BNSF Model RR themed room complete with fold up layout, custom BNSF headboard with custom bed frame resembling a BNSF Flat Car and of course running trains!!

I’ve got to hand it to Roger, there was a change he had to deal with upon arrival in that the room he’d originally designed our custom pieces for was not the room where Angel’s family ended up! Little things like dealing with windows that weren’t in original design (less wall space) and a 3 inch gas line that had been capped sticking out of the wall where an inch was not available to spare… he amazed me, with Mike Ellis’s carpentry wizardry they drilled a hole in the shelving unit to accommodate the pipe in order to have the shelf/layout flush to the wall, shifted the dresser and made it all work much to Angel’s delight!

Here are pictures of the pieces being worked on in our studio and the visit from Angel’s family when they came to see the progress:

And these were taken during Monday’s installation and then reveal 🙂

What is Totally Traintastic about Angel’s RR Bedroom is his flatcar bed frame is on casters and once the layout is folded up into the wall, his bed glides right in underneath the BNSF head board… Crazy cool right??

Happy Tracks!

TrainDame aka Dorcie Farkash
TW TrainWorx
Dallas, TX | Concord, NC USA
(214) 634-2965
http://www.twtrainworx.com
http://www.twtrainworxstore.com

3 Comments

Posted by Dorcie aka Traindame on October 26, 2018 in Uncategorized

Trains, Aircraft Carrier… and a SUBMARINE??

04 Oct

The TW TrainWorx Traingineers are having a Traintastic time on one of our six custom layouts currently “Under Construction” in our Dallas, TX – McGowan Street Studio!

Chief Traingineer, Roger Farkash, has really pulled out all the wheel stops on this design 🙂 This custom residential layout will be installed in the Hill Country of Texas for a couple that had some Traintastic “Wants” as well as requirements for their 285 square foot custom layout. Sometimes I never know exactly what Roger’s creative mind is going to “come up with” as was the case when Monday I saw an odd looking shape being formed and asked…what’s this? Roger replied, it’s going to be an AIRCRAFT CARRIER! Really… do you know how HUMONGOUS those are??

Fun story, Roger went online in search of a GI Joe Aircraft Carrier to find it is indeed out there, but the ones that are; in the box, mint condition, never been opened, blah/blah/blah cost a mere…. (wait for it)

$15,000.00 B notes (as Reagan would say). So, that being out of the question, Roger thought to himself…”surely I can find pieces of the carrier and in particular the bow and then add on to make a mock up that will dock nicely in the San Diego area of the layout! And he was off to the races! Check it out:

So on the other end of this layout is another harbor with a GI Joe modified Submarine!

**Traingineer Ellis (another Mike) in the picture above is about to wrap the submarine in plastic and put it back on the layout so Roger can then Sculpty-Mold some waves… of course!

Traintastic fun continues 🙂

Happy Tracks!

TrainDame aka Dorcie Farkash
TW TrainWorx
Dallas, TX | Concord, NC USA
(214) 634-2965

http://www.trainworxlayouts.com
http://www.twtrainworxstore.com
http://www.twtrainworx.com

3 Comments

Posted by Dorcie aka Traindame on October 4, 2018 in Uncategorized

Tags: Chief Traingineer, Mike Reagan, Model Trains, Roger Farkash, Toy Trains, Traindame, Traingineer, Traingineering, TW TrainWorx Custom Layout

CHALLENGE… Traingineers, can you BUILD AN ENGINE??

28 Sep

What???… “I don’t think so!”

Oh yours truly of little faith – I must admit my first reaction when Chief Traingineer, Roger Farkash and Traingineer, Roy McClellan told me about the New York Historical Societies request was – NO WAY – not in our wheelhouse!

Doubting TrainDame learns another lesson about the incredibly Traintastic skills and ingenuity of our Traingineers!!! I asked Roy to give me a helping hand and relay exactly what it is that was accomplished and made our client – The New York Historical Society absolutely giddy with delight! In Roy’s words…

In the early part of the 20th century, the manufacturers of toy trains designed and sold colorful tinplate interpretations of locomotives and rolling stock. In most cases these whimsical creations had out-sized features and omitted critical elements, yet the overall effect was satisfying to the eye. As an example the Lionel Standard Gauge 400E:

was intended to represent the New York Central railroad’s mighty 4-6-4 Hudson, yet the actual toy was a 4-4-4 wheel arrangement with an out-sized boiler, compressed cab, bright glossy colors (in addition to glossy black), over-sized drive wheels, basic piping (nickel or copper plated!), and a Vanderbilt tender!

In that tradition, TW TrainWorx was selected and contracted to design and build a standard gauge tinplate interpretation of a British Great Western Railways (GWR) Hall Class (4-6-0 US Whyte style classification or 2-3-0 European style of counting axles vs wheels) locomotive. Utilizing and modifying certain components from a modern era 400E (modified frame, modified front pony truck, cylinder casting, modified piping, modified stack, side rods, drive rods, can motor with stainless steel drive wheels), a 392 tender (shell, top casting), and reproduction Lionel #33 wheels, TW TrainWorx presents the GWR 2-3-0 locomotive.

Many parts were modified from existing parts as noted above, custom designed, fabricated, and/or machined, such as the boiler/smoke box/firebox assembly, cab assembly, third driver axle carrier (with ball bearings), side rods for three axles, steam dome, stack ornamental top, front buffers, pilot lanterns/headlamp, smoke-box door locks, three axle tender frame (with ball bearings), tender top, tender upper side rails, tender water and access hatches to name a few. Over 100 custom machined parts combined with a beautiful paint scheme using the latest in automotive urethane paints from the TW TrainWorx paint shop comprise this one-of-kind legacy piece.

We hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Happy Tracks!

TrainDame aka Dorcie Farkash
TW TrainWorx
Dallas, TX | Concord, NC USA

(214) 634-2965

http://www.twtrainworxstore.com

http://www.trainworxlayouts.com

2 Comments

Posted by Dorcie aka Traindame on September 28, 2018 in Uncategorized

TW TrainWorx experiencing Greatest Times Ever : )

10 Aug

So here are my top three reasons why I consider NOW to be the GREATEST TIME EVER!

We have so many TOP TRAINTASTIC CUSTOMERS and get to realize their RR dreams every day!
First time EVER we’ve had 23 Projects on the Traingineer Board… 23! That’s; designing, fabricating, and installing.
TW TrainWorx has the BEST of the BEST creative and talented team and our Traingineer Team is growing & getting B E T T E R!

I was focusing on my week in review and that’s when I was overwhelmed by how much we are focused on RIGHT NOW and how to convey the sheer awesomeness of what’s GOING ON!

Here’s my attempt:

First up is the layout enhancement installation we completed for our existing customer, Jay in NJ. Having expanded to the East Coast with Mike Reagan heading up operations out of his Concord Studio has been a tremendous part of my GREATEST TIMES EVER attitude :). Roger initially designed a custom layout for Jay in 2014 and this year a new Round House and Turn Table section was added. Reagan built everything in his studio, laser cut all the Round House pieces with our nifty new Laser Cutting Machine, put the RH model together, painted it, built the base and table tops, loaded it up, transported it to NJ and had a helping hand installing from our go-to-installer assistant, Alex! Ok… long winded here – let the pictures do the talking:

We brought on a Traingineer in Training here in our Dallas McGowan St. Studio and put Chuck on the Standard Gauge Round House we’re modeling for our new custom layout customer… another Jim in PA:

We had a Dallas install going on this week for another enhancement to one of our Top Traintastic Customer’s attic layout. Traingineer Mike fabricated the legs and they were the last to go on the Van:

Had the pleasure of seeing Bob and Dinah early in the week and they brought down a car load of accessories for their custom layout now “under construction” – Traingineer Nick was working on the Valley today:

And Traingineer George has been laying track and placing our Top Traintastic Customer’s accessories on this custom layout:

Set the install date for our Polar Express Custom Layout which we will be shipping to… Windsor Canada next month – – – see what I’m talking about??? GREATEST TIMES EVER 🙂

And… Chief Traingineer, Roger Farkash, in the midst of all of this put the finishes touches to a sketch for a Christmas Layout that we have in proposal!

Well… Yee Haw!!! Here’s to a great week – a Traintastic Weekend – and oh – wait a minute! Last but not least… it’s FRIDAY – Check out our Ferroequinologist Friday Feature… click away!

Happy Tracks!

TrainDame aka Dorcie Farkash
TW TrainWorx
(214) 634-2965
Dallas, TX | Concord, NC
http://www.twtrainworxstore.com

4 Comments

Posted by Dorcie aka Traindame on August 10, 2018 in Uncategorized

New York | New Haven | Hartford RR…

22 Jun

This TW TrainWorx custom layout is the most extensive “electrical” layout the TW TrainWorx Traingineers have ever designed!

Our Traintastic Customer is a retired CSX executive and he was very specific in his desire for his layout to depict New Haven area and include track plan with; switches, signals, and initially wanted Cantenary RR! Chief Traingineer, Roger Farkash and East Coast Director, Mike Reagan combined their talents and provided an elaborate design (however… with no Cantenary wires, that would have been a nightmare with first de-railing or need to reach in to the Yard…)

Traintastic Layout Stats:

*87 Signals
*40 Switches
*50 Detection Rails
*25 Un-Couplers
*25 Power Blocks
* 3 Power Districts that each have 20 amps power
* Layout will run; Conventional, TMCC Legacy, and DCS
* Still waiting to hear from Traingineer George on how many feet of WIRE

Reagan has been in town assisting with the installation which will be finishing up today, June 22, 2018. While I had him here, I got him to do a little show and tell underneath the layout 🙂

Now some photos from this week’s installation but first up – a photo of Roger’s layout design. Enjoy!

Studio shots of our Custom New Haven Station:

Happy Tracks!

TrainDame aka Dorcie Farkash
TW TrainWorx
Dallas, TX | Concord, NC USA
(214) 634-2965
http://www.twtrainworxstore.com
http://www.trainworxlayouts.com

3 Comments

Posted by Dorcie aka Traindame on June 22, 2018 in Uncategorized

Table Tops & Bases are Coming Together!

12 Jun

What a Totally Traintastic Summer we have getting ready to start with so many custom layouts on the studio floors! That’s right! Mike Reagan is bursting at the seams in his Concord, NC studio what with a new Laser Cutting Machine, two layouts under construction, NYC Structure models in development and Mike just closed a Design deal that could lead to another Custom Build for a Holiday Layout… this time in North Carolina! More on that as it unfolds 🙂

Back in the Dallas, McGowan Street Studio, we have *8 layouts in various phases of completion; one will be installing next week, three are underway on the studio floor, another three layouts (a suspended RR, residential RR, and the Ronald McDonald House | Trains at North Park RR) are in the wings getting ready to move on to the studio floor and a layout (Not a TWX) in PA that we will be taking apart, transporting to Dallas and modifying here for another Traintastic Customer – Yee HAW!!! Wait a cotton picking minute – I almost forgot one – so that takes the count up to 9 – our Polar Express Layout that’s ready to roll for an install in Canada!

So, with summer just about ready to officially start – I thought I’d share some photos of the start of any new custom layout (after the design) the base and tops coming together…

First up, we take you to North Carolina where Reagan took these shots in his studio:

Below, taken in our Dallas McGowan St. Studio…

We SO appreciate all of our Totally Traintastic Customers!!! Couldn’t do this without YOU!!!

Wishing EVERYONE a super start to YOUR Summer 2018 🙂

Happy Tracks!

TrainDame aka Dorcie Farkash
TW TrainWorx
(214) 634-2965
Dallas, TX | Concord, NC

Shop 24/7 ONLINE at TW TrainWorx Store! The link below is for YOU:

TW TRAINWORX ONLINE STORE OPEN 24/7

Choo Choo Pops is TOPS!

01 May

I have to share the absolutely Traintastically Treasured morning I experienced yesterday, watching a loving lesson of a lasting legacy given by Roger Farkash aka Choo Choo Pops to our first born grandson, Deacon Kash Wilson’s Pre-K Class joined by teachers and the other three Pre-K classes at his incredible school in Houston, TX.

Especially wonderful was having Deacon’s Mom, our daughter – Lindsay assisting her Dad which brought back a flood of memories when she was a Project Manager for us (TW Design/TrainWorx) a decade ago. Roger set up a mini layout with two loops of track, Grand Central Terminal Passenger Station, Tunnel, Steam Engine, Diesel Engine, Passenger Trains, Tank Car, BNSF *Stop, Look, Listen – Car, Public Works Building, and spoke of the rich history of trains in the USA, Safety, Commerce, Travel, and yes confirmed he’s STILL HAVING A BLAST RUNNING TRAINS!!

The passion Roger has for his God Given talent and toy trains poured out in a very amazing way in that his audience of 3 & 4 year young students… Got It! How do I know?? The little arms shooting up at the end of his demonstration to ask questions was priceless. They listened…. they learned… and the teachers affirmed… they retained wonderful lessons about trains. They think it’s pretty cool how Choo Choo Pops even makes a living with a company that hires skilled and talented people to help create custom train layouts that will be enjoyed for a lifetime and especially… will leave a Traintastic Train Legacy along the journey.

The Cherry On Top was the Coloring Book Roger personally made and handed out to all the children and one young boy came up to him afterwards, hugged his knee and thanked him….

So very proud of our first born Grandson, Deacon – and I know he’s pretty proud of his CHOO CHOO POPS too!