Getting ready to start building my railroad…FINALLY! The railroad will be elevated, starting with a simple bench work system just to set the main line.

The plan for Phase 1, which will be the bench work for the main line. I’m using Al Pomeroy’s idea for the module, the difference is mine will be 42" center to center on the legs. This change allows me to build one module out of a single 2x4x8 foot. When they are configured for a curve, it gives me about a 78" radius. Legs will be 24" tall and will sit on a footing block. In all, this should give me a rail height of 34-36" on average. In all, I will have 56 modules for this first phase, that will give me just over 200 feet of track.

Location of the layout in the back yard.

Got the new toy set up, and have the pile of 2x4s in the garage. Have to finish setting up a work area, then I’m going to build a fixture to produce the modules in. Not sure if I will just build modules and stack them over the winter, or if I will set up the first 1/3rd of the layout this fall. Need to run down to the HD and get a filter for my shop vac, wife sucked up water and trashed my old one.

Awlsome Chris!!

well, seems like another four-year-thread just started… (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

Is it done yet?

And so it begins…(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

Chris Kieffer said:

Need to run down to the HD and get a filter for my shop vac, wife sucked up water and trashed my old one.

Chris, please, by all means, get the proper filter soon and don’t use your wife to suck up water.

(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)

HD has the waterproof filters too…

(don’t ask me how I found out!)

Greg

I’m not running the vac without a filter. My problem is that it’s not a Shop Vac, but a Craftsman. Got it free thru a work Safety Program, great deal until I realized I needed a filter, and nobody local has them. The HD is 60 miles away, so I try to make the trip worth it. For now I will just use the dust bag on the saw.

Cleaned my garage all up yesterday and made a permanent place for the saw and building area. Now I need to get the fixture built, and for it to quit being 90+ degress.

Chris,

Look on amazon.com. They have all kinds of Craftsman filters you can have shipped to you. (https://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

Built the fixture to make the module sections. In true Garden Railroad fashion I took the picnic table apart to make this. (Okay, truth is I took it apart because we didn’t use it anymore, but I like the first story better). I set up a stop on the saw to make the spacers and have just been mass producing those to start. More to come later.

So this is where you’re hiding. Watching close and expecting to learn lots. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)

Shane

Yeah, it FINALLY cooled off. I have more parts for the SD40N project coming, but that is a winter project now. Going to get some work done to build the RR while I can.

I’ve been waiting long enough to make this happen!

that looks solid - and heavy…

Cool jig, Chris. I’m looking forward to seeing you progress on this.

You’re making gobs of the frames in the lower left corner, but with differing end cuts, correct?

Cliffy,

With the jig I can cut several sections worth of wood, and it takes less than 5 minutes from start to finish to screw a section together. All 56 sections are built the same way. You just flip flop the angles to either go straight, or make a curve. If you want to reverse the curve direction, you have to put two sections together for a straight to get the curve to change. I am building this spline section heavy because once I have it in place, then I will come back and add the other track work, and this spline will help support that. Then the scenery sections will also be added later on down the road.

Chris

Crikey…that lot looks hernia making!(http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-tongue-out.gif)

I’m now up to 30 sections built. Today was a nice day so after I mowed I went out and set the sections up in the yard to get an idea of what it is going to look like. These first photos are the left half of the layout if you are looking at the track plan.

The track is 8 foot from the tree. The garden bed will be redone to conform to the layout after it is set up.

After the left half was done, photos and measurement taken we moved to the right half of the plan. This revealed an issue as the return loop was way to close to the tree in the center of the yard (see above photo with red line). I will need to move this loop further to the west (right on the plan) by 2 sections. That gives me much better clearance around everything.

Next up is to start leveling the support blocks and putting sections up in the air.

So cool! I love the simplicity and modularity.

It’ll be fun seeing you plant the posts and start elevating the frames.

Hi Chris,

I think your approach is interesting and I’m enjoying following along. It appears that you have given this some thought. I am wondering how you are going to attach individual sections?

Ron

Track power will be snap with that pole right there…(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

Great start …I’m following along to!