I decided to do a run in the opposite direction because my favorite locomotives are Shays. Most of our viewing seating is inside the basic oval of our layout. That's the reason we ran left to right, that way we could watch from inside the oval the drive side (working fun side) of the Shays. Our railroad is 12 years old and have never run the other way, so it was about time. This is my first layout video since we decommissioned our pond in 2017. Look to the left when crossing the the bridge...Shrubbery VS. Water and Fish.  The pond had become a real maintenance issue after 20 years. It was kind of cool to run the other way.

Here's before and after of the pond transformation.

Very nice layout. Looks great.

Sorry to see the pond and Koi go. We have had our Koi pond over 40 years and would hate to give them up, but like you said, its a lot of work keeping the pond up.

Thanks Noel,  I do miss our Koi, fortunately I was able to find them good homes.

Dan,

I remember the pond from when we visited you about 5 years ago. Your yard actually looks better without it I think.

Seeing your Shays and talking to you convinced me to get a Shay for my railroad. It too has become my favorite loco.

Joe, it's hard not to like Shays, they're so different than most other locomotives.  My passion about them started in the 1950's watching them work near our cabin at Strawberry in the Sierras.

I've ridden behind Shays At Roaring Camp at Felton CA and Cass scenic RR in WV.

Shays are way cool. But my favorite is the Climax.

David Maynard said:

Shays are way cool. But my favorite is the Climax.

 

David, Climax are very cool, they're my #2 with #3 Heisler.  I run all three more than all my other locos.

But the guys at the HO club don't like it when I run my HO Climax. It takes too long to get anywhere on the club set up.

Hey David Maynard. Tell your club to put in some grades on there layout and watch them gripe.... that you are the only one running a trans.  There trains have to make a run for the grade and keeps spinning wheels. Lol.

Logging are not usually on flat ground.

Noel, the griping one used to be the club president. He has moved out of the area, and is no longer president. But he does return occasionally to bit voice his opinion on what we are are not doing doing right, according to his unquestionable, expert edicts. This past show, he bit complained about my latest treasure.

Apparently a DCC equipped, Tyco locomotive, with Tyco cars, complete with metal wheels, and the NMRA approved (gawd awful) X2F Horn Hook couplers, running on an NMRA FreMo set up is almost a punishable offense. 

David, I like when a club layout runs different locomotives, oddball or obscure stuff creates interest to not only the general public but from others who might not have seen that brand/type/roadname etc. I guess to the former pres. the words that come to mind from me are  "pound sand,  thank you we will take up your advice at a later date".

I run Tyco trains to torque off the rivet counters, and because so many people like to see the trains they played with as kids, running around the layout.

I run an Australian class B Clyde, because it looks (to me anyway) like some kit-basher's fantasy.

I run the Flying Scotsman, because its different and darn good looking. Even though its OO scale and not HO.

And yes, the viewing public comments on, and seams to like, my "oddball" stuff.

You have a great looking RR Dan. Thanks for the journey.    Did you buy or make the pathway grade crossings?    

I think you should put in a wye somewhere so you can turn trains and run them in either direction.  

Thanks Todd, I made the pathway grade crossings with Choice Deck.  Here's the link to my post back in 2016.

https://www.largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/25418/protecting-track-on-walkway-crossings

Dan DeVoto said:

Thanks Todd, I made the pathway grade crossings with Choice Deck.  Here's the link to my post back in 2016.

 

https://www.largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/25418/protecting-track-on-walkway-crossings

Nice job on those crossings Dan especially the curved section. 

I have 2 path crossings on my RR, one is at ground level where I built a U shaped channel out of PT wood. The top off the channel matches the top of the rail head.  The other is on a step that I cut out to fit the track into. Both setups have worked very well for years.  Yours is a great idea for crossing a solid path like bricks and would no doubt work on paved or cement paths as well.   

Thanks Todd,  I have a third crossing, not pictured, that is concrete and it is fastened the same as the brick.  I use  3/16" Carbide drill for plastic anchors with #8 X 1 1/2" Stainless screws.