Large Scale Central

2023/24 Summer Running - Post your pictures here

I’ll start.

I’ve been working for two plus weeks whipping the railroad back into shape after being all but neglected for several years. I finished up the ballasting job this morning after repairing some of the rocks that had come unglued at Coal Dump Curve. Once that was finished, I ran a few trains and took a ton of pictures (over 200). I managed to weed that down to 30 that do a good job of showing off the RR. So without further ado, here a double headed passenger train passes the new planter…

And rounds Coal Dump Curve heading up-grade…

Across Indian Hill Bridge…

And stops for water at Pine Tank…

Entering Deep Cut…

And backing down the wye …

After a trip around the wye, the passengers are given a look at Fred’s Tomb…

Passing Walk Landing headed for Walk Crossing…

Backing down the West leg…

And after making one more trip around the wye, heading back down grade at Indian Hill Junction…

Across Indian Hill Bridge again…

And into Coal Dump Curve downgrade…

Scrooge McDuck approves of the new passenger consist…

But the Candlewood Valley is still a freight railroad, if only for show. Here The #8 & #4 duo handle a long freight consist past the planter…

Through Coal Dump Curve and and across Indian Hill Bridge…

Stopping for water at Pine Tank where #8 will cut off and run around the wye light to split the train in two to get around the short wye tails…

Then #4 pulls the first section around the wye…

And #8 shoves the second section around to build a push-pull…

#8 ran around the wye light one more time to take position at the head of the train for the trip downgrade…

At Coal Dump Curve…

And past the planter again heading home. The few plants from Ken’s that survived the winter in the basement are all looking great along with some annuals added for color…

Tomorrow we fly out to see my youngest and his family outside Denver. The railroad will be without maintenance for at least 3 weeks, so I expect most of the weeds to be back when we return :frowning:

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Great looking pictures Jon!
Inspiring…

Yes nice work. looks like a brand new line. :sunglasses:

What size TV did you say you had ?

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I really have to run something, anything this summer. I have been busy with work and shoring up the right of way. Hopefully I will run something before the season ends! Sheesh.

I’m glad I’m not the only one Joe, thanks!!

Too small to bother with and the dog and my niece are there holding down the fort.

Jon,

Stunning. Your planting and camera angles give an impression of space and distance that is hard to match!

Eric

Crappy cellphone pics however the time I was there no trains came down the main?
Oh well …neat little town though.

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You did a superb job on the water tower. The entire layout looks great!

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Thanks. The pictures are deceiving because of the angles. I’ll take a few wide shots when I get home to give a better idea of what it looks like in real life!

Early evening and an EBT inspired train crosses the high bridge heading north


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Nice bridge and supports … :+1:

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Good to see a bit of your ŔR Gary. And I agree with Sean about the bridge supports. I should steal that for my Indian Hill Bridge.

Thanks guys, I got the idea from Paul Mallery’s Bridge & Trestle Handbook, I didn’t do an exact copy, just my own interpretation. I wasn’t sure about timber supports for steel bridges until I saw this. I originally planned to cast some stone piers but these were much easier !

Thanks for that picture Gary. I have the tools and a lot of scale wood. Need to get busy!

No trains running so It’s technically not a “Summer Running” post from
:rooster:
But I did get a metric sh*t ton accomplished today in preps for an upcoming garden tour that I didn’t want to do anyway.
My first garden tour actually so technically the local museum is gonna take my cherry! It’s gonna be a hot one I believe so the forecast says so. However Hollywood is headed north for the event and others are welcome as well.

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David,
You have better looking track than the real Amtrak! Good luck with the tour. :+1:

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Have I got the perfect mate for you

@Eric_Mueller - I took the promised long shots and posted them in this thread: Candlewood Valley Scenic Railway Overview - Lots of pictures