Large Scale Central

Actually starting the expansion?

Track and Trestles
#1

Many of you may remember that I have been very slowly working toward expansion of my layout. The Original plans were hatched in October 2006 in this thread. This is will be the third spring since plans were made. Nothing happened in 2007 except to buy some of the parts. Last year I built a lot-line border and fine-tuned the track plan in this thread.

I’ve been busy this spring fixing frost-heaves and generally re-laying about a third of my outdoor track. Some of that has been documented in this thread. Lots of crappy spring weather has delayed my progress including the last 8 straight days of rain. I finally moved on to re-ballast the main line that runs along the border between rain showers this past week. Yesterday, while trying to empty the bheer fridge, I was contemplating the work to finish and made an executive decision. While the track on the main-line is up, I will pour the concrete pads for the switches. I’m not sure I’ll get further than installing the switches, but once that hurdle is cleared there are no more major hurdles holding back the track expansion.

So I’m off to Home Depot to buy a 2-bag cement mixer. I’m done mixing cement by hand in a wheelbarrow.

Progress pics as they happen.

#2

P.S. Good thing I went back and looked through those old threads. I had forgotten about adjustments in the track plan and some good suggestions made by others along the way. I’m also glad that I never delete old pictures. As long as Bob’s database is intact I have a good living record of what I’ve done though posts made here.

#3

No joy at Home Depot. In fact, I can say without question that everyone I came in contact witha at the Home Depot in Danbury, CT yesterday was a MORON. I arrived with my HD credit card in hand ready to pay $400 for this…

(http://www.lscdata.com/users/jrad/_forumfiles/mixer.jpg)

I managed to find one on display at the entrance to the Tool Rental department. Tried to ask several HD Dudes about how to buy them. No one knew. They tried to sell me a cheaper model that was too big for my storage area. Went to the Customer Diservice desk, asked them. They said “I have no idea”. I told them it was on thier website, and he said, while standing in front of the sign that said they can special order 4000 items, that I have to order it on-line. Went back to the website this morning to order and the website says it’s in-stock at my local store. I had hoped that when Lowes opened up down the street that HD would clean up their act in this store. It seems to be worse now than ever.

#4

Have you got a Harbor Freight or Northern Tool ?
I think they both sell a small mixer…Chinese I’m sure.
Ralph

#5

No stores local. I’ve bought mail order from Northern Tool so I have the master catalog. They have a similar model in the house brand for quite a bit less. I have a lot of concrete projects to do so I don’t want to go too cheap and have it crap out half way through.

#6

Sorry, you had trouble at HD. Our’s are still a good place and Lowe’s has created good competition. But then fashion is a couple of years behind here, also. Amazing they couldn’t or wouldn’t order it for you.

Glad to see you gettin after that track plan, I still think it is a great bit of track. Looks exactly like something created to work the terrain.

#7

You might try Sears. I think I’ve seen the mixers there too.
Ralph

#8

I’m going back to HD tomorrow when the regular staff / management is in. They have it in stock, they just weren’t smart enough to figure out how to sell it to me. I’d rather buy from HD or Lowes 'cause they’ll finance it for a year for free. I did manage to get some work done today. The main line beyond Indian Hill Junction has been out of service for a week. Today I cut track taking everything beyond Indian Hill Junction (the entire Wye) out of service. Excavation began for the concrete pad under the first switch. Progress so far… [url=lsc.cvsry.com/NewSw-01-1200.jpg]

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/NewSw-01-720.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] [url=lsc.cvsry.com/NewSw-02-1200.jpg]

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/NewSw-02-720.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] [url=lsc.cvsry.com/NewSw-03-1200.jpg]

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/NewSw-03-720.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] Before I pour any concrete I’m going to lay out the track toward and over the diamond and the track leading to the bridge over deep cut. It’s a real pain to change once 4 inches of reinforced concrete has set :o

#9

Are you going to have a cigar shop on Indian Hill?
:wink:

#10

David Russell said:
Are you going to have a cigar shop on Indian Hill? :wink:

Interesting idea :smiley: I’ve got the 40 ft tall Indian for advertising !! At one time I thought of developing a park area around the Indian statue. Might still do that someday. I need to do some surgery to him and re-attach an arm. [url=photo.cvsry.com/Indian4-1024.jpg]

(http://photo.cvsry.com/Indian4-320.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color]

#11

More progress. Due to a screw up when I ordered them, I don’t have a right hand #6 in stock. I decided that rather than to rely on my paper templates, I should pull up a RH switch and lay out all the track before casting the roadbed in concrete. What I found was that I can run all three #6’s together at Indian Hill Junction with enough space to get around the first tree. The track heading around the tree is actually a section of the Wye leg that I picked up to get out of the way. It proves to me that I can sweep around the tree without going too tight. [url=lsc.cvsry.com/NewSw-04-1200.jpg]

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/NewSw-04-720.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] [url=lsc.cvsry.com/NewSw-05-1200.jpg]

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/NewSw-05-720.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] After the photos were taken I excavated the rest of the area needed for the switch pad. Just needs concrete now :smiley:

#12

Jon Radder said:

David Russell said:
Are you going to have a cigar shop on Indian Hill? :wink:

Interesting idea :smiley: I’ve got the 40 ft tall Indian for advertising !! At one time I thought of developing a park area around the Indian statue. Might still do that someday. I need to do some surgery to him and re-attach an arm. [url=photo.cvsry.com/Indian4-1024.jpg]

(http://photo.cvsry.com/Indian4-320.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color]

Are you crazy!!! You got the indian so you have to have a cigar store!!! Winter Project this year! :lol:

#13

Didja ever notice that there is not one structure on my railroad? I started building a shanty once. Got the acrylic put together and then got sidetracked :o I have a couple of bird houses inside that stand in as stations, etc.

Back on the Home Depot front… I guess I should be glad I got treated poorly on Saturday. Went back today wearing my logo shirt from work. The guy at the contractor desk recognized the logo (my company buys a lot at Home Depot) and he took good care of me. They loaded everything I wanted on a cart, pushed it out to my car, and loaded up. On top of that I got a 10% discount on the entire order due to my tale of woe. :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

Just need to get the forms made and I’ll be power mixing pouring cement soon :slight_smile:

#14

Can I barrow the shirt.
I get treaded like crap everytime I go there and I never get 10% off.

Good deal and glade you got your stuff.

#15

:smiley: Actually the shirt only got me recognized - I got the discount by asking for it. I had a coupon that expired at the end of March. I asked him if there is any way I could get the discount. He checked with the manager and since I was given the run-around on Saturday, the Manager agreed I deserved it.

#16

Wasted a couple of hours drilling and installing Tapcon screws tonight. See the discussion here for why I did that.

I think I have Friday off this week and the forecast looks good. I really can’t wait to fire up that mixer :smiley:

#17

Update:

Spent most of Friday working on the expansion. No pictures yet as it was too dark when I finished Friday and all day today. First I moved the Tapcon screws back to the solid pour, eliminating the short extension that I had forgotten about. This increases the length of the new pour by about 6 inches.

Putzed around for another hour or more emptying the excavation dirt from the garden trailer, then loading up the table saw and all manner of wood scraps and tools. I managed to just about finish the form by dark.

Today life got in the way - I discovered the winter cover on my '61 fiberglass boat had split in two so I spent most of the day dealing with that. I did manage to lay the switches over top of the mostly finished forms to make sure everything lined up before I commit to concrete.

One thing I decided to do was to cast in a transition to the ladder roadbed. I knew what I wanted the concrete to look like when the forms come off, but I was having a hard time thinking in the negative. I did finally arrive at a very simple method to block the pour to create a concrete spacer and shelf where the ladder will connect. I need to add this same transition for one more switch and then I’m, ready to level the forms.

Weather doesn’t look to promising for tomorrow.

#18

Finally some progress. My decision to cast in transition points for spline roadbed added quite a bit of engineering to the job. Good weather and a day off today resulted in the forms being ready to pour as of dark this evening. [url=lsc.cvsry.com/NewSw-06-1200.jpg]

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/NewSw-06-720.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]Excavation and Tapcon screws ready FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] [url=lsc.cvsry.com/NewSw-07-1200.jpg]

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/NewSw-07-720.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]The forms and blocking for transition points complete - FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] [url=lsc.cvsry.com/NewSw-08-1200.jpg]

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/NewSw-08-720.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]Forms in place and leveled to 4% - FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] [url=lsc.cvsry.com/NewSw-09-1200.jpg]

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/NewSw-09-720.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]Track placed to double check the transition points - FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] [url=lsc.cvsry.com/NewSw-10-1200.jpg]

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/NewSw-10-720.jpg)

[/url][color=blue]Hi-Tech track geometry machine brought in to check alignment - FF: Click to Enlarge - IE: Right Click Photo and select Open Link in New Window to Enlarge[/color] If the weather holds - the pour will take place in the morning.

#19

Most interesting, please continue to take pictures and keep us informed. Good stuff to add to the article section.

#20

Thanks Ric -

BTW - Those gray cross pieces on the form were just there to stabilize it while moving/leveling. They were pulled off before the form was topped off with concrete .

I just finished the pour and it looks pretty good. I need to go back in a half hour or so and dress the surface. Not sure how well the transitions will turn out. It might be tough to break the forms free without damaging the small castings.

I didn’t take any pictures during the pouring process as I didn’t want to risk getting concrete on the camera, but I’ll taker a few before the forms come off.