Large Scale Central

Another expansion thread?

Track and Trestles
#101

Back from FL and with the onset of cooler weather around here and the return of my pick-em-up truck further progress has commenced. The first order of business was re-laying the walk to a more permanent arrangement. A trip to Mr Mulch and Lowe’s got me started on that:

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh58/rgseng/expansion/hesperus024.jpg)

A pathway to get to the hose was put in and rest of the path was finished up:

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh58/rgseng/expansion/hesperus025.jpg)

1/2" Quarry gravel was used to ballast around the track work. It’s small enough to fit between the ties and fill the area between the 2 plastic rails on the ladder roadbed.

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh58/rgseng/expansion/hesperus032.jpg)

Went through a 1/2 ton yesterday and got another half ton this morning. Should be enough to finish that part of the job.

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh58/rgseng/expansion/hesperus030.jpg)

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh58/rgseng/expansion/hesperus029.jpg)

#102

You da man, Ken! That looks great, and gives me ideas for my Kennedy Ford scene.

#103

Looking good. Do you carry a full ton, or a half ton at a time in the pick-em-up ? My crappy old utility trailer (made from a well rusted 1960’s boat trailer & wood) would probably collapse if I ever tried to carry more than a half-ton in it. Makes for lots of trips to the stone terminal.

#104

Progress is looking wonderful, Ken…

#105

That looks great. When’s the ops session? :wink:

#106
Bruce Chandler said:
That looks great. When's the ops session? ;)
Sunday, in the spring, the weekend of York..... :)

I hope… :slight_smile:

Of course, your closer…

#107

Yea, what he said…:wink:

Jon, the pick up just a half ton jobber so the guy at the mulch place won’t load any more than that in it anyway. Besides shoveling a half ton of gravel is enough for one day…:wink: And the place is only a half a mile away.

Ops session? Hmmmmmmmmm, still working out a switch list since Train Ops is being cantankerous, but any time you feel like driving up, just let me know…I can throw some kind of half assed Ops session together. I do that all the time…:wink:

#108

Ken,
Looks real good now that the gravel is down.
Did you put down any weed cloth ?
The only place I’ve put down weed cloth is under my yard sidings. It is working good so far.
Ralph

#109

Never had much luck with weed cloth. After a few years the weeds just grow on top of it. Round-up works fine fer me…:wink:

#110

That addition is really on the move. Really looking nice. Now you need a few more buildings to fill in.

#111

David Marconi said:
That addition is really on the move. Really looking nice. Now you need a few more buildings to fill in.

Yea, I’m working on that. Thinkin about some kind of general store/merchandise type place for the other siding. Saw one on that Brewer Plans site that might work. Or something along the lines of this:

(http://web.mac.com/gardentexture/Site/Indus._%26_Yard_Bldg._files/01240029_0005_1.jpg)

Feed mill/general store…

#112

Sweet!

#113

Calendar is marked - Spring 2010. Got it.

#114

That’ll be a great addition

#115

Further progress. Not much but every little bit helps. Took a run to Lowe’s and picked up some ground covers; sedums, thymes, speedwell, and moneywort.

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh58/rgseng/expansion/hesperus038.jpg)

And… a half a ton a dirt don’t go far!

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh58/rgseng/expansion/hesperus037.jpg)

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh58/rgseng/expansion/hesperus035.jpg)

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh58/rgseng/expansion/hesperus040.jpg)

Conifers and such I’m having my son looking into from one of his suppliers on the West Coast. Along these lines:

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh58/rgseng/Plants%20on%20the%20RGS/plants0015.jpg)

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh58/rgseng/Plants%20on%20the%20RGS/plants0014.jpg)

That last bunch he got me are really doing well.

#116

They gave you the short scoop on the dirt

#117

Went back and reread all of this. It just came to me that there used to be a swimming pool there and now you are planning to put another swimming pool there only it is smaller and with a water feature. What is the saying? What goes around, comes around. Where is the diving board going to be? Will we be able to do laps? Maybe you should put in one of those pools where you can swim without going any place. Sounds like my railroad, you work all day to end up in the same place where you started. And for that you consider it a good thing and realise you had fun. “I’m just hanging on while this old world keep spinning and it wouldn’t change a thing if I let go.”

#118

Full of little ironies, too. Consider the the first phase of the layout. It occupies an area where the old layout was. Built up with PT wood landscape ties that eventually rotted. Track work powered by a transformer and all kinds of wires. Roadbed that had to be rebuilt every spring. Lasted a good 15 years though. Learned a lot…had a lotta fun with it. Then spent close to 3 years tearing it all down and wondering how to rebuild it. What you saw when you guys were here was basically my old layout re-incarnated in a more permanent solution. This:

(http://rgsgardenrailroad.com/train05.jpg)

Became this:

(http://www.trainweb.org/rgs/layout0005.jpg)

The pool became a bigger PITA then it was worth. Once the kids left the house, it was more or less a great big headache. So, out it went too. In it’s place went a flower bed.

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh58/rgseng/a%20wet%20day%20in%20May%202009/0905050034a.jpg)

All that empty space in there was just crying out for something to be done. So that is becoming this:

(http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh58/rgseng/expansion/hesperus037.jpg)

So, yes Ric, you’re right. Another swimming pool basically will be replacing the old pool. Though I do plan to scale it back a whole bunch. Instead of 12,000 gallons, maybe closer to 1,000 gallons. Something along these lines:

(http://rgsgardenrailroad.com/1_1_3_8a.jpg)

#119

Ken, now that pool would look down right purty… :slight_smile:

#120

Just be sure and make it deep enough for the dogs to lay in with their head resting on the side to watch the trains run bye.