Large Scale Central

Bluestone Southern's Road to Memphis

Track and Trestles
#1

Last summer/fall (2016), we started on the retaining wall for the ““Road to Memphis””…

The following pictures show the progression of the wall.

Over the fall/winter, we had left the dirt to slowly pack in with the rain…

Since the winter has been so terrible… (The 70 degree days make you sweat)… We built the wall separating the ““Road to Memphis”” on the front portion of the retaining wall, and the town of Freeman Spur, which will be located behind and above the ““Road to Memphis””

Below are shots of the Freeman Spur rock wall… Pictures flow right (west side) to the left (east side)…

Tracks are being prepped for installation, and hopefully will start being install upon return from the ECLSTS in York…

#2

Is it done yet?..(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

#3

It’s already immortalized in a book…

They couldn’t find Hope to do the movie…(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-foot-in-mouth.gif)

Hope it’s done for your fall session…

#4

Nice progress!

#5

Looks great Andy .

#6

Trackwork began for the Memphis Sub and the spur line to the town of Freeman Spur… Installed a " Y " switch just off the bridge from Woodlawn, where the tracks swung right to the location of the old Memphis

Below are some pictures of the area being worked.

Pictures below show the start of the revised tracks…

A " Y " switch was cut into the original tracks as the tracks come off the bridge from Woodlawn. The Memphis sub starts at the Y-switch and turns left… When the track straightens back out, another right hand #6 switch is installed, creating the branchline to the town of Freedom Spur…

Picture below shows the tracks installed to the point where the bridges start. The track on the left with the dark ties will be the branchline to Freedom Spur… Tracks are dark as they are the old wooden ties… Just after that branchline switch, is another switch which will be the start of the Memphis Sub double track mainline that will run to the location where Memphis will actually be located on the railroad…

The Memphis sub mainline will be slightly difficult to see, as it has concrete ties, which is almost the same color as the roadbed…

Hopefully, tomorrow, we can start to set out the bridges that will span the area between retaining walls which will allow for rainfall drainage…

Stay tuned…

#7

Always following along. (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

#8

Below is a picture of the start of the bridge installation…

The bridges on the right will be the double mainline to Memphis… This consists of 2 bridges back to back… Spans 24ft total…

The single track bridges on the left will be the bridges to the town of Freeman Spur… The single track bridges will span approx. 28ft using various lengths of bridges… There are 2 - 6ft bridges, a 4ft bridge, 3 - 3ft bridges and a 1ft bridge that will make up the Freeman Spur bridge… The picture shows a 4ft bridge at the far end and the 2 - 6ft bridges…

Along with working on bridge placement, we also worked on continuing the retaining wall curving it around, and running it back to old Memphis station location…

You can see the supervisor (Jinx) laying on the left, surveying the operations…

#9

Someone has to be able to go for help!

#10

Very impressive Andy.

Hope it’s done by October! (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

I also hope that Google gets a more updated picture before then…

#11

Thanks Bruce… Actually, that picture is almost up to date… Those 2 white squares on the triangle dirt are the 2 skids of rocks that made up the wall between Freeman Spur and the Memphis mainline…

#12

Wow! I had no idea. A visit is on my bucket list, fo sho.

#13

Steve Featherkile said:

Wow! I had no idea. A visit is on my bucket list, fo sho.

Anytime, Steve… (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

#14

Steve Featherkile said:

Wow! I had no idea. A visit is on my bucket list, fo sho.

Come this October! You should probably avoid the train, though; the Empire Builder to Chicago is 40 hours late!

#15

Hi Andy… When I first read the post headline, I was a bit concerned about this undertaking.

It’s my understanding that Memphis is 257 miles or so south of Nashville… You’re a few miles south of Nashville so it’s probably closer to 253. Laying all that G gauge track is going to take great effort and then you’ll need to walk along side the trains all the way, have battery charging stations every few miles and places of rest and refreshments.

You might consider moving up to 7 1/2 inch “Ride-On” gauge so you could at least sit in the control car and have the locomotive powered by the gas engines pulling the trains. That way, you could run the track through towns on the way to Memphis and “gas up” as needed. Although, you may have quite a bit of gas.

Anyway, just a thought. Just thinking of your well being. Have fun with the project… (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-tongue-out.gif)(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-tongue-out.gif)(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

#16

Bruce Chandler said:

Steve Featherkile said:

Wow! I had no idea. A visit is on my bucket list, fo sho.

Come this October! You should probably avoid the train, though; the Empire Builder to Chicago is 40 hours late!

The Builder is always late. BNSF is still trying to find their way through Marias Pass.

A couple of years ago, I planned to take the train from Spokane to Ontario, CA, to visit my son at NCB 2 in Port Huineme. I thought about leaving from Spokane on the Portland section of the Builder, have a 4 hr layover in Portland, the south on the Coast Starlight. Then, realizing that it was December, I elected to drive to Portland early, spend the night with my daughter and her husband, and head south the next day. I drove through a blizzard on the way to Portland, so I thought that I had made a wise choice. Little did I know how right I was.

As the Coast Starlight was pulling out of the Portland station, with me on it, the Builder, that was supposed to arrive 4 hrs earlier, was just pulling in. Amtrak, in their wisdom, decided not to hold the Starlight for the late Builder. I would have missed that train, and the event that I was going to California, for.

#17

the Builder, that was supposed to arrive 4 hrs earlier, was just pulling in. Amtrak, in their wisdom, decided not to hold the Starlight for the late Builder.

Now there is customer service for you. (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-undecided.gif)

#18

Stan Cedarleaf said:

Hi Andy… When I first read the post headline, I was a bit concerned about this undertaking.

It’s my understanding that Memphis is 257 miles or so south of Nashville… You’re a few miles south of Nashville so it’s probably closer to 253. Laying all that G gauge track is going to take great effort and then you’ll need to walk along side the trains all the way, have battery charging stations every few miles and places of rest and refreshments.

You might consider moving up to 7 1/2 inch “Ride-On” gauge so you could at least sit in the control car and have the locomotive powered by the gas engines pulling the trains. That way, you could run the track through towns on the way to Memphis and “gas up” as needed. Although, you may have quite a bit of gas.

Anyway, just a thought. Just thinking of your well being. Have fun with the project… (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-tongue-out.gif)(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-tongue-out.gif)(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

Stan, trust me, there are some days that I really believe we are building the railroad to the true Memphis, all 257 miles of it… (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-innocent.gif)

#19

Wow! Jane does excellent work! hehehe.

Looking great! I may be over my hours of service before I reach my destination if I leave from Mephis next time I run a train. It took me an hour to get from Evansville to Addieville! hahaha!

Oh, is it done yet?(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

#20

Where are you now?

Headed to Memphis?