Large Scale Central

BN 8th Sub (Issaquah Branch) Track Plan

Track and Trestles
#170

Phase 1 of the track is officially in and rolling. Still a lot of tweaking and minor repairs to make but the layout can handle a car rolling from staging to the end of track without help from the 0-5-0. A total of four duckunders but during a formal ops, that number hopefully drops by 1.

The goal was to have something roll across the layout by the end of the school year and I’m a month early!

Now I can focus on cleaning up the layout, and backyard along with the last few things in order to get ops started and that includes some new batteries in the locomotive and tweaking sound files.

Video runs from the end of track to staging.

https://youtube.com/shorts/hCnQtKMIlog?si=Ui9J-GaBQRqEtQzy

3 Likes
#171

Craig;

It’s looking very good, although I suspect some pruning of 1:1 bushes may be on your agenda.

Best, David Meashey

#172

Yep. I need to prune those for sure. I pruned the darn thing last spring. I guess I need to go more aggressive. :joy:

#173

As long as you’re happy with the mighty 0-5-0 helper engine, give yourself another year!

:laughing:

#174

Congratulations on the successful test!

#175

Thanks. It felt really good to finally roll something along the tracks for once. Now I’m ready to push forward with the next section and forget cleaning up the backyard. But I told myself that I would get the backyard done before creating more of a mess in the front.

On the list that’s not railroad related: build the retaining wall blocks around the fire pit area, bring in a ton of play sand for the boys and section off the digging pit and rebuild a fence section. But some of those projects require a working pickup to grab stuff and guess what’s been sitting in the side yard for a couple months now with a dead battery and some other minor repairs? :roll_eyes: I don’t think my wife would appreciate me filling the suburban with play sand but I can get away with lumber… :joy:

Flaxton Creek Railway Build Log
#176

I’d like to rip the whole thing out actually. It’s one of about a dozen native wild huckleberry plants scattered throughout my yard. I enjoy huckleberries but they are a pain to pick and these ones taste more like a blueberry rather than true red huckleberry. There’s another plant in there as well along with another huckleberry plant about 3’ over.

#177

Well @Neil_Wiggins I’m starting the process of building the last 4 turnouts I need for the layout.

I’ve got a lot of yard work and cleaning up to do in the backyard before I can make strides in the last section. Plus start slowly hoarding the boards, grinding up a few old stumps, ripping out some huckleberry plants (I have plenty of them, they are almost invasive in my yard), moving a hydrangea for my wife in the fall.

I doubt l get to even build the track structure this summer but I’m trying to prep track at least!

2 Likes
#178

Nice work Craig.

What # is that - looks like 8 or 10? And is that Al track & brass frog??

I’m hoarding my brass rail for turnouts but it never occurred to me to mix up the stock & closures (if that’s what you’re doing…).

Cheers
N

#179

Close guess. It’s actually a #9. For some silly reason all the railroads west of the Mississippi use odd numbered frogs and all the railroads east of the Mississippi use even numbered frogs. Every hobby manufacturer makes even numbered frogs, I’ve never seen or heard of any odd numbered frogs in any scale above a #5. :joy:

The branch I’m modeling has all #9 turnouts so I figured what the heck. I have 1 #6 on the outside portion due to a curve and then the staging yard has both #6 and #4!for space savings.

Yes it’s aluminum rail for everything, brass for the frog ( I have also used nickle silver but Llagas was out when I ordered) and Llagas points. Points would be pretty easy to make out of brass but I like the Llagas points just for the ease of assembly.

1 Like
#180

Been a while since I updated LSC about the layout.

Just pulled off the bench another building.



I also discovered two new industries I hadn’t previously known about. Not sure when I’ll add them but I’ve offered to have my layout on the 2027 NMRA National Convention tour so I’ve got to get my butt in gear with layout projects.
This industry was just east of Redmond and was a brick plant.


I think I’ll have just barely enough room to add.

The other industry is just to the leftside of the brick plant and services a warehouse. Not entirely sure what products but it leaves quite the range of possibilities if I decided to add that as well. Right now the focus is finishing up the already established areas prior to spring when I hope to break ground on the final extension out front.

4 Likes
#181

Being a bit of a masochist adding to the list late in the game. I understand it week before an open house I started making changes additions. Sometimes it’s hard to say enough!!

1 Like
#182

At the rate I build I probably shouldn’t add additional projects to the list.

But hey, I’ve got a goal now and I’m bound and determined to get some stuff done. I’m trying really hard to do something each day and not be lazy.

#183

Now that I finished the cluster of 3 buildings next to T-D Feeds, I’ve turned my attention back to the feed mill with the goal of finishing up the major portions of the build by the end of the school year (June). Hopefully that gives me enough time but also pushes me to keep going forward.

When I started this building almost 17 years ago my plan was to build it from solely 1/8" styrene. But I’ve learned a few things between them and now. The frame for this will now be PVC lumber. The first floor is 1x8 with PVC ceiling tiles on top for a nice even 18’ ground to roof level.

I’ve been mocking up in foamcore the other areas of the building as well to make sure the measurements all fit.

I carried everything out to the layout during a nice day and showed off to my wife what this beast of a building will look like hopefully soon.

I then started to flesh out some of the sub assemblies, including the 2nd floor corner, and the unloading shed. I’m not sure if I’ll permanently attach both pieces to the substructure once it’s on the layout or just use the weight of them to hold them in place.




This is the corner of the mill hidden by another substructure, but was revealed during demolition. I hadn’t ever seen this view before I found these photos.

1 Like
#184

I got some free time this past weekend finally and motivation (my Dad’s health is declining rapidly and it’s hard to have creative energy when I’m busy with that stuff) and started building more of the feed mill structure. Two more substructures to make but the overall height is looking pretty good in proportion to the photos. The tallest leg ended up being about 80’ from the main first floor or about 100’ from ground. That’s 44" high, right around where I estimated many years ago. The layout is 45-47" high so the entire thing will reach 8’ into the sky. Definitely will dominate the scene even if someone who is 6’+ comes over.

I’ve got 2 more substructures to make. One is fairly easy and the other one might take a bit more imagineering. Then it’s time to buckle down and start cutting up cans and annealing them.

The feed mill store area is peaking out on the background.
That will be next after I finish this main structure area.

2 Likes
#185

Is this the PVC lumber everyone is talking about?

1 Like
#186

This process was some arguable the most boring thing we ever undertook. It did save money, but the cut, anneal, cut, crimp process was double-plus-un-fun! In your hands, though, it will make your buildings shine…or look rusty…or maybe mixed!

Eric

#187

I’m found using a utility knife to slice the tops and bottoms off works pretty well. Just as fast as trying to run them through the band saw.

Then some old scissors slice it into a flat sheet.

I’ve found some corrugated plastic panels but I can’t afford for purchase as many sheets as I’ll need when drink cans are easily accessible (and in some cases very enjoyable to consume)

#188

Been a while since I frequently posted here on LSC. I’ve been kinda quiet for a couple of reasons.

First reason is the last year and half has been hard on me, helping my Mom take care of my Dad, who passed away April 22nd. Sorrowful joy is what I’ve been calling it. My faith and my Dad faith have certainly been steadfast this past year and half.

Anyways, I’ve been doing a bunch of random things as I have time. I’ve been experimenting with some roadway building, with 1.5" foam covered by a concrete patch repair stuff. It looks pretty good on the small test sections, but I’ll need to “pour” a much larger section and get everything leveled with regular concrete first. And printing off some labels…

Secondly, I’ve been plugging away on my massive feed mill and hope to have it mostly, if not all the way done by the end of June.

Also cut in another industry and spur line: Building Specialities a contractor for home builders. Mostly drywall and lumber.

And finishing building a fire pit and seating area…

And finally working on building a 1/25th kit of a 1991 Mazda Miata in memory of my Dad who owned one.

4 Likes
#189

Craig,

My sincerest condolences. I am happy to hear that Faith has helped ease the sorrow.

Aloha,
Eric

1 Like