OK guys. I do have an update. I have been sifting crushed basalt base separating the fines from the larger gravel. The finer sand type stuff is going around the ladder and basically all over the raised bed section where I wont have plants. The gravel is what I am using for the walk way. So I have been working to fill in around the ladder in preparation for track laying. But I did also get side tracked. I said I wasn’t going to haul any more rock and dirt or do any landscaping. Well I couldn’t resist making the lower mountain. So that took up most of my time.
I wanted a different rock than what I had been using. The other end is basalt and the bed is round river type rock. So for this mountain I used some more angular rock from up in the surrounding mountains. It comes in a variety of color I got mostly reddish brown and grey. Three of these pieces took three of us to load.
I used the three large stones to create a tunnel.
Here is the mountain. I will use this area as a planter. Last weekend I picked up some dwarf plants so I got them planted along with the juniper I started messing with last year.
This is a shot of the rest of the lower loop. The gravel is the walk way and the the rest is sand that will be where buildings and such will go. Starting to clean up and look like a layout. I should be on track to lay track starting in June.
Really looking great now. (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-smile.gif)
Nice work! Love the rocks. Keep at it … it’s looking great.
I see some track! This is starting to look like a railroad build. And its only page 54!
Great progress Devon !!!
David Maynard said:
I see some track! This is starting to look like a railroad build. And its only page 54!
that track was there last year
seems, that you changed a lot.
you are now definitely not the Devon, who lent his name to arm chair modelling…
I was never concerned. Once the six months of winter was over I knew I could get going again. We just had a long abnormal winter that kept me from working through it. Now that I have some decent days I have been able to get on a roll.
I took the day off of work today and should be able to finish back filling the rest of the raised bed portion of the layout. That’s if the gravel pile holds out but it’s looking good for the home team.
So the gravel held out. I got the entire lower section, the raised bed portion, back filled up to the top of the ladder. In fact I have got the whole raised bed section complete minus the track (oh and the water feature) . I have about 2/3rds of the path way graveled as well. I need about another half a yard of basalt base that I can sift to finish the path ways. The rest of the fines from the first load and the fines from the next load are being stock piled and will be sifted to remove the ultra fine materiel and I will use the course stuff as actual ballast. I also started placing rock under the bench as well. So things are really coming along nicely.
Up next will be to finish the last section of bench base. I will also start laying all the track on the lower section. That will be next weekend.
Things left to do to call it ready for the meeting. Besides the stuff mentioned previously I will need to paint the yard cabinet and install the doors. I need to lay the PVC boards on the bench and cover it with netting and weed block. Then lay the track base and track. I also need to build a temporary lift bridge and section of track off the end of the wye.
Geez, I can’t keep up with all the progress…you’re putting some of us (like me, maybe) to shame when it comes to recent railroad activity.
John Passaro said:
Geez, I can’t keep up with all the progress…
Well there’s a new twist. I am actually making too much progress. . .lol.
Nice progress, Devon. I really like the “natural” tunnel.
Devon Sinsley said:
So the gravel held out. I got the entire lower section, the raised bed portion, back filled up to the top of the ladder. In fact I have got the whole raised bed section complete minus the track (oh and the water feature) . I have about 2/3rds of the path way graveled as well. I need about another half a yard of basalt base that I can sift to finish the path ways. The rest of the fines from the first load and the fines from the next load are being stock piled and will be sifted to remove the ultra fine materiel and I will use the course stuff as actual ballast. I also started placing rock under the bench as well. So things are really coming along nicely.
Up next will be to finish the last section of bench base. I will also start laying all the track on the lower section. That will be next weekend.
Things left to do to call it ready for the meeting. Besides the stuff mentioned previously I will need to paint the yard cabinet and install the doors. I need to lay the PVC boards on the bench and cover it with netting and weed block. Then lay the track base and track. I also need to build a temporary lift bridge and section of track off the end of the wye.
Take some updated pics … Please !
Doing great Devon …Buddy!
Sean I promise pics. In fact I am thinking I will do another article, a pre track laying addition. Yesterday I worked until I had to run into the house and get ready to leave and came home after dark. But I will get some updated pics.
Just an update, things are progressing well. I have all but one small section of the walk ways all weed blocked and graveled. The entire raised bed section of the layout is done with construction and ready for track laying. I have about half of the area beneath the bench work weed blocked and rocked. And I have installed the “fence” and gate that enters the area. I started laying track today on the lower reversing loop. But I got called into work and had to stop. If all goes well I will have the raised bed section of the RR all done ready to run by tomorrow. I will take photos of it tomorrow but here is a teaser.
Now I could be running trains as early as tomorrow. The raised bed section is a loop and that means I could be doing some roundy round running. We will see how it goes. But I wanted to begin laying track in June so I am a weekend ahead of schedule.
Edited to say that the best part is the wife for the first time looked at it and was happy with it. This area of our yard has been an eye sore since we moved in 20 years ago. It is nice and clean an manicured now and she even commented that Railroads were now part of our backyard theme. Time to start planning the expansion(http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-tongue-out.gif)
“Time to start planning the expansion(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-tongue-out.gif)”
Atta boy!
Well thanks to issues at work I didn’t get as much track laid as I had hoped. Most of the lower section is in; maybe 2/3s. As a consequence I didn’t get to run train on it. But last weekend I took some ariel views from the roof. So it doesn’t show the track but it is a nice perspective.
I am starting to get excited. It is looking more and more like a train layout. As I am working I am daydreaming about what buildings will be built over then years and how the bridges will look. Its coming together.