Sean McGillicuddy said:
This post by Tom is what I was talking about Shawn.
http://www.largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/22533/making-mountains-the-rayon-way
Thanks Sean. Looks good although im a little anal and need to build mountains with real rock and dirt. For some reason its not the same. Fake mountains belong indoors.
Shawn, Be careful what you wish for. Real dirt, is heavy and it takes a whole lot more then you think for, and the pile gets really wide to get it very tall.
Idiotic, But I got my mountain. Almost 8’ tall.
Dave Taylor said:
Shawn, Be careful what you wish for. Real dirt, is heavy and it takes a whole lot more then you think for, and the pile gets really wide to get it very tall.
Idiotic, But I got my mountain. Almost 8’ tall.
So what’s with the shoes?
Haha its all good Dave. I dont plan on building any moutains that tall. Maybe a few feet at most. More like hills. Like my last layout.
Very interesting drawing. I like it. Be someting I’d like to do. Later RJD
Shawn, are you going to have track power anymore on your new layout or is that going to be a thing of the past as you mostly run live steam now?
How short do you think yoour mountain will be by the end of the winter?
Doug Im going to wait until Spring to build anything on the layout. The area is as level as I can get it now. Tomrow I will lay the track down. I dont think I will do any Ballasting until the Spring. Im thinking it would be smarter to let the soil compact over the winter. If I do it now I might get some major frost heave.
Looks like we might get a few inches of snow tonight. Hope it doesnt put a damper on my plans tomorrow.
Besides letting it rest it’s a lot more fun to work on the track when the weather is nicer!
Vincent D’Agostino said:
Shawn, are you going to have track power anymore on your new layout or is that going to be a thing of the past as you mostly run live steam now?
I decided that I would still use electric for club meets and for the few sparkies I have still. Nothing high tech, just one set of wires, no jumpers etc… I will be using rail clamps.
Looks like building will be delayed today do to snow covering the layout.
I started laying some track out to get an idea how everything will fit. It does not look like I will be able to incorporate two reverse loops that are in Jose’s plan. The layout is only 20ft wide not the 24 in Jose plan. I would have to go with smaller curves. I will be using the same plan but with only one reverse loop. Then I might also add a turn table or a y. First I have to get more cutoff blades for my dremel.
The ground is starting to freeze, looks like the most I can get done is get the track down without the ballast etc… I got a good start.
Pics?
Dave, is there any mortar and/or rebar in that block wall you are standing next to?
Greg
12" footings w/ rebar, with rebar every other cell, adheasives holding each brick, and all cells filled to the top with concrete (not mortar). Been thru this with the city building inspector. He did make me install a “French Drain” to keep the water saturation from knocking it over and killing all those souls. Remember this is New Mexico, so the water issue is really important!! Not! we get < 7" of moisture a year total.
Wow! I like the look of the wall without mortar/grout joints.
Yeah, you must have been cracking up over the french drain request!
Did you ask him where you could buy flood insurance?
Thanks for the answer! It’s a good looking wall.
Greg
We’ve had the same challenges on the desert. We did have to get flood insurance!
Hi Shawn:
I see that I misinterpreted your drawing, and the maximum width of the layout area is only 20’ and not 24’ as I assumed in my original plan.
I think you can work around this reduced width using several methods. The first and easiest one is to reduce the minimum curve radius to 4’, as indicated in figure 1. In that case, no major changes in the layout shape are required.
Figure 1 - Layout with 4’ minimum radius curves
Keeping minimum radius curves at 5’ is possible if the return loops are slightly nested into one another, as indicated in figure 2.
Figure 2 - Alternative with 5’ minimum radius
In both cases a 6’’ minimum distance is kept between the track centerline and the layout border, and 7’’ are kept between adjacent parallel tracks.
Have fun building your layout.
José Morais
Headmaster of the Lapa Furada RR
He even gives you the curve sizes!! 
Nice job, I like figure #2
Nice Jose`.
I vote for #2 as well.
Shawn; the advantage of the two reverse loops is that your train will pass through the yard area in opposite directions on alternate passes. Still roundy-round, but with the look and feel of point-to-point. Continuous run can be done by taking advantage of the spring action of Aristo switches. I never have to throw the switches on my wye so long as I always run it in the same order.