Large Scale Central

Building the Mtn. Div. on the NMNRR

Track and Trestles
#1

Ok guys. As I finnish up the water tank, I can now turn back to my own pike. I’m about 6 weeks behind on where I hoped to be this summer. My main goal was to get the track work finished on up the mountain. I’ve had several e-mails asking about the tracks that showed up in the background of the tank build pics, and with this string I’ll show you where I’m at and where I’m headed. BTW: 1st Run by a train was in Oct. Last year (2011) 1st I’m working on a new track plan drawing… Surprise!! what’s on the ground and what’s on the paper has changed quite a bit as the total build has progressed. Give me a few days after I get the tank set at it’s permanent home, to get them re drawn. 2nd, A little background… I am so envious of those of you with acreage to play on, count your blessings. I live in the “Old” part of town, small lots, small house, smaller yard. My entire lot for house, garage, yard and train layout sits on a 50’ wide x 115’ long corner plot! To build the Mtn. Div. I had to get a special use permit from the city to encroach on there side street utility easement of 15 feet. Six mths of bureaucratic bull, and restrictions. All I wanted to do was pile a little dirt up and run my choo choo up the hill. They made me do it… If they made me jump thru there hoops, then by gaud it was going to be a big pile. Piling up my big pile…

Its over 7 feet tall… I got me a mountain… The view from across the street looking North. It started out level.

The main line loops around at the raised bed level ( 2 ft high) behind the retaining wall ( yet another permitting round with the city) and you can see where the pilings set for the up hill grade. More to come in the comming weeks. Stand by…

#2

All right Dave, looking forward to seeing more as you keep us informed.

Chuck

#3

Looks good. Thats something I would like to do someday. I always liked a line running along the top of mountain. Just make sure you get lots of plants so it doesnt wash all away.

#4

Hey Dave,

Just be lucky you live in the city or the deer would be using your hill for “King of the Mountain” games. Hey wait a minute, I live in the city and the @$#$%^ deer are using my hill for that same game.

#5

A couple more pics of the Mtn. to let you better understand where Im going and what I’M up to. Looking S. from the new patio area.

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/NMNRR-012.jpg)

Looking W. The Main line runs around the Mtn, at ground level on the raised bed.

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/NMNRR-008.jpg)

Looking W. at the North side of the Mtn. you can see the grading for the new track.

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/NMNRR-010.jpg)

Looking E. from atop the retaining wall, (yet another Permitting hassle with the city) at the pilings for the new track work.

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/NMNRR-016.jpg)

Looking SE, grading from the upper tunnel on right thru the return loop and on around the top.

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/NMNRR-017.jpg)

Need spend the rest of this week on the water tank, so come Monday I may get some track bent.

#6

Looks great. 2 questions…

What is the diameter of the PVC pipe you are using for tunnels ?

Are you going to install a fence at the sidewalk? Even in a great neighborhood boys will be boys. You are creating what the lawyers call an “Attractive Nuisance”.

#7

That’s quite a mountain, Dave. (And a lot of shovel work!) Good project. I’ll enjoy seeing how it comes out. Please keep us posted.

S

#8

That’s awesome! I predict great holiday runs for the neighborhood.

#9

@ Jon The Two tunnels are 12" Schedule 80 PVC.

Now about that fence along the street !! I say yes, city says NO… well maybe… I’ll have to go back and get permission, with another special use variance, and I will have to prove a need. I’m documenting “random acts of vandalism” to arm my self.

OTOH I do want to set up a street side controller box for the neighbor hood kids (of all ages) to be able to run trains. I have room for a loop of ON30 track with a tunnel into the hillside and probably a Thomas Train + a Christmas train for the holidays. It would have to have a fence then.

#10

Thanks Dave. They looked smaller than 12". That should work OK for all except the largest stuff. Roger on the fence :slight_smile:

#11

Dang Dave, its just the little town of Farmington. Obviously they have an over-zealous person working in building and zoning.

#12

my back hurts everytime, i look at those pictures… :slight_smile:

#13

Jon Here is the tunnels from the street side.

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/NMNRR-003.jpg)

@ Jake If you look closely at the lower tunnel portal you will see a 1 1/2" hole in the portal, to the top left. Thats the outlet for a perforated “French Drain” that the city made me dig out the dirt from the wall and install. They were worried that the hydrostatic pressure on the wall would cause it to fail, falling over and killing someone. NO REALLY… Now… we live in the high desert, we get on average 6" of moisture a year, go figure! I had to get an engineer to come out and write a letter certifying that the wall would hold the weight of the piled up dirt. All cells have rebar, and all cells are grouted with concrete. Luckily he’s a friend, and former city engineer, and just shook his head, and wrote the letter for me. I must have done something, somewhere, sometime to P*$$ off the P&Z board. Dave

#14

I deal with towns and cities almost every day in my jobs. They can be giant pains in the rear like you experienced, or a breeze like Kent, CT where I had to speak with the “Zoning Dude” for about 30 seconds to get a permit.

#15

Makes me glad I dont live in town. I still have to deal with the county which can be a PITA but much better to work with than the city. As an engineer myself I laugh also, There is no need to worry about that wall falling over

#16

Well, if the ground was saturated with rain water, and Godzilla walked by and stepped on it, the wall would probably fall over. What do you say to that, Mr. Engineer? Oh, you say that you live in the desert, and Godzilla lives in Japan? That doesn’t matter, it could happen. :smiley: :lol: :stuck_out_tongue:

Q.What do you call the guy who graduated last in his Civil Engineering class? A. City Engineer.

#17

Onward up the mountain… Went out to a local arroyo and gathered up some rocks for shoring up the hill sides. Here is the first hill after the dry gulch. I had the track bent last fall, and needed to work on the road bed.

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/NMNRR-022.jpg)

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/NMNRR-023.jpg)

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/NMNRR-025.jpg)

Re-set the grade, Moved some fill and got some rocks in to hold it up.

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/NMNRR-026.jpg)

Here is the Canyon for the source of the river water. It’s about a 2 ft. span. in the bottom is the valve to control the water flow. It will eventually be hidden by rocks.

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/NMNRR-024.jpg)

Borrowed back from a friend a trestle I made a couple yrs ago and adjusted the bents to work, placed it across the span.

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/NMNRR-027.jpg)

(http://i1234.photobucket.com/albums/ff403/dave2-8-0/NMNRR-028.jpg)

Had to go Las Vegas For corp. Training for 6 days. Back and ready to set some bents on up the mountain…

#18

nice progress, Dave…

#19

Looking good

#20

Layouts really looking good Dave. Play nice in Vegas!!!