I finally got some track on my roadbed…it’s about 60% railed…waiting on my 20’ curves to finish laying track. It was a blast to run a train even if it was point to point…looking forward to finishing the loop. Here’s shots from the first freight run I had on Sunday. There she goes…
Ahhhh…a caboose at the end of the train
Here she is coming off the 29 foot radius
The wife snuck this picture of me just pulling away on the first run.
Brian B.
Thats looking so good , congrats , and happy RRing !
Very nice, congrats on the first run!
Brian,
Don’t sell P t P short, it has a lot going for it. There are a lot of operating possibilities in turning the train. Granted, it is nice to be able to sit back with the grandkids on a Sunday afternoon and drink cool beverages and watch the locomotive chase its caboose, but Saturday afternoon operating with the bros is good for the soul, too.
SteveF
Brian, in the last shot (the one with you in it), there’s a large patch of brown scrub in the background that looks for all the world like bullrushes after a lengthy drought. What is that stuff?
Brian you are off and running. Can you please explain how you did the raised roadbed.
Bob Hayes
Thanks Guys,
Dave: Not bullrushes…they’re catails…and we’re entering fall so they’re on there way out, a month ago they were 8 feet tall and green.
Bob,
I used 2" schedule 40 PVC pipe spaced 4 feet apart…what I did was to drive pieces that were cut a little over 3 feet down almost to the ground…then glued a coupling onto it and added a piece appropriatly sized so I could drive it another foot into the ground. That way I had it at least 4 feet into the earth…some are as much as 5 feet below the surface. My soil is sandy loam…so the pipes drove in pretty well. On top of the pipe are flat caps that I drove a screw thru the plywood and into the cap. It seems to work so far. The plywood is double stacked 3/4" (for a total 1.5" thick) that I offset the joints so they will resist sagging. I’ve put 3 coats of acrylic primer then 3 coats of acrylic top coat onto the plywood
Brian
Brian thank you. I am thinking of going raised roadbed but using some sort of plastic for it. Yours look nice and tidy and easy to get to.
Bob
Brian,
Sure looks like a first-rate job with your raised roadbed.
I also enjoyed seeing a DT&I consist on the high iron. Having grown up in a small NW Ohio town served by the DT&I, your pictures brought back great memories.
Looks like I’ll have to decorate a few cars for the DT&I. Maybe even a diesel. Where did you acquire the necessary decals?
Thanks for posting the pictures.
JD
Man, I’ve been living in Australia too long! I knew bullrushes was the wrong word, but do you think I could remember cattails?!!
Your raised roadbed makes sense. I am putting on a spur that will use the sloping ground in our yard to let us put trains on tracks at about the height you’re using. Putting them on at ground level still works, but that will get more problematic as the old bones stiffen up!
Brian I notice that your base is reasonably wide. Are you going to have double track.
Bob
Looking good Brian! Your pictures are making me want to run trains. I guess It’s time to get the lawn mower out and cut down some weeds!
Jon.
Outdoor train season around here is about over. Winter weather is setting in fast…
Warren Mumpower said:
Outdoor train season around here is about over. Winter weather is setting in fast…
That just means it is time to break out the snowplow, Warren!
I get the shivers just looking at it! madwolf
Steve, you run the snow plow…I’ll hug the coffee pot.
Neat pics of the snowplow, Steve! Keep up the good work - Warren and I will save you a hot cuppa!
JD,
I had the compass decals made from my artwork…the large block lettering I cut out from blank colored decal sheet.
Bob,
I made the base wide enough to double track…I want to see how it all holds up before I make that investment…but so far I’m really liking the idea of doubletrack!
Jon,
Get going! I’m waiting to come see it…I’m taking off my track so I can round the edges of the base and coat the top with a product that is designed to coat mobile home roofs…when I get that done and the track back on I’ll have you over to see the whole sheebang.
Steve,
Cool snow pics…I’m thinking I may try that this winter
Brian B.
Brain,
I love it! nice use of diffrent materials. That in itself can drive a man nuts…as to what works and what doesn’t through the test of time? I was wondering though, being in PA…How’s the skeeters around the cattail’s at dusk? Just curious:lol:
David, It depends on heat and moisture…not bad at times and pretty bad at others. I took a few pictures this weekend after completing the full loop [:)][:D][8D] I had a blast [:D][:D][:D]
Rounding the horseshoe curve (10’ radius)
Coming thru the 29’ radius curve
Here’s a semi-over view - it’s hard to get it all in a picture. If you look close you’ll se the 30’ train way on the other side.
Brian