Large Scale Central

Easing the grade on Coal Dump Curve

Track and Trestles
#61

Some more progress pictures. Worked until about 5 on placing rocks and filling, then went out for more rock and dinner on the lake. View from inside the curve…

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Post2/GradeFix-0711-34.jpg)

About 4 feet of rock and fill is complete…

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Post2/GradeFix-0711-35.jpg)

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Post2/GradeFix-0711-36.jpg)

This is going to make a very nice photo spot now…

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Post2/GradeFix-0711-37.jpg)

Kind of before and after…

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Post2/GradeFix-0711-38.jpg)

An attempt at an artsy shot…

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Post2/GradeFix-0711-39.jpg)

#62

Jpn, nice work… and yes, it does look good…

#63
Wendell Hanks said:
Hello Ralph- Is the "ladder" trestle constructed from treated lumber or 1X2 (?) PVC pieces (?) 8' long? I have a trestle I made that suffers from sun and irrigation. I'm interested in more data on what you used and your successes with this material. My guess is others also face the same endurance problems. Thanks, Wendell
Hey Wendell - did you mean Jon?

The ladder is 1x2 PVC, The spacers are 2x2 PT lumber. The PVC is painted and then gets buried in the ballast. It is supported every 18 inches or less. I don’t expect any problems with the PVC due to heat or UV Rays. Bruce has been using this product for 4 years or more and hasn’t reported any problems. Bob has had some on the ground and in the air for over a year. The issue you are having may be your environment.

#64

Jon,

Looks good!! You and I are both rock scavengers. Without a lake and a boat, I just go to local contruction sites and ask if I can take the rocks they’ve dug up. Mostly, there is no problem.

Hey, be careful with the beer on the lake. Last I heard, boating and booze on the lake were being cracked down on hard! Then again, it was a few years back, and probably focused more on the holiday weekends and from places like Down the Hatch.

#65

Progress continues thanks to good weather. It’s warm, but not unbearable. I finished all but 3 feet of the rock placement this evening. I’ll try and get pictures tomorrow.

As mentioned earlier, I am dry stacking everything so that it will be removable. Some of the rock placements are a little dicey so I’m thinking about using some type of adhesive to hold a few of them in place. Anyone have a favorite adhesive for rock (other than mortar) ?

#66
Mark Oles said:
Jon,

Looks good!! You and I are both rock scavengers. Without a lake and a boat, I just go to local contruction sites and ask if I can take the rocks they’ve dug up. Mostly, there is no problem.

Hey, be careful with the beer on the lake. Last I heard, boating and booze on the lake were being cracked down on hard! Then again, it was a few years back, and probably focused more on the holiday weekends and from places like Down the Hatch.


Thanks Mark. Everything in moderation, as Fr. Fred would say! CT just passed a law that makes the BWI laws the same as DWI, including the open container law. I rarely consume enough to even worry about my blood alcoholic level; and if I do Marilyn is a very skilled captain as well :slight_smile:

Edit to add that Down the Hatch is still there and definitely a source of hazards to navigation :o

#67

Jon that looks great. Makes a big difference

#68
Jon Radder said:
Progress continues thanks to good weather. It's warm, but not unbearable. I finished all but 3 feet of the rock placement this evening. I'll try and get pictures tomorrow.

As mentioned earlier, I am dry stacking everything so that it will be removable. Some of the rock placements are a little dicey so I’m thinking about using some type of adhesive to hold a few of them in place. Anyone have a favorite adhesive for rock (other than mortar) ?


You could check your local Lowe’s or Home Depot. There are some construction grade adhesives for cement and concrete blocks that are used in hardscaping applications.

#69

Jon,
Quickcrete has mortar in a caulk gun…kinda like silicone but used it to repoint some limestone on my house( to the horror of the purists) has held up quite well.

#70

Pictures only today. I’ve got 3 feet to finish, but too hot to anything else. I broke a sweat just carrying the camera :o Disclaimer In case anyone should remember my comment on Rooster’s picture: These are progress pictures. I didn’t move any of the trailers, or random bricks, Homer buckets or tools out of the backgrounds. Just shot what was there. I knew that some of the clearances might be tight, so I brought out the mobile clearance gauge…

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Post2/GradeFix-0711-40.jpg)

Just makes it :smiley: The nice part about this grade, I can open the throttle enough to light the lights without having the loco move. In case your worried I might overheat motors I only left it this way long enough to snap 1 picture…

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Post2/GradeFix-0711-41.jpg)

The road bed from the transition point well into the curve is finished…

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Post2/GradeFix-0711-42.jpg)

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Post2/GradeFix-0711-43.jpg)

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Post2/GradeFix-0711-44.jpg)

Some shots from inside the curve…

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Post2/GradeFix-0711-45.jpg)

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Post2/GradeFix-0711-46.jpg)

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Post2/GradeFix-0711-47.jpg)

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Post2/GradeFix-0711-48.jpg)

Marilyn is a geology purist. She pointed out that grain on the rocks inside the curve is oriented wrong. I told her this area suffered a massive upheaval millions of yeas ago sending the rocks nearly vertical :smiley: And finally, a comparison shot. Coal Dump Curve Ver. 2 and Coal Dump Curve Ver 3…

(http://photo.cvsry.com/GradeWork4-640.jpg)

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Post2/GradeFix-0711-49.jpg)

Some difference, huh ? And thanks for the glue suggestions. I’ve used that mortar caulk as a crack filler, not sure how well it would work as an adhesive. I have some places I could try and pull it out of.

#71

Lookin good, Jon.
It was blazin hot here today too. Very close to triple digits.
Ralph

#72

I like the caboose…:wink:

#73

Nice rock work Jon. Im not looking forward to this heat the next few days. Suppose to be the real hot today and tomorrow.

#74
Ken Brunt said:
I like the caboose..............;)
You always say that :D
#75
Jon Radder said:
Ken Brunt said:
I like the caboose..............;)
You always say that :D
Didn't wanna disappoint ya......;)
#76

This is very hard for me …but I’m maturing …so I’ll be good and enjoy Jon’s pics
:wink:

#77

Yup, you’re being good, but we all know where you really wanted to go with that ! I’m just glad Ken use “the” in his comment.

#78
David Russell said:
This is very hard for me ...but I'm maturing ..... ;)
Awwwwww, da Rooster's getting old..... Time for Souppppppppppppppp!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
#79

Hey Jon the RR’s looking great! Looks like you’ve got a pretty good run there too. Oh and I like cabooses too. :wink:

#80

Trying like crazy to catch up on LSC, since I finally got through all the email. Jon, you have made some great progress and some good looking improvements. Thanks for sharing the pictures.