Large Scale Central

Final phase of mountain building

This past week, I got started on the final phase of major rock work on my In-ko-pah Railroad. This involves constructing a rock facade over the retaining wall at the lower east end of the layout, and finishing the lower end of the canyon there.

I’d been putting it off for a while, doing some detail work and building a structure instead. Part of the reason for putting it off is that I had to tear out a large section of the retaining wall I’d built early last year in order to widen and deepen the canyon. I ended up removing about 25 of the concrete retaining wall blocks, plus the rocks which had formed the top 10-12" of the wall.

We had rain all day on Friday, so I wasn’t able to start putting in the new rock work until Saturday, and then only had about 3 hours to work. Hopefully this week I’ll be able to get a lot more accomplished. When it’s finished, the revised canyon will feature a trestle 7-8’ long.

We’ve arranged to have an open house on Feb. 9th, so now I have a deadline to light a fire under me. I doubt I can get the trestle in, but I’d like to at least have the rock work finished by then.

Well, another milestone has been reached – I have officially completed the last major rock work on the layout! (There are still several areas requiring some minor rock work, mainly adding finishing touches and “fine tuning” of previous work.)

I’ve begun the next step, which is realigning the two horseshoe curves at the lower east end. Four very small trestles there will have to be torn out or partially left in place as “abandoned”. Two new small trestles, and one longer curved trestle will be built to fit the new alignment. This evening I put together the form for one of the new concrete abutments, and will pour in the cement tomorrow morning.

When these trestles are finished, I’ll work my way westward, building trestles as needed. There’ll be at least six more trestles, including one about 8 feet long over the newly-built canyon.

Sorry, no pics yet. I should have some by the end of the week.

Get your mountain-building done in case those storms come your way!

Pics! Ray, Pics!

They’re predicting up to 6" of rain my way, hope yer drainage is all cleared…

I’m all set for the rain, we’re supposed to get a couple inches of it here.