Large Scale Central

Final run on our first garden railway

General Discussion
#1

With temps in the upper 40’s to low 50’s I ran our new HLW 4-4-0 and a few of the cars on a final run of the current garden railway. I lifted one end and started grading and laying track around the pond. I need more mulch to build up a few areas and a few pieces of track now. So far I am up to 10 pieces of straight, 2 R2 curved pieces and 1 4" straight filler piece. All will be LGB as thats what the rest of it is already. The local shop has most of it in stock. I removed the failed water wheel project and slightly rearranged the short waterfall section. The track angles just behind the waterfall run and then straightens out behind the pond. I had to move the hose reel, I will get one of those extender sections and relocate the hose reel elsewhere. The ground at the rear side and porch side of the pond is very packed down and sloping toward the rear from me walking beside the pond and back to the hose. I put the low voltage path lights out, the solars we got dont get enough charge, and the trees dont even have leaves on them yet. I put the solar lights elsewhere. The HLW 4-4-0 does ok with the tight R1 curves, but i had to pull up and level the end by the wishwell, it had a bit of a hill crest in the middle of it and combined with the tight curve, it would really slow the engine down. She now maintains speed thru the curve. Hopefully in a few weeks the line will be operational again. I would really like to swap the station for a wild west one or something else that is more in the correct theme. The twin semaphores are also availbe for sale/trade. Cheers. Mike and Michele T

#2

Oh yes, I correct the leaning track infront of the station, thats what winter wear and tear gives ya. I need a couple more bags of ballest rock again. The roadbed is pretty frim over the older portion of the line now, it was fresh and a constant battle with settling last year. I will better pack down the new areas.

#3

LOOKING GOOD Mike , VJ has a new home .
I kinda thought that you would have thrown the semaphores in on the deal really .
Just name the station Jasper , like Jasper Indiana , where a lot of the buildings are styled like that , lots of early German settlers .

#4

Now thats a good idea Dennis!! If you want the semaphores, you can have them, they dont look right, They are to modern looking for the new era. Email me your home addy and I will put them in a flat rate box once the track there unthaws from the ground, its still frozen there. As I sit here and type this, I just thought of a station name. Frankenmuth MI!! Nice Germanish town and the fictional railroad runs southern MI and northern IN if you consider the name we chose. Changing station names I can do. I picked up allmost all the track I need, to excend the layout around the pond, still need 2 1500 curves and 4 straight pieces or 2 24" sections. I think when we raise the layout up. I will leave one corner about 6-10 inches lower in over all height, so I can put the pond there and bridge over it. New pond will get done with a liner as this plastic one has a leak somewhere in the bottom. Then I can make a better creek feeding it that I can bridge over it. I will break out my drafting rulers and work on some scale drawings soon. This year will probably be the last year for ground level running, raising it either this fall or spring 2010. I have the local resturant talked into buying a Hartland 4-4-0 for thier overhead loop, their LGB Sprewald is worn out and need new wheels, gears and motor. With the Hartland, he can get parts easier and cheaper. If anybody wants a Sprewald for parts or a rebuild project, he mentioned possibly selling it. I cant wait to get to meet some more of the local garden railroaders at get togethers this summer hopefully. Our other summer hobby, antique Cub Cadet garden tractors is getting a bit to pricy to keep hauling them everywhere to shows. I can throw the G scale in the small Dakota and off to a meet very easily. Hitching up the big trailer, 2 big garden tractors equils usualy 200-300 in diesel fuel for the round trip. Cheers Mike and Michele T

#5

Ok, here is some fresh pics of the VJ. She got her side rods detailed with black inlays, and I did the background of the Hartland logo with a metalic blue from Testers Boyds series. I had a LGB mogul snow plow stashed from years ago. I made a plea back in my early 20s to LGBoA for a snowblade to go on my 2119s bumblebee mogul, this was back when the C&S with the snowblade was darn near $1000, way out of my reach. They sent me one free of charge!! I modfied it so it has to blades that stick out the back and they slight snuggly into the slats in the pilot of the 4-4-0. I will need to come up with a way to sort of lock it in position so it can push snow. its a bit high above the rail, but looks good anyway. I also painted the outside of the tender wheels. I got these pics of her in the backshop waiting for the paint to dry. Enjoy. Mike and Michele T

(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j285/cadetpwr/004-2.jpg)

(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j285/cadetpwr/003-2.jpg)

(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j285/cadetpwr/005-1.jpg)

#6

Looking good , the improvements help .

And thanks on the Semaphores .

#7

Thanks Dennis, the little tweaks help her stand out from the others. The rods need another coat to true up the lines, but has to dry overnight first. I need to get a job at Watts fixing these things. Sure wish we lived closer to Indy, this jobless issues would be much easier to solve. Mikie