Large Scale Central

I give up being down

Track and Trestles
#1

Why just Spring cleaning? It’s becoming more like a cleaning before each run!

Imagine if you will, a raised track embankment and well defined drainage ditches on either side … there’s a switch under that. About 30’ buried.

There’s a clue! Unfortunately that’s not a miner’s bore! Yet those are ‘tailings’ from the round tail ground squirrels that infest here. Seems my ‘cut’ is perfect for their disposal.

Several years ago I elevated the lower half of the pike to ease the grade and maintenance. To raise this half the first half must go higher…

I’ve raised one section to finalize the height and then to hang new sections as I build supports under existing structure.

Above; You can see the cleat just to the right of the Wonder bar and the 2nd section resting on it. The level is on the 1st section and is at 1% grade.

The second section above half way up, shows the transition between the old ground and elevated. I had to straddle this end and lift with one hand as I shoved that block under it.

I’m 66 and just beat lung cancer, so it was break time. I was sitting in my ponder chair catching my breath when my eyes adjusted to the light …

I had to edit the pic to see what I saw… Notice the blue rocks above and how close to where I was standing. Time to bring out my snake boots, knee highs and snake resistant.

Last May I showed you a happy couple sharing a meal…

Isn’t he cute?

Trouble with baby snakes is they haven’t learned to meter their venom yet, they tend to hang on and give you all they’ve got.

I only kill what’s under the house, so I gave it plenty of distance, zooms are fun.

I did get that end up and will build it’s supports today.

The fore ground gets rebuilt this year …

Cleaning? Were it so simple.

Happy Rails,

John

#2

Wow John! You need a mongoose! If I had that many snakes on my layout, I’d find another hobby! I’ve only encountered one on my original layout and it was booking away as fast as he could for the arroyo. All we have are little prairie rattlers…mostly, but I still give them a respectable distance. I feel sorry for the guys in the south that have to deal with cottonmouths. They are the aggressive ones. Been chased out of more that one swimming hole where I grew up in MO. Good luck with that

#3

No to heck with the mongoose. Those rattlers are helping with the real problem, the ground squirrels. It is a bit scary to think that they are living right in among the layout though. Its not the rattler you see it the one you don’t see. At least they tend to warn you before they make your day miserable.

I don’t have to worry about snakes or ground squirrels. Stray Frisbees and soccer balls maybe. (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

#4

Uh, yeah. That’d make me consider On30 indoors real quick. I’ve got garter snakes, but beyond scaring the begeezes out of me when they slither out from under a bush, they’re quite benign. We do have rattlers in the area, but they tend not to hang out in the neighborhood, just the open spaces.

The squirrels, however… Lots of those. And rabbits. They multiply like, well, um…

Later,

K

#5

You’re one tough respectable dude Johnny C. And your tenacity is not to be believed.

#6

Actually I get my snakes used to me, I get non aggressive close. They don’t see me as a meal and I do my best not to be seen as a threat. I didn’t wake the sleeping baby after I uncovered him. I was taken aback by how close my feet were walking by, but the front plank was close to the ground there, he was safe.

I moved into their habitat and my friends are defensive. A couple of years ago I was standing above the upper loop, I happened to look down to see the tail of a 4 footer slide by. Out of one round tail hole into another!

One evening I was going around to the back by the light of a flashlight/torch, the ring of light wasn’t big. I looked up in time to see my couple necking at the water source! I gave them a wider berth.

If you listen, the other animals will warn you. My fat quail have a special cluck for a snake and another for Gila Monsters. Both times they escort them across the property. Even the squirrels have a sign; tails go up and wave from side to side. One day a larger tree squirrel got between me and a snake and threw pebbles at it as it’s tail waved it’s warning.

The quail hand off the ‘enemies’ as they move across the land. You can hear their progress!

I’m glad you live where you feel safe, so do my critters!

John

#7

True confession: I feed the; birds, bunnies (I’m proud to say I have 4 jack rabbits that will come in to with in 30 feet of me! They are very skitterish) and I give the ground squirrels and quail peanuts … of course snakes go for the fattest morsels… It’s all good.

John

#8

John,

Its nice that you embrace your wildlife. Many people see them as invaders of their space, but like you mention you invaded theirs. Though it can be inconvenient at times to pursue our endeavors when wildlife intervenes, it can be just as rewarding to watch them do what they do. We encourage all forms of wildlife into our humble home in town. Birds mainly, but the occasional squirrel is always welcome.

Besides the prototype has to deal with mother nature.

#9

Warm and sunny this weekend, so I used the time well.

Friday I got the loop up and connected on new supports. The cast red depot weighs about 80 pounds… I still need to elevate the freight shed and it’s platform.

Today I put all the little screws back in and lined up the curves and tangents.

All this so I can redesign the other half and raise it out of the dirt. The mine was in the back ground gets moved to the fore and hopefully will survive better on the planks.

No more snake encounters … for now.

John

#10

Devon Sinsley said:

Its nice that you embrace your wildlife.

I pet our family Saint Bernard and sometimes my daughter’s King Charles Cavalier. I’m leaving the snakes to John C.

I feel a little guilty about that since my middle name is Francis and my patron saint is Francis of Assisi, but he was a lot holier than I am.

#11

I have limits John P,

I attacked the wasps today. They are no longer.

#12

Wow. I am so glad I live on Cape Cod. The fiercest thing we have to deal with is the occasional ground bee/wasp and a few spiders that are more scary than deadly. I have seen corn snakes, gartner snakes, black racers and a box turtle in the area but none are venomous.

We do have Great White sharks in the water during the warmer months but luckily trains and water don’t mix so I’m not that concerned about them.

#13

I don’t see any snakes in Frank’s portrait.

#14

Uhhh… in the Bible, the snake is usually the bad guy… Garden of Eden?

What is that curve in the left foreground? Oh, the bird is sitting on it, or is that a Kiwi?

Greg

#15

I always welcome the wildlife to my layout as long as they respect it. From time to time I have to remove Rattlesnakes from the roadway at work or if they end up in the camping areas. You get use to them and how to deal with them. They are very tame when left along. Luckily they hang out along the rocky parts of the ridges here. The Copperheads are a different story, they can be very aggressive and will lunge with no warning.

I love seeing everyone’s layouts from all over. Amazing the different climate and scenery we all have. From the thick lush forest on the east Coast, the winter snows, dessert etc…

#16

Maybe John Caughey has some Irish in his background?

edit: for our non-Catholics, I guess I should mention that’s St. Patrick!

#17

I agree with Shawn about welcoming wildlife as long as they respect it.

Recently though I have had problems. Certain wildlife is not respecting my layout. Lizards do not like Bachmann trains for some reason, and mice do not like Aristo.

Several times in the very early morning I have found them competing and running a destruction derby of Bachmann vs. Aristo. It’s a sad thing to watch… as Rodney Dangerfield says: I can’t get no respect.

(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

Greg

#18

Only if they would attack the locomotives! You’re lucky if they haven’t invaded your vehicles. After $2,000 of wiring repairs this winter we managed to keep running! I hate 'em!

#19

Rich Niemeyer said:
Only if they would attack the locomotives! You’re lucky if they haven’t invaded your vehicles. After $2,000 of wiring repairs this winter we managed to keep running! I hate 'em!

Pack rats! I bought a 4x4 when I moved a mile off the pavement and parked the sedan. I was starting it every Sunday, lasted 3 times then they ate the fuel pump wire …

I donated it to charity, the whole exposed harness … devoured, even the spark plug boots!

I have mothballs under the truck’s hood tucked away in hidey holes.

John

#20

John…there’s something about your railroad that I really like. I’m not sure I can put my finger on it, but there’s something unique about it. There’s a cohesiveness to it, including the way it fits into the geology and environment so damn well. I didn’t exactly understand your build from two years ago, but seeing it on the layout it makes sense to me now. Your caboose from last year makes sense too. I don’t know what it is, but the planks, the colored rocks, the track “plan” which doesn’t look like a plan at all but something natural like it belongs there, it’s haphazard in a way but in a good way…it all adds up to the one thing I think we all, including me, strive for: you have a style of your own. It isn’t a look-a-like cookie-cutter layout. It’s, well, it’s unique.

If you’ll allow me a suggestion. I think if you eventually find the time to color the ties on your track and “rust” the rails and ballast with the natural material in your environment, it would really top it all off. The trackwork would integrate your trackside buildings too. Something like this only with your own native materials and style: