Large Scale Central

I've Been Working on the Railroad

Track and Trestles
#21

Well the mid to high 90 degree weather we’ve had in the last week has all but halted work on getting the track laid on the inner loop for our club meeting this Saturday. I need to do quite a bit of back filling and placing of rocks before I can lay any track so I decided to start doing just that.

While the wife was weeding, trimming trees, and moving plants I decided to start with making some cribbing retaining walls that need to be placed along the hill section climbing to the bridge. The first picture shows the first section of cribbing between a couple of rocks just behind the big one I had to move. After I got it installed I place some 3/4 minus basalt rock on it and the wife planted a bush in front of it.

![|800x450](http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cncrr/Cribbing 1_1_1.JPG)

The second picture shows additional cribbing that I installed between some rocks and the third picture shows a rock I placed at the end of the cribbing run to break things up a little.

![|800x450](http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cncrr/Cribbing 2_1_1.JPG)

![|800x450](http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cncrr/Cribbing 2 extended_1_1.JPG)

Now that the weather is starting to drop back to normal which is the high 70’s to low 80’s I will start spending more time on the layout so I can start laying track. Tomorrow I’ll finish making a few more peices of cribbing and placing some more rocks. Then I can install the last peice of lattice/ladder between the big bridge at the top of the hill, through the cut on the hill to make the last connection with the lattice over the top of the tunnel.

Until next time, enjoy!!!

#22

Nice work Chuck. Is your cribbing anchored into the hillside with some perpendicular “dogs” ?

#23

That’s looking great Chuck. The cribbing will definitely add to the layout. Wish I had cribbing on my layout, looks good.

#24

I really enjoy adding cribbing and there’s always a place to add some.

Looking good.

#25

We got the last piece of lattice installed today. That means all the lattice work is complete from the south side of the new crossover, climbing around the first hill, over the bridge, through the cut, over the tunnel, and down the grade around the church and back to the front of the tunnel. Of course there’s no track on it yet but that will be for another day. The first picture is looking from the bridge side of the cut down the lattice and over the tunnel.

![|450x800](http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cncrr/Last Lattice_1_1.JPG)

We also put in some new rock formations along the grade going up the hill so my wife could plant some new ground cover and plants. I just need to build one more cribbing and finish some back fill around the lattice. The second picture shows the rock and new plants. The third picture shows the completed grade and the forth picture shows the lower loop crossing the bridge below the grade.

![|800x450](http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cncrr/New Plantings 2_1_1.JPG)

![|800x450](http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cncrr/Completed Grade_1_1.JPG)

![|800x450](http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cncrr/Lower Loop_1_1.JPG)

We also got to bring my new building out. The area where it is sitting will be a lumber mill when it’s all finished but thats for another day. Oh BTW I didn’t build that building I bought it last year from one of our club members who had to sell his entire collect so he could move back East for his wife’s health. The last picture is my pesky track inspector wondering if she should go inspect the tunnel. She like to walk through it instead of over it. Funny cat.

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cncrr/New Building_1_1.JPG)

(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cncrr/Track Inspector_1_1.JPG)

Well as they say, we’re as ready as we’re going to be for the club meeting tomorrow. At least the lower loop is running and the weather will be in the low 80’s. The BBQ is hot and the fellowship will be great. Enjoy!!!

#26

Looks good, Chuck!

Motivates me to get out and work on my layout today.

#27

Chuck
That is looking very nice, you will never regret your chosen technique of road bed. Yes the heat can
be really tough. For me when I get off of work it is the hottest, some times I just tough it out.
And sometimes I go inside where it is cool.
Dennis

#28

Chuck that is a very nice structure what is the technique for the shingles?
Dennis

#29

That track across the bridge looks great. Did you handlay it?

#30

Cats way outta scale… Otherwise looks great, :wink:

#31

Mark Dashnaw said:

Cats way outta scale… Otherwise looks great, :wink:

R U baiting me?
it’s known as the Wow factor. The cat is just right!

#32

I’ll bet his meow is out of scale too!

#33

Looking good Chuck !

#34

Is that cat DCC or DCS? We KNOW it has a sound system!

:wink:

#35

If the cat stands there while a train comes out of the tunnel your going to have a CAT-tastrophy.

-Kevin.

BTW- your layout is really looking great!

#36

WOW!!! I can’t believe it’s been over a year since I up dated this thread. We again are trying to get ready for the July club meeting at our house and the inner loop “WILL” be finished for this meet. In fact after reading through the thread I need to take a few more updated pictures. I replaced the Aristo Craft #6 switches on the double crossover with LBG 1800 switches. This allows me to use the #6 switches on other siding. I had to remove 2 SwitchCrafter switches that kept coming apart so I’ll save them for something else. The track is laid all the way up the original grade, across the upper bridge and through the cut in the hill. I’ll take some pictures of that tomorrow and get them posted.

Tonight I finished installing the bridge abutments under the upper bridge and moving a pile of dirt that was under the bridge. After that I had to repair the track on the bridge by re-tapping all the spikes back into the wooden ties. The funny thing about that is all the 1/2" original spikes stayed in and all the 3/8" spikes had to be re-tapped go figure. Then I laid about another 15 feet of track on the other side of the bridge. The picture shows the abutments and finished bridge before I added the track.

#37

Chuck that looks like a swell layout. A question on the spikes. Do the 1/2" ones begin to pop out of the bottom of the ties? I’m guessing the 3/8 ones don’t protrude at all.

#38

Keep up the good work Chuck! You should be getting good weather for working outdoors.

#39

Always enjoy your pics Mr.Inlow …:wink:

#40

OK here are some more pictures of the inner loop that I promised. The first picture shows the double crossover and the start of the inner loop. Then the following pictures show the progress up the loop, over the bridge, through the cutout, and over the tunnel.

Tonight I completed the down hill straight section in the next picture. The second picture shows the lattice I had to remove so that I could remove some old 4x4 posts from the original layout. Tomorrow I’ll re-install the lattice and hopefully continue laying track until we reach the tunnel. We’re getting closer.