nice progress… (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)
Thanks Andy, I’m really working at getting the inner loop completed by July 18 when we host our clubs meeting and annual BBQ.
Randy the long spikes might go thru the ties but they don’t show because there’s a support piece that is under the ties that the spikes go into. I just know that the longer spikes have worked out better so I’ll be going back to use them when I do any repairs.
Thanks chuck, I have a theory that your experience would support. I need to draw up a graphic and post a thread.
I’ve used the half inch spikes in all of the turnouts that I’ve built. They even work well in The Spiker, despite Bruce’s admonition to use only the 3/8 inch spikes.
Well I got a lot more progress finished tonight on my inner loop. The track is now complete from the crossover all the way to tunnel and out the other side of the tunnel for about 8 feet. That leaves about 30 more feet of track to be laid to reach the crossover. Which means the inner loop will be up and running. The first picture shows the lower curve and the second picture shows the track running up to the tunnel entrance.
I even decided to run a train over the newly laid section. This picture shows the first maintenance train across the big bridge and the next picture shows the first train at the entrance to the tunnel. I have to clean all the leaves out of the tunnel before I can run through it. So hopefully by the end of this weekend the inner loop will be up and running. Then I’ll ballast next week before our meeting. Stay tuned!!!
Looking good, Chuck. Can’t wait to see it.
Nice work Chuck. Cant wait to see the pictures from the meet. The spruce trees look great, nice and tall.
Well boyz, I can say that we are one joint away from completing the inner loop (not the green leafy type, the Hillman type). I laid the last 30 feet of track tonight while my wife trimmed some of the trees on the layout. I will take some pictures tomorrow after I make the last connection and get them posted. Couldn’t take any pictures tonight because the sun was going away fast as I laid the last piece of track.
So after the last joint is connected tomorrow I will get a load of ballast on Wednesday morning and start the process of ballasting the inner loop and sections of the outer loop so both loops will be up and running for the meet this Saturday. You’re all welcome to stop by if you’re anywhere around Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho.
I can finally say that the inner loop is “COMPLETE”. The only thing left to do is ballast and that will start on Wednesday afternoon and hopefully be finished on Thursday. The following pictures start with the double crossover with the track heading north towards the back side of the tunnel. The second picture shows the track climbing at a gentle grade, you can see the switch tower towards the top of the picture. The third picture shows the track making a complete curve through a cut out in the hill and the final picture shows the final connection with the back side of the tunnel. You can also see several of the boxwood trees that my wife has pruned and the rock work we put in. I might note that all the rocks you see on my railroad have all come from the old Northern Pacific right-a-way that runs from Wallace, Idaho over Lookout Pass and into Montana.
Looking good. I like the double crossover!
Looks good, nice work, Chuck…
Well here are some pictures from the club meeting at my house on Saturday. There was a great turn out and we had 7 different trains running on the layout including a live steam shay. The inner loop was a great success and mainly saw Steve Featherkile’s dependable Lionel Atlantic with a string of short passenger cars in tow and Mike Williams live steam shay with a short string of Bachmann 1:20.3 cars behind.
Anyway, enjoy the picture’s.
Great pics Chuck!
Layout is coming together…
Thanks for sharing!
very nice looking(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif) layout Chuck.
Thanks for posting. I really like the elevation on the layout, and it looks like a great track plan. You have done a great job.
Niceeeeeee… (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)
Nice pics. Your layout looks absolutely great. thanks for posting Chuck, however, I do believe those are accucraft cars behind the shay.
Looking good. How many yards has it taken so far? What’s the next part of this project?
Very nice photos and layout looking great. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)
Thanks guys for all the complements. The club meeting was lots of fun and seeing trains run on the inner loop was a great since of accomplishment for both my wife and I. My wife put in a lot of work weeding and planting in the last couple of weeks.
Doug: I would have to guess that there are close to 40 yards of dirt and old concrete inside those retaining wall blocks. Everyone always ask’s, “What will you do if you ever move”. I just tell them I’ll pick up my track and make it a rock garden.
My next project is to finish all the ballast work in the next few weeks and just run trains for a while. Come September I have permission from my wife to build a new storage building near the back of the layout so I can run my trains into the building for storage. It will also have a staging yard at one end so guest’s will have a place to get set-up before entering the layout. Happy railroading friends!