Large Scale Central

Just the begining

Model Photography
#81

Managed to squeeze a little railroad work in.

Started cutting and fastening the cement board

Batteries died in the drill and saw. Plus it was getting dark so I figured I’d move some gravel.

Sloooooly turning into something. I do get to run trains eventually, right. lol.

(http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p169/Alwaysbroke2006/G%20Scale%20Layout/July%202014/5.jpg)

I got to this point and realized it would be a whole lot easier to back fill if I didn’t have the roadbed built. so…

(http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p169/Alwaysbroke2006/G%20Scale%20Layout/July%202014/6.jpg)

I started moving gravel.

(http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p169/Alwaysbroke2006/G%20Scale%20Layout/July%202014/7.jpg)

About 12 tons later, this is all I have to show for it. I’m ordering another 15 ton tomorrow morning.

(http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p169/Alwaysbroke2006/G%20Scale%20Layout/July%202014/8.jpg)

Then I was informed I needed to put the fence up. So in go the posts.

(http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p169/Alwaysbroke2006/G%20Scale%20Layout/July%202014/fence2.jpg)

And then the rest.

(http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p169/Alwaysbroke2006/G%20Scale%20Layout/July%202014/fence3.jpg)

I still have about 90 feet of fence to put up. But I think I can put that off for a bit. The next big project is the laundry room. So, I hope to be able to work on the railroad and it at the same time. I guess that depends on my lovely project manager. lol.

#82

Lookin good Matt !

#83

Every year I got closer to having an outdoor RR. I had big plans that were never met. I finally was happy just to get a loop to start. Now I’m moving towards my goals. These things take years!!
(some guys like you, move faster I guess.)
Great work!!

#84

Thanks Mike!

Thanks Joe! But, I feal like I"m not getting much accomplished. I was moving more gravel this afternoon, before the storms hit, and was wondering how long it normally takes to get one built to the point of running a train. I feel like I"m not making much progress. lol

#85

Matt, sometimes it feels that way. I had to wait a year for Aristo to finally bring to market the announced, stainless wide switch, so I could build my railroad. That was a few years back. :wink:

#86

Matt, progression is what you desire… When I started my railroad, I told the wife, it was a 10 year plan… She’s tried very hard to that 10 years down to 2 years…

I still have 2 years to go, since I took a ““vacation(illness)”” for a couple of years… :slight_smile:

#87

Andy, I told my mom I was on a five year plan, 12 years ago. The railroad is still no where close to being finished. But I am having fun,

#88

Good progress so far Matt. If you are itching to run, just temporarily hook a pack up to the track you have down and run back and forth end-to-end! Sounds silly, but I’ve done it and it does help with your sense of accomplishment.

#89

Thanks guys! Just feels like so little progression though. Although, In the beginning i was just going to have a small loop of track on the ground. It kind of snowballed. lol.
I knew it wouldn’t be done this year. I didn’t even plan on any scenery/buildings untill next year. I just didn’t realize how long it would take to build just the track work. Which it doesn’t help that I’ve changed it a few times,

Oh well, I’m having fun regardless. Tomorrow is a trip to the lumber yard. Hope to pick up what I need to build the cement board fence to protect my privacy fence.

Thanks again guys!

#90

Matt Russell said: Oh well, I’m having fun regardless. Thanks again guys!

That "I’m having fun " say’s it all!

#91

I second what Jon said. I have one line with the biggest curves that goes back-and-forth when I feel like it!

#92

Matt, but good track-work will pay off for the life of the railroad. So investing the time and effort now is time well spent. Before I had the lower loop of my railroad finished, I ran trains up to the summit, around the loop and back down to the “end of the line” It helped inspire me to finish the railroad so trains could run “all the way through”.

#93

Thanks Sean! It really is fun. I do like the design and building process…event though it can drive me crazy at times. lol.

Lou, I think I will. As soon as the main part is done, I will run a train. I still have some deciding to do on my crossing for people, so the finished loop will take some time.

Thanks David. I sure hope it pays off. Robby stopped by and said the same thing about the roadbed. Also, I"ve spoken with Mike Dorsch who has great experience building this type of layout.

What’s weird is, I’ve not even ran a train yet or close to it, but have been envisioning expansion. Sheesh. My mind won’t rest. :stuck_out_tongue:

#94

Your doing great Matt , just take your time and get the roadbed right and it will last for decades .If you are going to use a low voltage lighting system now is a good time to run the wire around the railroad. I would bury it along the front inside . That way its easier to access it when you want to add lites for buildings , streets ,etc. I wish I would have done that on mine .

#95

I have dirt roads, since my time-frame is around 1910 in a small town. I just bury the building light wires in my dirt roads.

#96

Thanks Mike. I did plan on using low voltage wire for lighting things. I’m thinking I need to get power out to my storage building now. That way I can just run the low voltage stuff to it and maybe power it with a malibu transformer inside the yard bar…or something similar. Still not sure. But I do think having some king of power in the yard barn would be benificial.

David, I’m planning on paving all my roads. Well, the city/town roads will be paved. Sooooooo much planning involved. More than I ever anticipated! lol.

#97

Matt, yea, its almost like we are running a railroad.

#98

Sorry for the slow repy David. David, that’s the first thing I noticed with G scale outdoors. You really have to consider the lanscape. This is so much more work than I thought it would be and waaaaaaay more fun.

Sorry for the slow update and lack of real progress. I had to finish staining the fence and have started the laudry room remodel. After an expensive trip to lowes I will be finishing the laundry room out this week…And with any luck I can finish the roadbed for the track.

Anyway, here’s where I’m at…

I moved all the gravel I had at the time. I still need more. I ordered some last thursday, I think it was thursday, and it’s still not here. The guy I get gravel from had vaction bible school last week, so i knew I might not get it.

Here’s a shot of where I want the grain elevator.

(http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p169/Alwaysbroke2006/G%20Scale%20Layout/July%202014/7-14/1.jpg)

(http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p169/Alwaysbroke2006/G%20Scale%20Layout/July%202014/7-14/6.jpg)

I had to haul som dirt in to fill the holes that were left from taking down the pine tree in the front yard. I had some left over dirt, so I figured I’d do some back filling.

So…I hope to finish the roadbed in the next couple weeks, but realistically it might be a month. I really wanted to have the interior retaining fence built by now, but I have way too many home projects going on. Even though I’m behind where I thought I would be by now, I still hope to be able to run a train by the end of next month…I hope…fingers crossed. lol

#99

Life does get in the way sometimes.

#100

Lou Luczu said:

Life does get in the way sometimes.

It sure has here lately Lou. I am going to dedicate one day this weekend to railroad work. I need a break from the laundry room make over anyway. That is weather permitting.