Large Scale Central

Kittatinny Mountain RR

General Discussion
#1

I finally started working on my garden RR. I have the area cleared out and leveled. I am in the process of building my mountain and tunnel. I have been posting on Garden railroad but if anyone is intrested in my progress I can also post here as well. It is always good to get input from different sites. To see my progress so far go to these two links and then from their I can start posting here as well. Just let me know if anyone is intrested.

http://cs.trains.com/forums/1339494/ShowPost.aspx (How I came up with the name)
http://cs.trains.com/forums/1394670/ShowPost.aspx (The start of my work)

#2

ITs a start my friend! And a good 'un too!

#3

Well the sun fiinally came out and it got real nice outside. I started work on my tunnel. So far it is coming out nice. Here is what I got so far. Sorry for the large pictures, my computer wont let me get them any smaller.

(http://i27.tinypic.com/wugyme.jpg)

Im using cinderblocks and paver stones for the roadbed through the tunnel. I might keep the paverstones as the roadbed. I may end up just using stones. Stone might help drainage better. Will see when I get a good rain storm. It works great I burried the cinder blocks in the ground a few inches and then fill the holes on top with stone and soil.

(http://i31.tinypic.com/2058ldg.jpg)

This is the tunnel with the roof. I had some nice large paverstones to use as the roof and another layer of cinder blocks. Again I will fill the holes in the cinder blocks with stone/soil. On top I will put plastic down to help keep moister/water out. Then I will put stone and rock on top to form a mountain.

(http://i29.tinypic.com/2luxsvc.jpg)

This is a close up. I have some nice rock shaped like bricks with a nice texture to it. I will face the outside of the tunnel with those. This will close in the entrance of the tunnel to look more realistic. The tunnel is about 13inches high.

#4

Keep up the good work!

#5

I hope you are having as much fun doing your construction as I am.
May the weather be with us!
Ralph

#6

Taken a break from my tunnel construction. I started digging my trench for my water line. Going to feed the stream I am going to build. Not sure exactly how I am going to do this but probably use cement for my stream and bubling spring. Is there a special type of cement I should use. What is the best approach. I want to avoid plastic liners for the stream. It is hard to get them to look natrual. Any thoughts?

#7

I tried using concrete many moons ago. While it might seem better than a liner I had more leaks in it than I could find. I tried coating it with an asphalt roof sealer. It even had a chicken wire reinforcement. The frost-thaw cycle played havoc with it. A plastic liner if put in right is a lot more flexible. That’s the stream running behind the coal tower…

(http://www.geocities.com/RodeoDrive/4497/Tip02.jpg)

I have plans to put in a stream and pond on my re-build using a liner. But that may not be till next year.

#8
Shawn Viggiano said:
Taken a break from my tunnel construction. I started digging my trench for my water line. Going to feed the stream I am going to build. Not sure exactly how I am going to do this but probably use cement for my stream and bubling spring. Is there a special type of cement I should use. What is the best approach. I want to avoid plastic liners for the stream. It is hard to get them to look natrual. Any thoughts?
Everything depends on the eye looking at it, but I've found the rubber liner to be the most flexible and forgiving. It takes a while but after a couple of years, it will develop an algae on it that will cover all of the dark color and give it a natural look for both stream and pond. Use a lot more liner than you plan and carry it out much higher and wider than you thought necessary. I probably don't need to explain how I know this.
#9

Thanks. After hearing a few comments it seems plastic liners are the way to go. I have a KOI Pond with a plastic liner. It works great for ponds but I have always had a hard time getting the rocks on streams to stay put. Especially on the sides. Someone mentioned using contact cement to hold the rocks. Since I have plenty liner around I will give it another try. Thanks

#10

Shawn,

I think you and I are talking about different things as far as liners. To me, plastic is rigid and liners are rubber. Are you using the word plastic to mean a liner?

On another subject in the picture of the walls of your tunnel you are using concrete block. I did the same thing and drove pipe or angle iron down through the concrete block and then filled in the holes and around the pipe with crusher fines. Hasn’t moved in 10 years.

#11
Ric Golding said:
................

Use a lot more liner than you plan and carry it out much higher and wider than you thought necessary. I probably don’t need to explain how I know this.


And … while water runs down hill, don’t forget to overlap sufficiently on the uphill side in the direction the stream flows in order to avoid the capillary action.

I’ll be getting back to finishing my creek soon, but they have flurries in the forecast for today and tomorrow. :frowning: :frowning:

#12

Sorry I ment rubber liner. I started some work on my creek, so far this is what I came up with. I wanted the stream to start out as a calm creek and then end with steep sides. (Ravine) This is the point where the train will cross over. The upper end is going to be a bubbling spring. Not sure how I am going to acomplish this yet. I have a small hard pond liner. I am going to try and drill a hole in the bottom and stick the hose through the hole. I just have to come up with a way to seal it. Any ides??? Garden RR had a small article were someone took a pvs pipe T joint and hooked either end of the T with a small hose. In the small hose they put small holes around it. This is what gives the bubbles. The stream is going to empty into a pool except the pool will be filled with rock, that way it gives the appeares that the stream goes underground. We have a few stream like that in my area. They just go underground, sort of disappear. That is where the pump will be located. Now this is all just ideas, Im sure things will change some especially if anyone has better ideas. I have to get some contact cement to hold the rocks in place especially on the steep section of the ravine.

(http://i30.tinypic.com/27zal3t.jpg)

#13

Shawn,

To speed up the water you need to narrow the ravine otherwise it remains a placid creek. Narrow the creek and put in a step or two, that will also generate air in the water.

#14

Shawn,
try this link to resize your photographs very simply. The link is provided by Mmicrosoft and is the best resizer I have used. Once you download the file (open the link and scroll down the right hand side of the page to ‘ImageResizer.exe’ and install) it is simply a matter of right mouse click over image to be resized and selecting resize image in the action box that opens. You then select the resolution you require (normally 640 X 480).

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx

#15

I don’t know if I would poke a hole in the pond. If it doesn’t leak, you will live in suspect that it is always going to start leaking. How about running a hose over the edge of the liner, down to the bottom held in place by rocks and then turned up to the surface amongst rocks for the water to bubble out of?

#16

Ken Brunt said:
I tried using concrete many moons ago. While it might seem better than a liner I had more leaks in it than I could find. I tried coating it with an asphalt roof sealer. It even had a chicken wire reinforcement. The frost-thaw cycle played havoc with it. A plastic liner if put in right is a lot more flexible. That’s the stream running behind the coal tower…

(http://www.geocities.com/RodeoDrive/4497/Tip02.jpg)

I have plans to put in a stream and pond on my re-build using a liner. But that may not be till next year.

That is neat, Ken! Do the turntable and coal loader operate?

#17

After a few days of working on my stream I have it complete. Just have to fill it up and do a few test runs. It took me a while to finf the rock stone for the stream bed. Here are some pictures. Sorry they are big again. I got the photo resizer but now I dont know how to get the image into the forums.

(http://i32.tinypic.com/xmmza9.jpg)

Picture of the entire stream. To the right of the stream I burried a large pvs pipe in the ground. It goes from the bottom pond to the uper spring. I did this so If I ever have to replace the hose I dont have to dig up the ground or track. I can also use it for wireing etc… Once I get plants along the edges it will look a lot better. It is a bit barren yet. Its still too early to plant anything up this way

(http://i26.tinypic.com/16atcwk.jpg)

This is the bottom pond, where the pump will be located. Have to fill it with rock and add some pond plants.

(http://i32.tinypic.com/25kobgi.jpg)

This is the spring. I burried the hose under the rock/gravel. I just hope it gets a bubble effect

#18
Tim Brien said:
Shawn, try this link to resize your photographs very simply. The link is provided by Mmicrosoft and is the best resizer I have used. Once you download the file (open the link and scroll down the right hand side of the page to 'ImageResizer.exe' and install) it is simply a matter of right mouse click over image to be resized and selecting resize image in the action box that opens. You then select the resolution you require (normally 640 X 480).

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx


Thanks for the site I got the image downsized now how do you get it into the forums. I cant find a file to cut and past.

#19

Shawn,

Good looking stream bed. Isn’t it amazing, you start laying that track outside on the ground in the sun and the rain and it just starts growing.

#20

Dave Healy said:

Ken Brunt said:
I tried using concrete many moons ago. While it might seem better than a liner I had more leaks in it than I could find. I tried coating it with an asphalt roof sealer. It even had a chicken wire reinforcement. The frost-thaw cycle played havoc with it. A plastic liner if put in right is a lot more flexible. That’s the stream running behind the coal tower…

(http://www.geocities.com/RodeoDrive/4497/Tip02.jpg)

I have plans to put in a stream and pond on my re-build using a liner. But that may not be till next year.

That is neat, Ken! Do the turntable and coal loader operate?

Turntable operated at one time. I have to re-do it for the new layout. Weather took it’s toll on it. As for the coal tipple, the spout goes up and down, but that’s a far as it goes. Looks good Shawn. I think you’ll be much happier with a liner.