Large Scale Central

Mike and Missy's new HSB garden line

Track and Trestles
#1

My wife and I have been waffling on how to rebuild and raise up our garden line. The original line was at ground level and the ground was very unlevel. Most of the track had been laid on top of mulch that was on top of grass. Very unstable to say the least. We build up a low retaining wall then ran into cost issues of getting enough fill dirt. I put together a section of raised benchwork/planter box style but we decided that looked tacky and didnt suit what we wanted. SO…today we trucked in 6 tons, 3 pickup truck loads, of fill dirt. I got a large portion leveled out and threw down some track to start establishing the track plan, where plants that I dug up this morning would go and where the pond with stream would be. I got the plants back in the ground, made a dry wash to put my open bridge over. The headwater for the stream will be behind the covered bridge, then feed to a preformed pond that I will sink in the ground near the base of the antenna tower on the left side. Track is 100% LGB, trains are track powered. Motive power is my LGB 23802 Harz lok and our starter set Stainz. I have some shared ownership live steamers but none fit this theme(but they will get run!!) A Regner Betty kit is in our future plans to add a more correct steamer. Here are a couple pics of todays progress. Cheers Mike and Missy.

#2

Where are you located? It always helps to figure out plant materials and unique weather conditions.

#3

We are in north central Indiana. My friends layout has some nice ferns that do extreamly well in our climate zone. I took some pics of them to show the garden center personal, I want a couple of them for my line. Mike

#4

Here are pics of todays progress. We spent pretty much the whole afternoon digging a big hole for the preformed pond liner and stream liner. It was a huge pain in the arse getting that pond liner in the ground, would have been much easier with a plain liner like we used for the stream. But that stuff isnt cheap and the budget is maxed out for garden RR stuff right now. I just have to build the supports for the covered bridge and finish the waterfall at the head of the stream. Cheers Mike and Missy

#5

Looks good Mike, Keep us updated.

#6

Nice looking layout…

But, I have to ask… where does the track go after it comes out of the bridge on the right in the bottom pic and after going behind the trees on the left top??

#7

Mike and Missy, you’ve accomplished the first and hardest step, you’ve got some track down. Now, we talk about phase two, the expansion.

Looks good!

#8

Ah, the expansion! What fun you’ll have yelling at each other over what part of the yard to ruin/enhance next!

#9

Andrew. Oh that’s easy. I just laid track when my mom wasn’t home. She didn’t yell (much) and she certainly didn’t tell me to remove it. :wink:

So, Mike, one day when you are alone…

#10

nowhere yet on the track exiting the covered bridge, it will go across infront of the yellow bushes, then curve behind the rasberry bush to come around to the station. I have to finish grade down those mounds of dirt. Thats left over from excavating out the pond and stream. The area behind and around the bushes was to low for the track grade, so I shoveled a bunch of dirt, just havent gotten to that part yet. We ran out of daylight and energy. And we are not going to expand any larger. But some additional trains are desired to run. Mainly a live steam Regner Betty as this is about the closest I can come to a Harz engine that isnt super expensive or impossible to find second hand. The kit runs $1300 plus shipping. Maybe next spring after tax return time. Cheers Mike and Missy

#11

Mike Toney said:

…And we are not going to expand any larger. … Maybe next spring after tax return time.

Cheers Mike and Missy

Does anyone else notice that these two statements are at odds with each other?

Yeah, he’s got the bug.

#12

Steve, I have had the “bug” since I was a child. I have Aspergers Syndrome, a type of high functioning autism and like other Aspies, I have obsessions and trains are one of them. Kind of my little world to escape the real one that overloads my senses. My wife enjoys the garden scale stuff as it gets us out of the house, less really is more when it comes to garden trains. We generaly buy the best stuff we can, LGB across the board for most everything, Regner for steam. Although, due to finiancial constraints, I am getting a 4 pack of the Newqida HSB coaches. I can get all 4 for less than the cost of one LGB coach in HSB livery. Cheers Mike

#13

Mike, thanks for the explaination… Awaiting furture pics…

#14

Anytime Andy, sometimes it helps others understand my thinking better. Cheers Mike

#15

Looking good Mike. Best way to do it, start small and expand when you have the money.

#16

Here is a short video of the first train over the new line. Took about an hour to finish grading the rear portion of the line, then another hour of backfilling places that settled after last nights rain. Should have another round or two of backfilling before I can spread ballest. Mike

#17

Uh Mike?

Don’t look now, but somebody “stole” your video! All you have posted is a picture.

#18

Mike,

Here is a proper link to the video you tried to post above…

http://s83.photobucket.com/user/cadetpwr/media/WP_20140701_003_zpseef6f887.mp4.html

#19

http://s83.photobucket.com/user/cadetpwr/media/WP_20140701_003_zpseef6f887.mp4.html

#20

try that link. Mike