Dave Marconi said:Ohhhhhhhhh...............I thought you were going to blame it on "no goats". Which, by the way, are enroute from South America.
I'm growing a sun screen Ralph :) :) ;)
I’ve come up with a slogan 
“Only the Finest Goats are Marconi’s”
Nice to see your progress.
Ralph
Dave Marconi said:
(http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/uu101/dltrains/trackwork/HPIM1767.jpg)
How’s that station holding up out in the weather? Seeing it in place on the RR it looks much smaller than it did in person…
Put a passenger car near it and it will grow again!
Ralph Berg said:High grass keeps the dam rooster away. That station looks great on the layout.
You're lettin the grass get a little long on my side of the Depot ;) Ralph
Worked on laying track. Started Thursday just south of the station, this is the point I’m leveling from. First 25’ were pretty good with a little tamping and ocassional fill.Then My grade started falling. I’m trying to keep a level loop and the grade was showing 1/2" to 1" in 4’ so I started building up with the little reserve dirt I had left to start scenery.
This coming week I have another 15 yds. coming to finish the grade work and get track in place. Pics as I get some work done worth photoing.
I have 8 tons of gravel coming tomorrow
And the South American goats are here
I guess it’s time to build a stock pen.
Ralph
It’s been a month since the last up date, and ol’ M.T. Pockets has been hard at work getting the new roadbed prepared for the second phase expansion. The second 15 yards of fill has finally been placed and graded and track laying has been started. Getting the fill in place and graded for track also included preparing one tunnel and, so far, three bridge locations. None of which were in M.T.'s budget plans but he says he was able to muddle through with only one small third mortgage on his holdings. The 1st bridge is in place:
(http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/uu101/dltrains/trackwork/HPIM1797.jpg)
After a week of work in high heat and humidity the first 150’ of track is in place.
(http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/uu101/dltrains/trackwork/HPIM1800.jpg)
This looking south from a small knoll near the work site, and may I add an advantagous viewing point
(http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/uu101/dltrains/trackwork/HPIM1801.jpg)
Here, after a small relocation we’re able to see the entrance to the new tunnel that was mandated by unstable substrata. In order to maintain grade a proposed bridge over the lower track was replaced with a tunnel and fill when it was determined by a goelogical survey that the substrata was unstable and footings for a bridge would not be stable.
(http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/uu101/dltrains/trackwork/HPIM1802.jpg)
Though not a very clear shot here we can see the first of three bridges in place in the distance and with careful observation can site the other two bridge locations with temporary supports in place
(http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/uu101/dltrains/trackwork/HPIM1803.jpg)
A new location and the short section fronting the station which joins the two fill areas that maintain the grade. Along with these few set backs M.T. was alerted by his survey crew that the original plan for a 200’ loop was not feasible because of the mandatory grading and the new phase will possibly reach 350’ to 400’. M.T. has high hopes that the remainder of phase two will be done in time for the annual Fourth of July festivities.
Mr. M.T.Pockets, meet Mr. Akenback. You’ll be spending a lot of time together
It’s looking great, Hollywood. I’m waiting for the “sign” in the hills
Ralph
When will it be finished?
It looks like I’m not the only one doing some major earthwork in the back yard. I’m still terracing the hillside.
That looks real good Dave. I like the loop around the tree.
Very nice. I like the high line you have.
Thanks for the comments, all. Now if it holds til ground cover grows
Neat work, Dave… 
Looks great. Is there any sub-structure under the fill? I have one curving fill that took a couple of years to stabilize. It has various hunks of brick and concrete block under it, and overt the years has been augmented with lots of concrete scrap to keep the top edge from washing off. The edges are covered with 3/4" process which includes smaller stones down to dust. The last few years have been pretty good, only the top ballast has washed away.
Dave Marconi said:Dave, You will lose around half your height on those hills. The soil will settle and compact as well as wash until your plantings take hold. So build them taller than you want them. Ralph
Thanks for the comments, all. Now if it holds til ground cover grows
Triple tamped over most of the fill. So much area I’m going to let the English ivy take hold again. Also have a few other ground covers in the yard that I’ll transplant
Jon, No substructure unless you count the rocks in the fill. Some shale and stone mixed
…winking…
Is it done yet? 
Steve,…Yes as much as it’s going to be at this point. M.T. Pockets track crew has been hard at work getting the new line in.And, except for some minor adjustments and a couple of small areas that need to be filled for grade, the new 1 3/4 mile line is in. In finding an overlooked drainage area another bridge needed to be placed. M.T. was kind enough to hire the town photographer, Ina Flash, who was able to capture the following images for the companys records.
(http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/uu101/dltrains/trackwork/HPIM1804.jpg)
(http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/uu101/dltrains/trackwork/HPIM1805.jpg)
(http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/uu101/dltrains/trackwork/HPIM1806.jpg)
(http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/uu101/dltrains/trackwork/HPIM1807.jpg)
(http://i638.photobucket.com/albums/uu101/dltrains/trackwork/HPIM1809.jpg)
The needed drainage bridge. Though work will continue on the line trackwork has come to an end at this point
