Large Scale Central

One bridge too far?

Track and Trestles
#1

Roaming the line looking for projects to work on is always dangerous. Yesterday I removed one of the bridge abutments that was poured when Deep Cut Tunnel was built a few springs ago. Long after the abutment was poured I decided it needed to be lower to reduce the grade up to the bridge. So with a wiggle and a yank about a half cubic foot of concrete, as seen at top right of this picture, is gone.

Being so close to the tree, excavation isn’t easy and there is a root section that I will need to saw away, but it looks like I will be able to drop the roadbed several inches and still maintain 1:20.3 clearances to the track below. Test fit of the tubing I make made my earlier girder bridge from…

This is bound to be a long-term project. I need to do some maintenance on last summer’s rock work at Coal Dump Curve and there is plenty of ballast that needs to be replaced. I’ll probably get as far as getting the abutments poured and the road-bed installed up to the bridge and then wait to start the actual bridge build.

#2

I love projects on the railroad. Cant wait to see what you come up with Jon.

Im glad im not the only one always walking around the layout trying to think of new things.

#3

Thanks Shawn :slight_smile: This isn’t exactly a “new thing” though. The last start was 2009 in this thread…

Jon Radder said:
Many of you may remember that I have been very slowly working toward expansion of my layout. The Original plans were hatched in October 2006 in this thread. This is will be the third spring since plans were made. Nothing happened in 2007 except to buy some of the parts. Last year I built a lot-line border and fine-tuned the track plan in this thread. So I’m off to Home Depot to buy a 2-bag cement mixer. I’m done mixing cement by hand in a wheelbarrow.

So lets see, plan hatched in 2006; experimenting with roadbed parts in '07; Lot line defined with border in '08, concrete pads & some track down in '09; Tunnel built & cut lined in '10; more roadbed experiments in '11. Yeah, that’s progress!!! If I stay on schedule I will get the abutments for the bridge set and possibly track leading up to the bridge finished this year. That will leave building the bridge and a relatively simple curve track to lay as the final phase. Just for fun, the original idea…

(http://jon.barnbeckplace.com/Loop-Plan-640-2.JPG)

That house in the background has been completely remodeled and expanded in the intervening 6 years

#4

Didja ever get the cement mixer?..:wink:

#5

Is that the bridge at Arnhem, the one over the Rhine? You know, the “Bridge Too Far?”

#6

As long as the hidden siding for the flatcar with the urn with my ashes, is secure…I am thinking you are doing good, Jon.

I would only make one suggestion…get away from the bloody trees…the needles and leaves are a pain in one’s arse…
We cured half of our problem last year, when the Blue Spruce came down in a windstorm…no more needles from that bugger…!! For shade we replaced the tree with 6 LARGE garden umbrellas…much appreciated by the yard master at Nelson yard…!

The only sad note, is that Bud Nelson is very unwell.....and will not be able to appreciate the progress. We all will be very sad with the loss of a good friend, and Yardmaster.
#7

I would go out 1 more tree.

#8
Steve Featherkile said:
Is that the bridge at Arnhem, the one over the Rhine? You know, the [url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075784/]"Bridge Too Far?"[/url]
Not sure, but you got the reference, that's what's important :)
#9
Ken Brunt said:
Didja ever get the cement mixer?...................;)
Sure did. Without it there is no way I would have ever done all the cement projects I've done over the last few years. The only problem is that it will not do a small batch - Two 80 pound bags per load, and it won't do mortar very well either. Needs the aggregate to help in the mixing action.
#10

Fred, your place is secure :slight_smile: I hear you about the pine needles, but I really don’t have much choice. It’s the spot I picked to come up from the basement and a lot of it is cast in concrete. There is an even larger Spruce that towers over the proposed loop. You can see the base of it in the upepr right of this picture taken several years ago during a roadbed test…

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Expand08-640.jpg)

Re Bud - I was sorry to hear of his declining health when we spoke at York. Your group has been hit hard in the last few years. Here’s hoping everyone else maintains their good heath.

#11

David Kapp said:
I would go out 1 more tree.

It’s hard t see in the pictures David, but the grade gets extremely steep just beyond that tree. Also, going around the last tree would eliminate the need for a bridge, which is an interest element that I want to add. And finally, it would put track very close to the road. So far the neighbor kids have respected my railroad, but I don’t want to push my luck too far. This picture taken during tunnel construction might illustrate the grade. The new bridge will be about the same height as the root. Where you propose to cross is only 4 feet further but a good 10 inches or more higher.

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Post/DeepCutTunnel-23-800.JPG)

Oh, and that area has been planted recently too…

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Post2/Spring_2011-04.jpg)

#12

It’s looking good Jon. I seem to recall you saying you may need to redo the one abutment as it was a tad high. Looking forward to the expansion

#13

It would have looked fine with a bridge across it the way it was poured, but there is not a lot of run from where the switch is to the cross-over, so even dropping it an inch will help with easing the grade. Once I cross over I might alter the original route from a simple curve in order to loos the height more gradually.

#14

I see I couldn’t tell that in the other picture.
Looks good what you have done so far Jon.
Interesting, I have never seen a train go under a tree root before.

#15

Love that last photo with the train, and with the rocks in place. Looking really good!

#16

Jon,
Where does that tunnel go to?

Nico

#17
Nico Corbo said:
Jon, Where does that tunnel go to?

Nico


About 4 feet back. :stuck_out_tongue:

#18

That is one serious cut you have there, Looks great and very dramatic. I like that you went under the root but it looks like a biggie, if you had cut it the tree probably would have toppled over. I used to have a deep cut like that in the form of a horshoe curve but so many leaves would get caught in it I gave up and turned it into a tunnel instead.
Keep up the good work and Happy RRing.
Todd

#19

Nice looking layout. I like the progress photos. Keep em coming, but

Jon Radder said:
I hear you about the pine needles

(http://lsc.cvsry.com/Expand08-640.jpg)

Pine needles? You call that pine needles

(http://planetsmilies.net/happy-smiley-575.gif)

These are pine needles:

(http://i.imgur.com/6068h.jpg)

And a lot more needles can be seen here: Snowshoe & San Juan

#20
David Kapp said:
I have never seen a train go under a tree root before.
There's a prototype for everything, right? I just haven't found the photo yet. Several years ago Dave "Hollywood" Marconi named that root Natural Bridge and so far it has stuck.
Steve Featherkile said:
Nico Corbo said:
Jon, Where does that tunnel go to?

Nico


About 4 feet back. :stuck_out_tongue:

Right. It’s a dead-end. The back story is that the mainline to {town name needed} was abandon many years ago when the tunnel collapsed but there is still enough clear track to get the tourist trains in the dark.

Friar Fred has reserved space on a siding in “The Vault” for perpetual care. Space is limited, but still available.

@ Matt - Thanks. Fred be darned, I love Pine forests.