Large Scale Central

Pine Needles

General Discussion
#1

I’ve arrived at our layout in Colorado and I just started the work to reopen it today. However I don’t think I’ve ever posted a photo of our layout before I started summer work on it.

Here’s what it looks like after one winter. Lots of pine needles, twigs, sticks, etc… It usually take a couple of weeks to get it back up and running. And although it is a lot of work, I enjoy it.

Compare the first two photos:

There was enough snow this year to recharge the aquifer. When this happens, the artesian well overflows into a layout river:

#2

That is a beautiful railway station. Did you build it or is it commercially available?

Bill Ewing

[email protected]

#3

Never saw the river before Matt

I think you just like being at CO

:wink:

#4

Matt,

I have a love hate relationship with our Ponderosa pines, love the trees, but hate to pick up all their needles. Clusters of three are guaranteed to hang on and in everything you find in a garden. A small redeeming feature is the length, at 8+ inches they are reasonably easy to hand pick, but it takes time.

Oh yeah since we’re adjacent to a provincial park there are multitudes of Ponderosa in the park. With the wind blowing either S or SW a lot of the time, the first stop on their journey is our back yard. GRRRRRR.

#5

Bill Ewing said:

That is a beautiful railway station. Did you build it or is it commercially available?

Bill Ewing

Thanks Bill. That’s a Pola Silverton Station. It’s pretty much stock except for repainting and custom decals.

David Russell said:

Never saw the river before Matt

I think you just like being at CO

:wink:

The last few years it’s been drier so no artesian overflow. Without that overflow there’s no river.

And I sure do prefer CO over Southern California. But I have to pay the bills somehow. And for now I can’t do that full time in Colorado.

Hans-Joerg Mueller said:

I have a love hate relationship with our Ponderosa pines,

I love them for the most part. They shade the layout and give it a unique look. Yeah the needles and sticks are a pain, but I’ll put up with them for the beauty of the trees. Most (my best guess) are around 80 years old with a few approaching 100. There are 3 200 plus year old trees on the property, although not right by the layout.

#6

You are fortunate to have a ‘natural flowing river’ as a water feature on the layout. Looks Great! Hopefully the drought period is behind us here in the Rocky Mountain region.

Jerry

#7

Hey Matt, Beautiful layout. Curious as to why you wouldn’t lay down a tarp at least over the yard area during the winter shut down. Then in the spring, just fold all the needles into the center, remove and shake out. I guess my only concern would be it getting loose in a storm and ripping track out when it blew off.

#8

Randy Lehrian Jr. said:

Hey Matt, Beautiful layout. Curious as to why you wouldn’t lay down a tarp at least over the yard area during the winter shut down. Then in the spring, just fold all the needles into the center, remove and shake out. I guess my only concern would be it getting loose in a storm and ripping track out when it blew off.

I tried a tarp a couple years ago. But the experiment failed miserably. Packrats made nests underneath and it was such a mess under the tarp. Plus the holes they dug were a real pain. Lots of ant nests under the tarp too.

#9

I keep threatening to cut down the Ponderosas that are near the layout, but then SWMBO says, “But those trees are why we bought the place,” to which I mutter, “Yeah, they’ll make good firewood!”

#10

Ah, yes. I forgot about the critters. Never can tell when they are going to strike. Oh, well.

I’m guessing those Ponderosas redeem themselves a bit by cutting down on other gardening by coating the ground with those needles?

#11

Randy Lehrian Jr. said:

I’m guessing those Ponderosas redeem themselves a bit by cutting down on other gardening by coating the ground with those needles?

Gardening? What’s that?

Seriously though there isn’t much of any gardening to do. All I have to do is trim the wild grasses and, if necessary, trim the various scrub oak bushes.

#12

Matt, how long do you spend in Colorado at a time? sounds like a lot of fun out there.

#13

John M. said:

Matt, how long do you spend in Colorado at a time? sounds like a lot of fun out there.

Typically it’s from early June to early August. Although I was able to get out a little earlier this year.

Here’s another cool feature we have when the aquifer overflows…a mine flume. Just installed it today:

(http://i.imgur.com/6G62C1X.jpg)

#14

Matt Doti said:

Randy Lehrian Jr. said:

I’m guessing those Ponderosas redeem themselves a bit by cutting down on other gardening by coating the ground with those needles?

Gardening? What’s that?

Seriously though there isn’t much of any gardening to do. All I have to do is trim the wild grasses and, if necessary, trim the various scrub oak bushes.

That makes all the difference. In our semi-arid area there’s enough green stuff growing and we’re at 1320 asl not a chance at sub-alpine.

#15

I would love to have your landscape with the semi arid conditions. Try living in the Northeast with all the lush vegetation we deal with plus the weather. Latley we get one nice day followed by crap for a week. Sometimes I think we live in a jungle the way things grow lol… Ill take pine needles over our maple leaves any day. At least the pine needles look nice on the ground and the smell you cant beat.

I have always liked the look of your layout. The natural water feature is a bonus. Im guessing your a school teacher with your schedule?

#16

http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/lotsasteam/cleaning brush.jpg

You need to build one of those!

#17

Manfred, I think you meant.

I dunno if I would want to put that much engineering into something like that. I use a broom I picked up at the dollar store. I forget how much I paid for it, but it was realtively inexpensive.

#18

The long needles aren’t so bad - we have the short needles all over the font yard. They are sharp and will pierce skin - OW! I fill several garbage bags each spring with what I can vacuum up with the lawn tractor. They are an annoyance around the track as they get wedged in switch points and mechanisms by the rain.

#19

David Maynard said:

Manfred, I think you meant.

I dunno if I would want to put that much engineering into something like that. I use a broom I picked up at the dollar store. I forget how much I paid for it, but it was realtively inexpensive.

Not certain, but I don’t think the brush idea would work with the long needles.

#20

I’ve been to Matts layout. It looks better in person then his pics show. All very well done to the common NG theme.

Great Layout but (and there is always a but) his location is to die for, Incredible place in the Southern Rockies, on a hill side overlooking a beautiful lake. The kind of place you would plan your vacation to. And he gets to live there.

Plug these quordinates into Google Earth, and see for yourself. (Copy and paste)

37°24’34.82"N 107°31’56.26"W

BTW: Hell yes I’m envious of where he gets to play RR at. I youst to take the family to the lake for camping weekends.