Large Scale Central

Playin' in da cold, cold mud

General Discussion
#1

(If you “don’t wanna hear it”, just stop reading now, please.)
As some folks may remember, due to some questions of our status with the folks who now own the park (I think “attractive nuisance” might have been a term used), the railroad got “left go” for much of last year. … Gone to seed might be a better term. Kim and I decided over the winter that, if it’s going to have to go, it will go out looking like it should.

Winter, a dog, or maybe the midget mafia was really hard on the mine… and the rest doesn’t look all that much better.

Still, the foundations are solid, all it will take is a lot of “love”… or maybe elbow grease.

The first order of business was lifting up every single border rock to pull up about 10 pounds worth of Gil o’er the Ground (Creeping Charlie)… anybody have some medieval style beer they need to clarify?

Back when I first built the line some guys questioned why I used patio blocks for sub-roadbed instead of the tried and true trench and limestone ballast. The answer is, 1. I had a real bad experience with Vinca coming up through the roadbed before.and 2. Extra support for foot traffic. For those who thought re-levelling the block sounded too much like a chore, I did about 15 feet of RoW in an hour yesterday, but I probably spent more time trying to get the neighbor’s stupid baby goat to get out of my face and go away than actually working… I didn’t even have to remove the track… just slide the block out sideways, add pea gravel to replace the 1/2" of subsidence, slide the block back, and,

Back to grade, and ready to reballst… I haven’t decided yet between using bony again, chicken grit, or even a blend of the two.

The elevated sections that are set on cinder blocks got built back up with some used ceramic tiles…

I’ve ordered boxwood basil, lemon thyme, and some other stuff that probably can’t go in until the 1st week of May. And Kim got me two new dwarf spruces (BTW they are on sale at Lowes NOW for $5 each!!) The pond water is too %$#& cold to clean it out yet.

More photos when there’s something to show…

#2

Good for you Mik. It may be her last dance, but she is gonna look like the Prom Queen instead of the alleyway tramp.

#3

baby goat?

hey, put some salt on the rails and get trackcleaning for free!

#4

they make good stew … just kidding… nice to see you digging out…

Greg

#5

Wait a minute!!! Your neighbor has a baby goat but your trains have to go!!! What kind of BS is that.

Chester Louis SA #64

Hampshire County Narrow Gauge

#6

Amazing what a year can do to a RR. Looking forward to seeing the R up and running again. weather has been nice for working on the layout. I got mine re-balasted and leveled yesterday. It was actually not too bad. Took the log bunks in for some fixing and a fresh coat of water seal. Cleaned the layout out and trimed the dead stuff back.

#7

That’s nothing compared to my main layout. I’d be too ashamed to take pics of it.

#8

Brian Donovan said:

That’s nothing compared to my main layout. I’d be too ashamed to take pics of it.

Well, until you show us photos, we’ll just imagine the worst :stuck_out_tongue:

We should start a “Hall of Shame” thread featuring derelict RR’s :slight_smile:

A few parts of my pike would qualify :wink:

Ralph

#9

Chester Louis said:

Wait a minute!!! Your neighbor has a baby goat but your trains have to go!!! What kind of BS is that.

Chester Louis SA #64

Hampshire County Narrow Gauge

Nobody has quite figured out whether it’s a service animal because she doesn’t have all her marbles… or if she SAYS it’s a service animal because she doesn’t have all her marbles…

Or maybe the goat ate the marbles…

#10

I agree with Chester…A goat can run loose, but the train has to go…wow…

Keep up the good work Mik…more pics when ya get the chance…Travis

#11

If it is a service animal, you could demand documented medical evidence that its needed. Even then, they still have an obligation to take care of it.

Hmmm… A goat’s skull as the entrance to some amusement park or western themed area… interesting idea.

#12

A goat vs a RR that is situated tight to your house not wandering all over your yard and leaving poops??

Oh yeah we are in America land of the vanishing common sense.

The latest I heard when people are trying to get their pets into a no pet area is the pet is a “comfort” animal . Yes some Doctors or psychiatrists will write a note about the relaxing comfort petting a animal brings the potentially unbalanced/ depressed and people are using this sort of diagnosis as a way to have a pet and toss out the no pet rule at their apartment buildings and condos. Some places fearing lawsuits have given up the fight and have just let everyone have a pet.

So why not have your doctor write a note that you could present to your board that the motion of the trains brings you comfort. Then say it is either I keep my trains or I’m getting a comfort horse!

I like Korms idea of putting salt on the track and having them licked clean. The hall of Shame idea by Ralph is a great idea.

#13

Boomer. I used to have a steam roller in the yard for “yard art”… We hauled it somewhere that it could be secured last summer, before the brass turned up missing.

The goat lady was told to get rid of the goat numerous times… she says she’ll fight it.

Anyway, Kim decided I needed 3 more baby spruces while they were on sale… Here’s two

(http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp52/steamnut1917/Spring2013/P4060001_zps3299eb9c.jpg)

The first building back was the church, I have a bridal couple here someplace

(http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp52/steamnut1917/Spring2013/P4060003_zpsece50907.jpg)

This pic shows the kind of subsidence I’m dealing with. A couple spots are as much as 1" I got about halfway around back up to grade

(http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp52/steamnut1917/Spring2013/P4060002_zpsc5a90d1c.jpg)

We decided to move the sawmill to make room for more herbs

(http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp52/steamnut1917/Spring2013/P4060004_zps325b0baf.jpg)

(http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp52/steamnut1917/Spring2013/P4060005_zpse2c7650a.jpg)

There’ll be more garden below the sawmill, too… or perhaps a camp…

#14

I decided, while we were raising stuff up, to bring the entire village up an inch and re-level it as well. This should help keep as much dirt and crap from washing into the pond…

(http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp52/steamnut1917/Spring2013/P4160001_zps53806175.jpg)

pulling up half the blocks at a time went pretty fast and easy

(http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp52/steamnut1917/Spring2013/P4160002_zpsb32aa5f5.jpg)

(http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp52/steamnut1917/Spring2013/P4160003_zps20f00059.jpg)

(http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp52/steamnut1917/Spring2013/P4160005_zps0fd150ec.jpg)

(http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp52/steamnut1917/Spring2013/P4160006_zpse145447d.jpg)

And then the buildings went back… we’ll re-populate it tomorrow

(http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp52/steamnut1917/Spring2013/P4200007_zps6fc5f76b.jpg)

Several bunches of Greek Oregano have come back up, but so did thistles and dandelions… The rosemary died, but Kim’s weeping cherry, which stands sentinel over the lower loop and the mine, has bloomed… Spring has sprung.

(http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp52/steamnut1917/Spring2013/P4160004_zps079d19ec.jpg)

#15

We’re all pullin’ for the Allegheny Valley’s survival. Keep your chin up Allen. The good shall win… eventually.

#16

Looking very nice…keep at it Allen… Travis

#17

Yea, common sense seems to be on its way to becoming less common. On the issue of Pets; if you want a pet, and your community doesn’t allow it, there’s a very simple solution, MOVE.

The new mindset that my problem should cause my neighbors to adjust to my way of life doesn’t fly with me. Man up and deal with it.

In the case of a tourist railway somewhere out west a few years ago. The railway had been operating for a very long time. Then it became a tourist railway, as often happens. But a development of new homes went up near the railway. The new homeowners didn’t like the railway. They went to court I believe and guess who’s out of work.

People are too quick to pass judgment on others.

In your case Mik just Mik, isn’t the railway on your lawn? What possible damage could it be doing to your neighbor or her goat. I’m surprised the goat hasn’t eaten your railway.

#18

The goat and I came to an agreement. It stays out of my garden, and I don’t use whatever herbs it didn’t eat to season some “lamb on a rod”… it’s owner wasn’t particularly happy, but it’s been a week with no goat so far.

#19

Some pix from yesterday…

Sorting/staging stuff to be put out

(http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp52/steamnut1917/Spring2013/P4210001_zps4a4a838b.jpg)

The olde pharte bbq folks are getting a little beat up and faded… next winter I’m gonna hafta repaint or replace them

(http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp52/steamnut1917/Spring2013/P4210003_zps69c270ed.jpg)

These goats are allowed in my garden… at least until they become dinner.

(http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp52/steamnut1917/Spring2013/P4210006_zpsdc2f1676.jpg)

Kim got me this cigar store Indian for Christmas… Why there are a couple old salts in Western Pennsylvania might take some 'splaining, tho

(http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp52/steamnut1917/Spring2013/P4210007_zps1a4750a7.jpg)

The mail lady keeps buying my nicer cars… these are getting scruffy enough that they need a repaint…

(http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp52/steamnut1917/Spring2013/P4210014_zps531c1810.jpg)

A spring day in 1962…Just busy enough to look like an average small town Saturday

(http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp52/steamnut1917/Spring2013/P4210002_zps3371fd82.jpg)

(http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp52/steamnut1917/Spring2013/P4210015_zps000fa809.jpg)

(http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp52/steamnut1917/Spring2013/P4210011_zps871e8cba.jpg)

The firemen I got last September… I’m hoping the dwarf cherry tree will shade them enough that they won’t fade too quickly.

(http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp52/steamnut1917/Spring2013/P4210004_zpsbed5a29f.jpg)

Today I set the base for some birdhouse cabins, moved some stone to make room for a new Rosemary plant, and sowed some boxwood basil and lemon thyme seeds… tomorrow they’re calling for rain so I’ll probably spend it rehabbing the machine shop for the mine.

#20

I needed more rock for the border, so Kim and I got stoned, err, collected stones last weekend. After you shift about 300# of sandstone twice, you really don’t feel much like doing anything else… especially not take pictures of rocks

But a $10 investment (plus stuff I already had) resulted in the thriving hamlet of Birdsboro (yeah, I know… boo, hiss)

(http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp52/steamnut1917/Spring2013/P4260006_zps3bc95e71.jpg)

I also made some progress stocking the produce stand… your eyes see what they expect to see. Painted beads look fine from a few feet away

(http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp52/steamnut1917/Spring2013/P5010002_zps2313b601.jpg)

I found this at Goodwill today for $2… what child of the ''60s-70s could resist? Sadly Spritle and Chim-Chim must be hiding in the trunk again. (okay, so it wasn’t introduced in the US until '67… don’t care)

(http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp52/steamnut1917/Spring2013/P5010001_zps62fe55ab.jpg)