Great idea Bill. I’ve got a large trellis that I’d like to grow something on as a permanent solution, but for photo sessions the netting would be perfect!
“Thinking Spar Pole and rigging to a lumber operation down the hill.”
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I like that idea!!!
I got a lot done today. Winter debris have been cleared from the entire line and the upper portion has been weeded except for the rust garden. I didn’t take time today for pictures; maybe tomorrow. Boss says I must finish the RV repairs before I work on track. Less than 5 weeks until grand-kids arrive. One for the first time and the other since she was a baby.
Jon Radder said:
I got a lot done today. Winter debris have been cleared from the entire line and the upper portion has been weeded except for the rust garden. I didn’t take time today for pictures; maybe tomorrow. Boss says I must finish the RV repairs before I work on track. Less than 5 weeks until grand-kids arrive. One for the first time and the other since she was a baby.
Nothing like visitors to get a railroader’s butt in gear!
Sure does John. Got the official word this afternoon while we cleaned the boat out on the lake 
42 days and counting.
The East End gardening is about done. I’m sure the weeds will be back before the kids arrive, but hopefully not as bad. Got out and took a few cell phone shots this evening. No trackwork has been done. I put down a little ballast for photos when the plantings went in, but nothing is straight or level. The track geometry crew has been called. Waiting on a call back (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-smile.gif)
My neighbor and I are speaking again. She got mad at me when I protected the engine house from her trash cans after a high wind forecast by tying some rope across her trees. Last weekend I bailed her out by loaning her a pressure washer wand. Now she’s my best friend (lord help me). Anyway - she came over while I was weeding here and asked if I would like her to replace all this border trash with Hosta and I almost did a happy dance (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)Something is eating the Creeping Jenny but the Solomon’s Seal has exploded. It loves this spot…
Focus could be better, but I’m too lazy to dig out the camera…
While we were beached on an island today I was noticing a lot of native plants that thrive in the same light as I have here. Going to take some buckets and potting soil next trip!
As I have shifted my focus to getting other things done before my Denver family -1 show up in 3 weeks, the weeds have begun to take over again (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cry.gif)
I have hired a mason to rebuild a the flagstone stairs, patio and walkways. To give him access I must lift all of the track from the basement window (Escap’e) including all the raised track to Coal Dump Curve. Thusly, all trains are annulled until the mason is done and I can get it all put back. I may end up enlisting my son to help. I sure would love to replace all that pressure treated board roadbed with a nice Cedar trestle, but there just isn’t enough time.
This is the least scenic area of the railroad so there are not many pictures. This one from 2011 when the new East Escap’e Bridge went in…
And these during grade realignment in 2011…
And finally, this one from 2013…
I finally got around to repairing and painting that door last summer (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)
So far this afternoon I have moved about a half ton of BFR’s that were being saved for a future project. Trying to work in the shade as it’s close to 90 in the sun. I only have two more days to remove years of accumulated clutter and all the track.
I like the trestle idea. Why not make that a winter project?
" Rooster " said:
I like the trestle idea. Why not make that a winter project?
It’s been on the list for a while. I have wood to mill up when I get done with all these “gotta do” projects. Need to do some research on EBT wood trestles. There was a plan for a coal delivery trestle in the latest FEBT Timber Transfer magazine. The only long wood road trestle they had was filled in with waste and became the “long fill” approaching the Runk Rd. bridge. I don’t recall that there were any photos of it. Need to dig out my books and see.
Be careful building a fill trestle, they weren’t designed to last. The look might be a tad rough.
I wonder if a foam rock viaduct, wouldn’t be more practical.
I don’t recall if the trestle I’m speaking of was designed to be filleld in or not. Probably not as I think the fill job was part of a bunch of upgrades done to handle heavy standard gauge cars.
Mason comes on Saturday. Almost ready, just the track and some drain pipe to lift. Obligatory ‘before’ pictures…
I see a LOT of possibilities ! I myself would be more inclined to do a plate girders like in the beginning coming out of the house .
I like Johns idea, Foam viaduct … we know you have played with foam @ work …
Many years ago when getting ready for a club meet my track in front of the water fall was supported by a 1 x 6 and not wanting to have it look like po I added a piece of Styrofoam sprayed with lacquer based spray paint causing it to wrinkle up and then cut stone shapes in it with a soldering iron, go a lot of good comments that day.
Many years ago when getting ready for a club meet my track in front of the water fall was supported by a 1 x 6 and not wanting to have it look like po I added a piece of Styrofoam sprayed with lacquer based spray paint causing it to wrinkle up and then cut stone shapes in it with a soldering iron, got a lot of good comments that day.
That’s using your noodle! (https://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
Sean McGillicuddy said:
I like Johns idea, Foam viaduct … we know you have played with foam @ work …
You probably will not believe it, but 17 or so years ago when this section was built; that was the plan. I cut a few pink insulation foam arches, but my shortsightedness only saw the existing piers and they were too far apart for a pleasing arch shape. Now, with almost 10 years of fabrication experience, I have the ability to see solutions to that problem. There is no time to build it now; but as a future project there is a good chance.
EDIT to add that my inspiration road, the EBT, has a concrete arch viaduct that is simple to model. They also have a very cool, spindly steel open box girder span. All of these could be utilized on this section.
Jon Radder said:
Sean McGillicuddy said:
I like Johns idea, Foam viaduct … we know you have played with foam @ work …
You probably will not believe it, but 17 or so years ago when this section was built; that was the plan.
I don’t believe it
(https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)
This morning, C.V.S.Ry. M-10 took a work train out as far as Coal Dump curve to assist with the removal of track and supports from there to West Escap`e. I took a few quick cell phone grabs of M-10 on the curve. Most of the new plantings are doing great. Before it was time for beans, the track crew had all of the wood roadbed and piers removed.
This was my first section of outdoor railroad to be built. I learned a lot along the way and there is a bunch of things I did on this section that I won’t repeat. 3 of the 5 piers were cut from pressure treated wood and they are still in great shape. Two were common white pine and they didn’t do so well. I also used small steel brads to attach the track because I had a bunch of blue ones that blended in nicely. They also hold a little too well.
Here’s M-10 with it’s train on Coal Dump Curve…
The track connecting the pvc roadbed to the wood roadbed was lifted first…
After that , then the wood section was separated at the curve. The long straight was lifted roadbed and all. The curve had some rot issues so it came up in two pieces (with out the post-up blocks). Here is a reference shot taken just before the train ran / disassembly began.
It’s all gone now…
From the more bad ideas department…
I think when Ric was here a few years back we talked about descending to the back yard ground level with a switch back. The stone guys are doing such a nice job on the walk and wall that It can be my next focal point. Thinking of enlisting the grand kids to get a switch back logging operation started on a low table covering up the Maple roots. Only problem I know how screwy building on top of living trees can get.
Stone work coming together quickly…
