Looking forward to seeing this develop 
Dittos!
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I see you switched to regular Douglas Fir? instead of Pressure treated lumber. And particular reason why?
You figure it will outlast you?
Hi Craig,
I started using PT for ground contact only several years ago and Doug Fir for everything else. Mainly because of cost but also I donāt like sawing that PT because of the chemicals. I found years ago on my old railroad that the construction grade Fir holds up just fine as long as it can dry out between wettings
Had some that was installed in 2005 and was in perfect condition when I tore it out in 2014.
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The other drawback of using pressure treated is that (around here) it is usually very wet when purchased and can warp significantly as it dries out.
I agree that with no ground contact, it will probably last as long as PT without the issues even without paint.
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Looking good Rick, I also saw the Doug Fir and was curious. We use it for fencing in NZ but Iāve not seen it used in construction framing, will have to investigate.
What are your timber dims, looks like 4 x 2 but pics can be deceiving.
Cheers
Neil
Come on Hollywood ???
(extra exclamation added for 20 character limit )
I used up some cedar fascia from the fascia/roof project this summer as supports instead of PT. I figured if it was good enough for my house I would be good enough for the layout. I wouldnāt have bought cedar like that just for the layout but we had primed it already so I couldnāt return it.
Maybe Iāll start switching over to Doug Fir on the last part of the layout and see how it lasts compared to the rest. I have yet to paint anything but thatās a future me problem/project.
Neil,
The 2 central posts are 4X4 PT set in concrete the other legs are 2X4 set on bricks.
The 2X4 is a nominal dimension the actual measurements are 1-5/8ths by 3-1/2 inches.
Here on the West coast of the states Douglas Fir is used for all structural framing, sometimes/often kiln dried White Fir is used for non-structural framing, such as non-bearing walls.
Craig,
You shouldnāt have any problem with the Cedar, I use Western Red Cedar for all my ladder roadbed and have for years with no problems.
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I donāt know if anybody here is really interested in this build style/type, seems like there are maybe only 2 others on this site that are using a similar style and I donāt know of anyone else that is even building a RR of any style posting on this site.
Maybe the doubters are correct, no new blood in this hobby that is drying up. Oh well, I will still have my fun but may not bother posting quite so much about it, seems like that is what a lot of others are doing.
Now after all that negative crap here is an update 
Getting the hardware cloth stapled down. Dang stuff is sure prickley to use. I worked with this stuff off and on for over 30 years in the sheet metal shop and still donāt know how to handle it with out drawing blood somewhere.
Cement tile backer board covered with FlexSeal on both sides for the pit bottom and Redwood blocks for the pit ring.
The weed block is stapled down and getting started on the ladder roadbed. The roadbed is Western Red Cedar, each 8 foot piece is 1 inch thick and 3-1/2 inches wide. I rip 3/8ths off each edge for the rails and cut the left over piece into 6 inch blocks, works out fine for the track to lay on.
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I had big plans 4-5 years ago to expand on elevated bench work out into the back yard. For the last few years Iāve been unsure that we will stay in this house once I fully retire, so expansion plans were scraped. Now, I find that even being semi-retired, finding the time or energy to keep an on-the-ground railroad maintained is getting harder.
I, for one, still want to see your work, so please keep posting.
I donāt think I will be building soon but still enjoy your posts. PLEASE keep it up!
i am.
i think they are correct. but who gives a damn?
we canāt expect people, who live in 300 squarefoot apartments to have a space eating hobby.
for me at least it is not important anymore if i am the only largescaler in the country (as i probably am) or if there are many around me.
thanks to the internet iāve got enough like-minded guys only a click away.
for the last fifty-plus years i was either building a layout, dismantling a layout and dreaming about another layout, or building the next layout.
at the moment iām dismantling and dreaming. so what you show us, might come in handy for the next one.
ps: my modeling tools include a box of band-aids. 
Rick, there are those of us that are very interested in your RR expansion and building technique. I love to see your posts because I generally learn from each one. Please continue to allow us to follow along.
Iām planning to build an elevated RR and have always envisioned building by constructing 6āx10ā sections, but watching you build Fields Landing has got me thinking otherwise. I like the way you have constructed the mainline on narrow bench work and simply adding (not that what you are doing is simple) a town off to the side.
Plenty of popcorn and coke on hand so please carry on 
Korm, love your attitude!
Well guys I wasnāt fishing for attaboys but thanks for the encouragement anyway. I guess I was just thinking of back in the day when it would take an hour every morning to read the forum because of so many interesting new posts, now days it takes about 3-5 minutes. Oh well just another sign of our shrinking hobby world.
Dan,
Put the coke and popcorn down and pick up some hand tools and get started
I have found that 6 foot is about the maximum reachable width. I have gone to 7 foot (at the sawmill) but kept the tracks toward the outside and buildings in the center that donāt have to be reached very often.
Rick, maybe not many on this forum use the method (though several do), but Iām sure Iām not the only one here youāre making drool with each photo!!
If I ever get to the second tier of my layout, this is exactly the way I want to go. My days of shoveling and carting tons and tons of rock and fill dirt and bags of concrete are probably over ā or at least I want them to be, haha!
So thanks for the continuing inspiration Rick, on this front and others.
Probably a no brainer to know Iām all ears/eyes Rick. Iāll just echo what the others said. 
94,000 views is nothing to be shy of, I think itās safe to say thereāll be plenty of people around the world getting ideas from what youāre posting. Keep it up.
Cheers
N
Rick,
I was using cedar for my ladder roadbed but I recently switched to PVC strips as I was getting swelling and other issues related to the roadbed. It definitely costs more than the cedar but saves a bit of time.
Maybe it was operator/installer error that was causing issues on my part.
Iāve already learned a few things that I need to go back and fix on my layout.
PS, I get wounded by the hardware cloth as well!
I think we can call that a universal truthā¦
Cheers
N