Large Scale Central

So it begins, new Garden Railroad 2013

Sean McGillicuddy said:

(http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee259/smcgill_pics/RDCs2012spring015jpg-1.jpg)

Love that picture… :slight_smile:

I use the stone dust for balast with no problems. The key to keeping it on the tracks is to keep the balast level with the ground. Anywhere the balast is higher, is a great spot to add a wooden wall or something. It notonly serves a purpose but It adds a little detail to the layout. For narrow guage the larger rocks just dont look right. Standard gauge it looks good.

All the info you guys are talking about is good stuff. When i worked in a gravel quarry I worked with all shapes and sizes of rock.

First, the crushed pea gravel is probably a crushed stone. Descriptions of materials is very regional dependant. As it has been said, use a rock with angular sides, these keep the rock “locked” together unlike what a smooth0sided rock will do.

Second, prototype railroads use a clean crushed rock for drainage issues. The clean rock will allow moisture to drain and thus keep the foundation solid. A “pit run” or gravel with the fines in it is more ideal of a foundation because the fines act as a “glue” to keep the larger rock together. The problem is it doesnt drain well which can cause issues.

Third, for us modelers, heave and moisture effect our roadbeds more dramatically because of the scale. I suggest, if you are not using some form of structure for your roadbed like a ladder or concrete, to use a base of gravel about 4-6 inches deep. The gravel does contain the fines. Then lay your track down and dress with a clean rock. Think of it this way, if you have ever seen a foundation built or a sidewalk poured or any other type of stucture. What are they putting the structure on? A packed and formed base of gravel. The gravel has all the fines in it because it makes the foundation more stable. A railroad in 1:1 scale does use base course for its foundation of the track, they then use a top layer of clean rock for the drainage purposes.

Anyways, thats how I would design it.

Just finished up a 10hr day…and I am beat!

The plan for today was to start the railroad around the pond area, it gets a little narrow along the neighboring fence but it all worked out pretty good.

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/139vinny/New%20Garden%20Railroad/DSC08676_zpsadd43499.jpg)

First up was setting my bridge in place, it is a very basic no thrills bridge but it is what I wanted as I did not want to take away from the view of the waterfall.

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/139vinny/New%20Garden%20Railroad/DSC08677_zps5064f1bf.jpg)

We laid out some track to get a idea of were the edging was to go

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/139vinny/New%20Garden%20Railroad/DSC08678_zpse18ff28e.jpg)

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/139vinny/New%20Garden%20Railroad/DSC08679_zps7dc237eb.jpg)

The edging system we used worked out perfect, it’s expensive, but I don’t think anything else would have worked out as nice.

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/139vinny/New%20Garden%20Railroad/DSC08680_zps46877746.jpg)

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/139vinny/New%20Garden%20Railroad/DSC08681_zpsaf0188e8.jpg)

We lined all of the inside of the edging material with weed block fabric, then added the crushed blue stone.

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/139vinny/New%20Garden%20Railroad/DSC08682_zps088d8ec6.jpg)

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/139vinny/New%20Garden%20Railroad/DSC08683_zpsbf7b4606.jpg)

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/139vinny/New%20Garden%20Railroad/DSC08684_zps8c931e80.jpg)

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/139vinny/New%20Garden%20Railroad/DSC08685_zps68ae843c.jpg)

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/139vinny/New%20Garden%20Railroad/DSC08686_zpsab4c11b2.jpg)

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/139vinny/New%20Garden%20Railroad/DSC08687_zpsb603c1e0.jpg)

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/139vinny/New%20Garden%20Railroad/DSC08688_zpsafa71836.jpg)

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/139vinny/New%20Garden%20Railroad/DSC08689_zps150f3660.jpg)

So we managed to get about 50-60’ of track down today, we will be going back to the stone dealer tomorrow and getting some stone dust to use as a finish ballast.

Hopefully I have better results with it this time around!

Of course I had to break out a train for a few minutes to check my work!

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/139vinny/New%20Garden%20Railroad/DSC08690_zps23cb569b.jpg)

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/139vinny/New%20Garden%20Railroad/DSC08691_zps654d8101.jpg)

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/139vinny/New%20Garden%20Railroad/DSC08692_zpsba838639.jpg)

A few other notes:

I need more track!

I need more rail clamps!

I need more money!

Vincent D’Agostino said:

A few other notes:

I need more track!

I need more rail clamps!

I need more money!

:wink:

Vincent, I love your layout looks great. Regards,Ron

Day 2 (5/19/13)

We managed to get about 6 hours in today, then I ran out of rail clamps and it started raining…perfect timing!

Here is where we left off:

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/139vinny/New%20Garden%20Railroad/DSC08693_zps332bf400.jpg)

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/139vinny/New%20Garden%20Railroad/DSC08694_zps287b7cde.jpg)

The corner and the back of the waterfall area turned out to be a little tricky, we actually had to run down the street to lowe’s and grab a 2x4 of pressure treated wood and some 16" square paving stones.

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/139vinny/New%20Garden%20Railroad/DSC08695_zpsa730296c.jpg)

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/139vinny/New%20Garden%20Railroad/DSC08696_zps3a4ccca0.jpg)

The ground on the backside is a little soft due to the enlargement of our side yard last year and removing all the grass.

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/139vinny/New%20Garden%20Railroad/DSC08697_zps34edc5cd.jpg)

It worked out fine, we will just have too keep an eye on it and make sure it doesn’t settle too much more.

We also picked up some stone dust and while I was laying all the track and making the track connections for the transformer my girlfriend with the help from her gnome was doing all the finish ballast work and leveling the track.

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/139vinny/New%20Garden%20Railroad/DSC08698_zpsd73da6c3.jpg)

Then the gnome had to go for a ride for final inspection.

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/139vinny/New%20Garden%20Railroad/DSC08701_zps58922b47.jpg)

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/139vinny/New%20Garden%20Railroad/DSC08702_zps295b3e24.jpg)

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/139vinny/New%20Garden%20Railroad/DSC08704_zps56f23c31.jpg)

So that is all for now, I need to pick up some more rail clamps (which my local shop has in stock) and a few more 16"sq pavers.

Then I need to figure out where and how the layout is going next!

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/139vinny/New%20Garden%20Railroad/DSC08706_zpse82e8b0c.jpg)

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/139vinny/New%20Garden%20Railroad/DSC08707_zps50833b70.jpg)

Looks great so far, keep up the good work.

Fine looking job there Vincent

You need one of these!

(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WP24nQPwBkY/TVkoszYMOEI/AAAAAAAAAbQ/e4ML3P5djP0/s1600/hand-tamper.jpg)

Whack the bejesus out of the bedding with this!

It’s great to see you using these!

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/139vinny/New%20Garden%20Railroad/DSC08677_zps5064f1bf.jpg)

(http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b107/139vinny/New%20Garden%20Railroad/DSC08698_zpsd73da6c3.jpg)

Aren’t you having fun??

Don’t forget the Pain killers :wink:

Sean McGillicuddy said:

You need one of these!

(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WP24nQPwBkY/TVkoszYMOEI/AAAAAAAAAbQ/e4ML3P5djP0/s1600/hand-tamper.jpg)

Whack the bejesus out of the bedding with this!

We do have one, it gets used a lot!

Layout looks great so far. You said you hate grass, does that mean no plants in the layout? Looking forward to updates.

Shawn Viggiano said:

Layout looks great so far. You said you hate grass, does that mean no plants in the layout? Looking forward to updates.

There will be plenty of plants going in on the side yard where the railroad is headed next.

Probably won’t be much this year but that is where they will be.

Won’t be much of anything around the pond area as that is pretty congested already and we need to walk around it, if anything maybe some ground cover that doesn’t mind being stepped on.

Vincent D’Agostino said:

Shawn Viggiano said:

Layout looks great so far. You said you hate grass, does that mean no plants in the layout? Looking forward to updates.

There will be plenty of plants going in on the side yard where the railroad is headed next.

Probably won’t be much this year but that is where they will be.

Won’t be much of anything around the pond area as that is pretty congested already and we need to walk around it, if anything maybe some ground cover that doesn’t mind being stepped on.

Looks good, I like the edging ideal to hold the ballast for the track. Better cover up that pond or those fishy’s may become food for the birdy’s.