Large Scale Central

The benchwork is almost done

Track and Trestles
#1

Thusis will be the end of the line even if there should/will be an extension out to the front yard. While the weather was good I moved “a bit” of rock and gravel which was on the other “to do list”. Then got back to what really counts. Weeding, rake out the bad bumps, weed barrier, gravel and then install the ground spikes and cedar posts - shorter pieces left over from the fence construction. …

…

2x6 PT with 3/4" PT ply to go on top. While we don’t run on “Elephant Proof” track, the elevated bench work needs to be “sturdy”. Now it will be back to carting more dirt and rock to get that mountain up to size. Surprises in the West, a rattle snake came by to inspect the progress of the mountain, with a bit of encouragement he moved through the fence to the neighbours. :wink: :slight_smile:

#2

Looking great HJ…BUT the snake would have me moving the entire RR out of there :smiley:

#3

I evicted this one last year

(http:///F-PIX/Rattler02_s.jpg)

…

(http:///F-PIX/Rattler01_s.jpg)

put him out in the park where he belongs. Oh man, was he cross for the rest of the day, every time I went to see if he was still there he let me know loud and clear.

#4

Ahhh! The sight of trains snaking through the garden…!! A scene to behold. :wink: :smiley:

Looking good HJ. Your yard looks very nice too by the way.

#5

HJ, I’m told that they make good eating! Tastes just like Chicken! Paul

#6

Speaking of Chicken, I wouldn’t relocate him until I seperated his head from his body :wink:
Ralph

#7

HJ,

He looks like he would make a great hat band. The last of the venomous varieties that visited my pool (built in), I found bar-b-q tongs were great for handling, and 5 gallon plastic bucket worked great for containment. Being as Pigmy Rattlers are very territorial, relocation was not an option. A cup or so of liquid pool chlorine in the bucket ended our confrontation, and he did not revisit my pool.

I applaud your efforts to relocate them, but with 12 grandchildren ranging from 8 mos to 16 years, venomous snakes are an unwelcome visitor.

Bob C.

#8
E. Paul Austin said:
HJ, I'm told that they make good eating! Tastes just like Chicken! Paul
That's good to know, I don't like chicken either.

Out the back gate and we’re in the park. Rattlers are quite common around here, but from what I’m told they used to be plentyful in earlier times. A lot of dens were destroyed by people who considered it great sport blowing them up. The strangest story I heard … there used to be an old house out on Rattlesnake Point - back when all this was part of Coldstream Ranch - infested with rattlers. So many that to get rid of them they brought in a number of pigs and let them roam the house to trample the rattlers. Sounded like a Rural Legend to me, but if it isn’t true it’s a good story.

#9

Well HJ you just keep all those things up in your area. North Idaho is beautiful and rattle snake free. My .45 cal semi-auto pistol works great on unwanted guests.

Btw the yard looks great.

#10
Hans-Joerg Mueller said:
Out the back gate and we're in the park. Rattlers are quite common around here, but from what I'm told they used to be plentyful in earlier times. A lot of dens were destroyed by people who considered it great sport blowing them up. The strangest story I heard ... there used to be an old house out on Rattlesnake Point - back when all this was part of Coldstream Ranch - infested with rattlers. So many that to get rid of them they brought in a number of pigs and let them roam the house to trample the rattlers. Sounded like a Rural Legend to me, but if it isn't true it's a good story.
What did they bring in to get rid of all the pigs?
#11

BBQ sauce.

#12

Using pigs to get rid of rattlers, I have seen it done and it did work. The rattlers were gone but the place smelled like pigs!!!

#13

I guess the PVC tubes are like benchwork -

(http:///P1/Berguen03_s.jpg)

…

(http:///P1/Berguen04_s.jpg)

I’ll need quite a few more wheel barrows of dirt to fill up to ladder level at Bergün, but since the contractors here in the Valley are always by a week or thereabouts behind schedule (they work on Sunshine Time!!) I have another week with supposedly good weather to get that done. That and more rock! Then it can settle over the winter, while I build twelve more turnouts… and a whole bunch of other items. :open_mouth: :open_mouth:

#14

I am most curious as to what part of Bergün you are going to be modeling! My preferred is this one, but the PVC post placement doesn’t seem to lend themselves to this.

(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-HoPXyxn_auk/UFdNC4P7W_I/AAAAAAAAEqQ/Q5iW9mLTUQM/s585/Fullscreen%20capture%209172012%20112302%20AM.jpg)

or(far less interesting)

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-a9-hNsSYqmc/UFdNCQDgZ1I/AAAAAAAAEqI/dUo4ugYGdwc/s720/Fullscreen%20capture%209172012%20113602%20AM.jpg)

Both of those are from: and I may have to edit this link to something else http://map.search.ch/berguen?x=1040m&y=-216m&z=128">

#15

Hi Don, It’s the track plan of the station at Bergün - old version prior to the present upgrade, since I model 1969-75 era. …

(http:///P1/Berguen_Storage.jpg)

The loops above Bergün served as inspiration for this part …

(http:///P1/Seedorf_08.jpg)

Naturally it all suffers from selective compression as well as a very healthy dose of artists licence i.e. there is no such town as Seedorf. The perfect chance to assemble different structures from different towns to give it the typical Grison flair. Muot is a bit farther up the valley and then there are the spiral tunnels between Muot and Preda - I skipped them since a stack of tunnels in the garden would - without a major engineering job - be a large heap of trouble. What’s up and operational so far you can watch on VIMEO [vimeo]http://www.vimeo.com/6621176[/vimeo] [vimeo]http://www.vimeo.com/6629888[/vimeo] And the overall track plan looks like this

(http:///F-PIX/RhB_Grischun_ver11.jpg)

If I live long enough there is a fair bit of space out the front for future extension. OTOH the operating scheme should be interesting enough with the track that’s planned.

#16

Oh well. Thanks for the layout plans and videos. I particularly liked my choice for your layout, but for a very personal reason. On December 12, 2009 my wife and I got on the First Class car at the front of the train at 10:00 in Filisur going up to St Moritz. The conductor told us we were in the wrong First Class section-ours was the last two cars on the train! His section was going to do the Bernina. So, we tried to get to the last cars and found we were really rocking and rolling, particularly between the cars! A staff member strongly suggested we wait for the next station and then get to the correct cars. So we hung on, literally, where we were(in a baggage car if I remember correctly-we certainly passed through one). We changed ends in Bergün. Here’s the brief album of that trip https://picasaweb.google.com/vtgrsociety/Switzerland2009?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCIu09I_8-fuHBw&feat=directlink Only 5 language we saw in the entire trip(at St Moritz)

(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-KILEV4GAXto/Tao0dqHhqvI/AAAAAAAACo8/kbxWPp0VrNQ/s800/IMG_2635.JPG)

#17

Don;

Thank you. That slide show was great!

Best,
David Meashey

#18

Thanks Don, nice slide show. BTW that toboggan run on the Albula-Pass road goes back a long time. That used to be the official bob run prior to the one that was built for the St. Moritz Winter Olympics (1928). To capture the summer traffic RhB runs a scooter rental service. Pick up your scooter at Preda and ride it to Bergün.

(http://www.marksport.ch/data/media/bilder/content/marksport/vermietung/trottinett2.jpg)

Sure looks like lots of fun. And for the truly ambitiuous there used to be a bike time trial from Filisur and/or Bergün to the Albula summit. You checked/clocked-in at Bergün and punched out up on the summit. Certainly a completely different experience than the educational downhill walk along the railway. :wink: :slight_smile:

#19

Got all the PVC tubing placed, established the approach grades and the station level. Almost time to start ripping some TREX while the weather holds and it can be done outside.

(http:///P1/Berguen08_s.jpg)

That along with placing more rock and dirt should keep me busy for the duration.

#20

why do you change from a “natural” layout to rails on sticks?
to be above the snowline for winter runs?