Mike,
Great layout and I love the before and later pictures!
Everyone has been very encouraging so I’m gonna start working on a track plan. I’ll have to deal with the slope but I’ve practice building trestles.
Best,
TJ Lee
This is mine as seen by Google Earth. The picture is a few years old but you can tell that the layout is close to the street. I have not had any problems so far. Hopefully Google will update it soon because last years extension is not included.
Dennis
Everyone has been so encouraging about a front yard layout that I am proceeding to the next step… a track plan.
The area I have to work with is roughly 12’ 6" wide at the low end (sidewalk) and 9’ wide at the high end along side the front yard patio (ha! I will never have to mow grass in the front again!) with ~36 feet from usable high end to low end. I can also imagine a line passing through the fence to a storage shed in the side back yard.
Obstacles I have to work around are the boulders (10 cents a pound) and a few plants are not to be whacked. Not being very creative with track plans, I’m seeing a town and maybe a siding or two in the raised dirt area, a 8 foot curve at the high end (ground level) and a 10 foot curve at the low end (on trestles). The raised dirt area is about level with the high end and I can flatten it out a bit using cribbing. A straight shot down the left side (looking at the picture), curving around the outside of the boulders near the sidewalk and up to the “town” area. Then continuing up to the high end along side the patio and coming back around. So it’s really a simple loop.
Knowing my own limitations I would be greatly interested in any alternate ideas for a layout given the constraints shown.
Here is shown the “high” end of the yard.
What say ye?
Best regards,
TJ Lee
Appears like you have a very nice area to work with Tim!
We love pics and progress on LSC
Looks like an area ripe for a GRR! I’ll echo your concern about a trestle so close to the roadway.
Some thoughts I had were: Curved Stone Aqueduct, Short Trestle Sections between built up rock and stone (Ray Dunakin), Trestle Sections with Metal Bridge combo, etc…
Anything to make it ‘less’ a target for those that have no respect for others property-and to prevent you from having to re-build a monster trestle!
TJ, That’s a great place to set up a layout! You have to get some track down so you can show off your rolling stock!
You guys need to pester him to show off his painting and weathering job on his bachmann log cars.
Terry
Huuumm…So your saying he’s holding out on us then Terry??
If you put a “Y” up at the upper end with a factory up there, it will allow you to reverse directions of the runs, and add a reason for the train to be there. Also with a building being that close to the house, less chance of issues.
Ya Rooster, he is. He used to post his work on MLS.
Terry
Terry, David,
He used to post his work on MLS.
I pulled my pics off MLS when the new “management” took over from Shad and will upload them to my Freight Shed eventually.
weathering job on his bachmann log cars
I’ve got an article on this here:
http://tjstrains.com/801/bachmann-log-cars-improving-the-look/
I was lucky in that I was able to secure a supply of bottle bush branches.
Best,
TJ Lee
BTW…Welcome Tim
Whats MLS?
David,
What’s MLS?
Terry’s reference is to MyLargeScale.com. Another train forum that recently went through a change in management.
Best,
TJ Lee
Tim, you will soon learn that David Russel, AKA Rooster, likes to pull everybody’s chain. Welcome to LSC. You don’t have to be crazy to be here, but it certainly helps. 
Steve,
David Russel, AKA Rooster, likes to pull everybody’s chain
That’s okay. What’s a few fathoms of chain between friends.
Welcome to LSC. You don’t have to be crazy to be here, but it certainly helps.
Thank you very much for the warm welcome. As to being “crazy” well honesty is the best policy but insanity is the best defense. I should fit right in.
Best,
TJ Lee
What do you think about this as a rough track plan? Any comments or alternative ideas welcome.
Best,
TJ Lee
If all you want to run is very small, industrial stuff, that will work. If you want to run something larger, but still small, like a Big Hauler, I think that your curves are too tight. If you want to run a Dash 9 , it won’t make it around those curves without derailing.
TJ,
That’s a good plan, you can reuse your track. Are you going to elevate and reuse your trestles too?
Tie the Town Loop into the big loop and I’d be happy…
Again, If you put a “Y” between the bush and the big rock with the skull you will be able to reverse your running direction without touching the engine.
Looks good. Are you planning two separate isolated loops? One around the town and one around the perimeter?