Large Scale Central

What will you do first on your RR?

General Discussion
#21

Spent all morning clearing land for the new RCRR. I have the mainline about 50% completed plus an industrial spur with a tight 8ft dia reverse loop. Next up is a 20’ reverse loop at the end of the mainline. It will either pass over or under a freight yard and diesel facility. Once the wide rad loop is installed, I will finally be able to run trains continuously using both the industrial return and the mainline return.

Tomorrow AM:

Last running of the original Rockwall Canyon is planned. The railroad begun 17 years ago on Easter weekend, will officially have its last train pass through on this year’s Easter Weekend. The very same locomotive, RCRR 7603 (ALCO FA-1) which handled the inaugural run in 1997, will have the honor of being its last. 7603, and its sister loco 7609 will be making the move from the old Mountain Line to the new Exeter River District later that day.

Track removal and salvage of the old Mountain Line will begin shortly after “extra7603” heads north.

#22

Matt Doti said:

First?

Pick up all the pine needles.


SAME HERE…

#23

I’ve got eight weeks before the West Coast Regional Meet, so my projects for this spring are 1) remove debris from track; 2) reballast and repair the track; 3) rebuild a couple of switches; 4) construct new branch, including the switch and about 15 feet of track; 5) install about 8 feet of trestle on the new branch; 5) make the track work electrically; 6) repair falling apart buildings; 7) establish town site and install buildings and ground covers; 8) install sound system in my McKeen car; 9) get two or three train sets operable, incluiding GS4 daylight train and Napa Valley Wine Train.

In other words, nothing much!

#24

Rockwall Canyon Jeff said:

Tomorrow AM:

Last running of the original Rockwall Canyon is planned. The railroad begun 17 years ago on Easter weekend, will officially have its last train pass through on this year’s Easter Weekend. The very same locomotive, RCRR 7603 (ALCO FA-1) which handled the inaugural run in 1997, will have the honor of being its last. 7603, and its sister loco 7609 will be making the move from the old Mountain Line to the new Exeter River District later that day.

Track removal and salvage of the old Mountain Line will begin shortly after “extra7603” heads north.

Well that is a sad event but I’m sure the new line will be better.

That is a sweet “S” curve David Maynard. That will be a nice spot for railfanning when it is done.

I’m looking forward to getting the track in order so I can run some of my nicer pieces that I don’t like to risk derailing and wrecking. Mostly I want to spin engines on the new turntable.

#25

BTW Todd. GR e-mail ad features your “Weed Train” video on it’s newest mail out.

#26

My first and continuing task is pulling weeds in the right of way. Every week weeds appear where they never existed before. I have one curve rebuilt to end derailments. I bought rail clamps yesterday to complete the trolley track. No problems with the track power for the fourth year in a row.

#27

The first project this spring, is to run some 3 inch PVC pipes under the future yard area that’s now called ““Evansville-Memphis””, to allow drainage from the hill under the yard area to the drainage ditch…

these will be a series of 10-15 3 inch pipes…

#28

There is no “first thing” to do. Work on the railroad continues year-long so it is always nice (and weed free). New projects typically get built during the winter and installed prior to the growing season so the scars of construction will be covered by the emerging vegetation.

This year’s new projects include new electronics (of my own design) for alternating station stops and new platforms at the aerial tram and Lizard Lane Station for the trains to stop at.

And, the residents of Tortoise Town and Lizard Lane were able to purchase new streamliners in “Sunset Limited” livery from SP, pulled by a Daylight combo, just as it did back in the '50s. These will run between the aerial tram and Lizard Lane.

Some of the structures will also receive modification/repair in the next few weeks. The iron in the top of the “solar-powered lighthouse” has now deteriorated to the point of crumbling. The top section will be replaced by a glass power pole insulator, that actually looks quite like several light house Fresnel lenses.

#29

Todd (not from Cod) Brody: Like to see a picture of your renewed light house with the insulator lens! Don’t have time to add such a device to my pond (it leaks and needs repair too) in time for June – but it sure would look nice.

Keep up the good work!

#30

Mike McLaughlin said:

The first thing in May, I’ll be putting all the structures, vehicles, rail cars, trestle, and whatnot into the storage shed for the summer and heading north. :frowning:

Mike, look at the bright side, there was no snow to shovel and with a bit of luck you go somewhere with “almost no mosquitoes**”. **

#31

Hans-Joerg Mueller said:

Mike, look at the bright side, there was no snow to shovel and with a bit of luck you go somewhere with “almost no mosquitoes**”. **

This is true!

#32

The first thing I do is to plug in the bheer fridge, and fill it with bheer…

…ya just gotta do the important things first…!!

Fr.Fred

#33

Push the power button for the layout

Put loco on track with sweeper car in front and “crud wiper” car in back

Run train.

No track cleaning, no charging, no steamup.

Greg

#34

Before I do any running, I invite friends over to enjoy the hobby with me. The neighbors flock over the minute they see me out there doing something to the pike.

Pat

#35

Todd Haskins said:

That is a sweet “S” curve David Maynard. That will be a nice spot for railfanning when it is done.

Todd, it is.

#36

Got most of Sully’s bridge rebuilt today.

#37

I have a clean slate, so I need to get out there and start building.

#38

Andy Clarke said:

The first project this spring, is to run some 3 inch PVC pipes under the future yard area that’s now called ““Evansville-Memphis””, to allow drainage from the hill under the yard area to the drainage ditch…

these will be a series of 10-15 3 inch pipes…

Is that before or after breakfast?

#39

I rebuilt that curve this week and it can even handle trains rolling downhill. I’ll finish the track this week to where the trolley barn will go – when it’s built!

#40

Da’ Rooster said:

I’m still thinking while I sit on the back porch drinking a beer in the warmer 30 degree nights of spring with no wind chill!

This post has been edited by Retsoor Ad: Inappropriate Material

Correction for Rooster:
I’m still thinking while I sit on the back porch, wearing my double rainbow shirt, drinking a beer in the warmer 30 degree nights of spring with no wind chill!