Digging In

Over the course of the past week, I've stained the 2x4 roadbed and begun the massive cut required to keep the line level. Digging has been tough, and here are some pics:

Finishing Staining:
















Beginning the Cut:
















Cut with Roadbed:
















More Cuttage:




















The bottom of the cut is level...I wish I had a flat yard.

















As of this update, construction has basically stalled out for awhile. In my extension of this cut, I'm getting awfully close to the house. I really ought to get utilities marked before I continue.

Closing the Circle

Today, I trudged onwards, completing an entire circle of roadbed for the railroad's lower loop. I built this loop in 5 sections, which will be attached in place. Positioning 300 pounds of wood at once really doesn't strike my fancy.


Here's the complete loop:
















Here's a picture of the joints between the 2x4's on curves. This should basically illustrate my entire roadbed system.

More pictures are always better:




















More wild roadbed action:















All thats left to do now before trains start running is to cut and fill a graded right of way in the garden, lay this roadbed in place, and attach track.

Getting things Started

Welcome to my construction blog of phase IV for the generic garden railroad. Over the couse of this summer, I hope to lay down about 150' of mainline for this new layout and get trains running reliably.

I recently moved and was forced to abandon my old layout. Pics can be seen here:
http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/Cephas/.
This old layout was really a barrel of monkeys while it lasted, and I plan to pick up the pieces and start anew.

To the left, the sole plan for this new railroad can be found (observe my mad skills at microsoft paint). I plan to have the railroad consist of two different loops of track so two trains can run at once. One can see the two loops in the plan. The two loops of track are the outer oval and the basic pretzel inside it. The pretzel crosses over itself once, and over the oval twice. Orange=Passing Sidings. Blue=Switches.

About three days ago I started bringing this plan to life.


The first step in creating a layout is to find a stable roadbed. I am cutting 2x4x8's to be laid underneath the track and provide a solid support surface. A 22 degree cut must be made in the 2x4 roadbed for each sectional curve track (All curves are of 8' diameter). This has really forced me to freshen up on my circular saw skills. After being cut and laid out, these 2x4's are being attached together using what Lowe's calls "mending plates." These little metal plates are the same things that framers use to build roof trusses for houses. Pictures of these plates will surface in the next update.

Initially, this 2x4 roadbed appears as though it will certainly get the job done. I now need to create footers of some kind to attach the 2x4 roadbed to the ground and do some grading so everything is nice and level. The land on which the railroad is being built has about a 10 percent slope. Many cuts and fills will be made to compensate for the uneven natural topography.

I'll admit things look kinda sloppy right now, but I'll have the odd pieces of track cleaned up by the next update.


My favorite picture today:

Randomness:

Dunno why I took this one. Maybe because it had some wood in it?

Random eye candy from the old layout: