@Mark Boyce posted:I have made two sections of brick street from the NARA clay. I didn't apply enough pressure with the roller on the first section which made the brick outlines not as pronounced as they could have been. It also was wavy, to the point of being rather washboard. On the second, I built a simple frame to rest a rolling pin on to roll the clay flat before using the brick roller. That came out better. I did notice on the second one that sections of the clay did rise after rolling. Of course, I don't expect the street to be flat. The prototype ones here in Butler have lots of dips, some far worse than others.
Yesterday, I saw a photograph of men working finishing building a brick street here in Butler. The woman who shared it said her grandfather had worked doing that between 1905 and 1915.
This is the second try still on the frame.
The first try is on the left. It is noticeable that the bricks aren't as pronounced.
Here they are laying on the layout. The second one is in the front. That used up one brick of NARA clay. I still have 5 bricks, so that will be plenty even if I decide to not uses some of the first tries.
On another note, I decided to do away with the two 042 switches discussed at the top of this page, and install a pair of Ross #4 RH switches like the #4 LH switches that are at the yard lead and this spur. I preordered them with my LHS at $10 less than other vendors were asking. So that project is now on the back burner awaiting parts.
You're doing good Mark. It's nice that you found a real life connection.
