New garden layout

Hi Rick,

          It takes 3 rotations of the handcrank to turn the table. I just push a finger against the bar to swivel her round and she goes like clockwork. Its really surprising how well it works being so primitive. You can see a soup can lid nailed to the timber at the top and the rest of the can bashed into shape for bottom of the the crank handle to rest on. This is to cut down friction and to stop wear and tear eating away at the timber. A wee blast of WD40 as required and she turns as sweet as you like. Also when it comes to lining her up with the off roads because the cable is tensioned it is very controllable and has a good firm feel to it.

 As for the fish pond.We don't have mosquitos in Scotland ,what we do have is the dreaded highland midgies. No hassle during bright sunshine during the day but on a warm damp evening these characters are merciless. They will eat you alive. And apparently its the female of the species that attack. They draw blood out you.I suppose a bit like Scottish women who are experts at getting money out of your pocket and into their purses....... or is that just females the world over ?? ha ha .

 Anyway Rick, just won a Lionel coaling tower on ebay and another box of PECO track and turnouts have arrived from England so should get my loco servicing area completed soon. Right , I'm away to get on with it.  Cheers  DAVY 

Just been having a wee rest and a cuppa, as you can see in picture 1. (check the expensive designer shoes ..ha ha ) other pics show part of the old G track formation.That is all to be demolished and used for infill up at the paddling pool area.

 Anyway,weather's fantastic so I better keep at it while the sun shines.

CHUCK....if you are there?,meant to ask, you've ordered Peco track, are you going to replace your G stuff or build a seperate O gauge layout ?       DAVY 

 Man, I just love that waterfall! Great job. It's going to look great with the trains. Joe

Cheers Joe. Water features aren't so hard.The secret is to show nothing plastic at all.

I don't care how good a pond or water feature is done .If you can see the pond liner above the water level it ruins it. Keep the liner out of sight and use natural stone and you can't go wrong. I've done a lot of water features in my time and made all the mistakes in the learning process so I know the things to watch out for .So if any of you aren't sure about how to tackle a water feature /waterfall/stream , only too glad to help. Anyway,back to the toil.  Cheers  DAVY

Hi lad,

Midgies ya say. From the sounds of it... their(the midgies) m.o.(modus operandi) mirrors that of mosquitoes.

I like the MacFlintstones technology you used, to move your turntable. Given the abundance of stone and all, Bedrock might be a fitting name for your layout.

I get the feeling you're going to miss it, when all the building is done. When your layouts finished?

One of your recent pictures shows a narrow, raised, long stretch - running down the middle of your layout. A stone viaduct would look brilliant there.

Have your fun Davy... cheers,

Rick

Davy

I decided to stay with Large Scale however, after considering all the great information  what you have posted, I also tore out the entire line and rebuilt the roadbed by following your instructions and the difference is as marked as between night and day. Very bulletproof against the damage that was caused by critters, human and otherwise. Once leveled, it stayed level without wash outs as with the floating track. We had a real monsoon here that would have created several washouts on the high embankments in the past. Not so anymore. Makes it much easier to clear the right of way of leaves, and other debris without brushing off the ballast in the process. Thanks much for sharing your techniques. I highly recommend them for any outdoor scale.

 Hey Davy looking good. Love the designer shoes, you know they might last longer if you keep them out of the cement and water, Hehehe.

As far as the Peco track, that is going to be for my O scale layout.  I have way to much code 332 Aristo-Craft track already on the layout and more going down soon to change to something else.  I tried a type of code 250 brass track about 10 years ago but it didn't make it through the summer without lots of problems, so I went back to the Aristo-Craft.  Maybe it had to do with something like I use to be a dealer for Aristo before they started selling direct to everyone.  Still not happy about that one. 

I just wish I had your energy, I might get more done faster.  BTW I've been doing some research on my family ansestry and have come up with some information you might be able to help me with. I'll PM you later.

Chuck

Hi Guys, Bruce, I'm glad my technique proved to be so helpfull to you. Great stuff.Its no fun when you have to keep rebuilding and re-laying track and stuff. I don't suppose any system is perfect but I know how well this method proved for me.

  As for my energy Chuck,believe me it was tested today,really warm here in my south facing back garden so I didn't get as much done as I'd have likedas it was just too hot but still got a bit done just the same.

Took me ages to get my shoes as stylish and comfortable looking I'll have you know !  ha ha .

 I have to say,I go about looking like a right hobo at times ,but ach what the h-ll, its hard to keep clean doin that kinda stuff. Anyway,aye by all means contact me about your Scots ancestry.

  Rick, aye Bedrock might well be an appropriate name for the layout. In Gaelic that would be (I think) "Clachan Mor" ,sounds good too eh ?.  You are right too about a viaduct...... I know exactly where and what you mean..... and I have a good idea of how to go about it but I have so much other stuff to do... but mmm.... ???? now you've got me thinkin ! I hate when an idea gets put in my head especially when its a good one because it niggles away ,and you've just started a niggle Rick !!

  Anyway need to scoot guys. Cheers  DAVY   

The Clachan Mor Viaduct - a beautiful stone engineering marvel with base lighting, mounted near the footings, aimed upwards.

Picture that with one of your favorite trains making it's way over the grand structure. Absolutely brilliant!

Now, that's something to niggle about and mount up for(don the kilt and pipes...)

See ya lad,

Rick

Nice progress.  You're invited into our backyard anytime!

Hi guys, Michael?(Pitogo) thanks for the thumbs up and if I ever get to New Jersey again I'll be sure to pop in !!  I was over there a few years back and paid a visit to Aristocraft's old place when I was into 1/29th scale. I was over in New York a couple of times in my capacity as a musician playing at a couple of shows for Scots-Americans. Managed to take in Manhattan,Staten Island and over into Jersey city. Another wee place I remember being in was Kearney ?? An old lady there who was originally from Dumbarton in Scotland ran a Scottish "fish and chip" (fish and frenchfries)shop in Kearney with her daughter  ,UK "chips"=US "frenchfries",  US "chips" = UK "crisps". Anyway enjoyed my visits.

Rick, much as that Viaduct idea is a great one I think its goin to have to be the viaduct that never was OR it will get done some time way in the future. Thing is that straight run is a concrete block wall and there would be a fair amount of demolition material to get rid of and a h-ll of amount of work to do the viaduct the way I'd want to. I know exactly how to do it because I lay in bed last night and figured out a plan and I know it would work because I've worked with stone and cement long enough now. But, it would be an enormous job timewise to do what I'd want to and I want my trains running this year. So maybe some time down the road some day. Anyway its 7.30am and the sun is already out so , sitting here at the PC isn't gettin the work done.

 Oh and by the way Chuck, I noted that Aristocraft are now selling direct. Old Mr Polk has now passed the business over to his son. And since this take-over I get emails every day from Aristo saying theres super-duper sales of this and that and to be honest I find it off-putting. It makes them sound like a company that is struggling to survive. Doesn't instill confidence. Anyway, my only interest in G scale now is to sell off what I have left so I am no longer in the G scale market anyway.

 Right I'm offski.    Cheers  DAVY  

There you go Rick, just thought I'd build that viaduct for you , what do you think of the pond and the hills....made a good job of them eh ? ,all in half an hour too ! 

Marvel: one that evokes -

(1) surprise, admiration, or wonder

(2) strong surprise; astonishment

A 30 minute job, doesn't usually make it into the "marvel" category.

The stone viaduct, I envision, would have significant costs including -

time; patience; engineering analysis; trial and error; material collection- including, gathering proportional scale-sized stones; physical labor...

Some adjectives for brilliant -

outstanding, exceptional, splendid and magnificent

A select few... are worthy of such words.

or

You could gather up a bunch of empty six-packs(with beer bottles) and place them end-to-end, in a straight line; then, place some planks, length-wise, on top of the beer bottle mouths; and finally, lay down some track on top of the planks and you've got yourself a viaduct.

I don't think you'd make it into the brilliant or marvel category, but it might make a good beer commercial.

Ya might have to get a prescription, to help you with those pesky niggles...

see ya,

Rick

Hi Davy,

I took some pictures today that go with my previous post. I can't post pictures here, because my computers security system won't allow it.

I emailed publisher@ogaugerr.com and asked to have my pictures posted, on this thread. There's 7 pictures... hope you like them.

It's just about time for me to watch "Full Metal Jousting".

Cheers,

Rick

 Hey I like that viaduct Davy, how long did it take you to build it. Hehehe. I'll keep my eyes open for a water column for you.

Chuck

Hi Davy,

I just emailed you the 7 pictures, I recently posted about. Would you post them here, for the lads to see?

I'm off for a walk with my critter.

See ya,

Rick

Hi Guys,will post your viaduct pics later Rick. , heres the latest pics of the garden. Not a lot of progress I have to say because we are enjoying a heatwave here in Scotland, apparently we are hotter than Hawaii today, whatever its boiling and repressive for working in. Anyway,have done some rebuilding along the fish pond and have done quite a bit of infill and finished edging the paddling pool with stone. That was fernickety but I'll be able to move faster now laying the main patio area.

 Have also demolished most of the old G scale track formation at the house end and am removing/ rebuilding the rubble etc as I go.I will face it off with stone. I have a small lawn there which I'll widen a bit. I'm also goin to put a station along that straight run and put in a passing siding widening that part out to 3 tracks. Oh and located MTH water columns Chuck ,I have them ordered so thats sorted. 

Hi Guys,as a wee break from all this garden of mine,another interest I built up over the years was japanese steam locomotives. Japanese  gauge was 3ft6" and they had steam till 1976 on their North Island of Hokkaido. The JNR C62 4-6-4 type was their star passenger loco. On the main island of Honshu the type finished working around Hiroshima in 1970. However some of the class continued on in the north island Hokkaido, between Sapporo and Hakodate. Check out this short colour film of them around that time. Some great footage. Enjoy.   DAVY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GB1u5_YwYBA&feature=player_embedded    

Ya, that's not bad, but too bad it's not pictures of the world famous Guinness trestle.

Now that's something we'd all like to see.

Rick

Great Work Davy!

Gotta love his bridge and trestle!  LOL!

So that's the world famous Guinness trestle. I'm awestruck. This is a humbling experience.

Thanks for the pictures, Marty.

Rick

I could see that trestle having an issue on Friday and Saturday evenings!  LOL!

Have you located the water tower yet.  If not I have a solution.

Hi Colorado,

          Managed to locate 3 water columns and they are ordered. So quite pleased. Thanks for that.   Davy

Hi Guys, well was away over the weekend working on the lovely Island of Aran and it has been extremely and abonormally hot here ,hittin 29C for days on end ,just too hot for my liking,anyway a bit cooler today so got a wee bit done today on rebuilding the sandstone wall along the new station area formation.Nothing other than that very exciting to report,but thats the progress to date. Shouldn't take me too long now to get round to some actual train stuff as opposed to groundwork. Cheers  DAVY   

Davy,

Of all the solid work you have done on this project, incorporating that wye configuration really is the icing on the cake. After redoing my own G layout following your advice, I thought I would pass along a revision I did for the power supply. One of my major consternation's is the lack of a weatherproof transformer that is more portable than not, outside of radio control. In the power revision department, I buried cabling intended for such in a larger gauge for DC outdoor lighting from the track feed to an area closer to my patio. I then bought a DC disconnect set of low voltage wiring in a kit for lighting auto-trailer connections. Now I simply pull the connection apart and stow the transformer a few feet away. For what it's worth,

Bruce

Hi Bruce,

          Aye , I have left areas where I can bury wires where required. I have a Lionel lighted coaling tower in transit from the states which will be the main feature of the engine servicing area forward of the turntable and will require a power feed. You should  post a couple of pics of your G scale layout here Bruce, G or O doesn't matter the technique / ideas are the same.As for actual control, I will initially work with DC but hope in time to go completely digital  Cheers  DAVY

Bruce, does Marklin make an outdoor G scale transformer? I thought they might be I am not 100%. Davy keep up the great work you are an inspiration to us on the other side of the Pond!

George

I honestly don't know about Marklin making G gauge transformers. I have used a bulletproof PH Hobbies DC transformer. It has a steel case with a cooling fan and I have had it so long.. I couldn't tell you how long I have had it if I tried to. Plenty of power. I have run Aristo A-B-A FA consists with all units powered with smoke etc, and it never maxed out. If they still make them if I needed a replacement I would get another.

Hi Davy,

This is the still incomplete rebuilding as a passing siding and equipment storage spurs still need to be added. You might want to turn the sound down as my lung issues were acting up making my breathing sound bizarrely like the subject of the video. This was a trial run of a Plymouth with a couple of cars added for weight. Its normal consist will be LGB skeleton log cars along with a newly acquired "bobber" caboose for which I am finding real "logs" from the yard to fit. I run both narrow gauge and mainline stuff as well as live steam. I do the gardening as well as the railroading. My wife likes to watch. Just as well because I listen patiently to her good advice and then carry on doing it my way.

Hi Bruce, neat video.I can see where you've done the cement work now. And see what you mean about how heavy rain would have washed away your gravel.Glad it worked out for you. Does make a difference eh ? No fun having to keep re-ballasting and relaying /fixing track. You say you run mainline locos. You have quite a curvy layout there what kinda mainline/standard gauge locos do you operate ? Anyway ,great to see your layout.Also I've never thought about laying the track directly on to the stonework like you have there in places. cement between the stones and pinned to timber between ?. Don't know where I'd use that on my layout now but its something that had never occured to me till I saw your video.

 As for my layouts progress ,well it rained heavy today so got nothing done and yesterday I spent most of the time collecting old sandstones from a broken down wall and more flat stones from the river. Should get a good day in at it tomorrow though as the weather has to clear up again. The pics I've attached show the current state of affairs and the timbers laid loose roughly show the intended track layout. Basically just a passing place on one side. As for women giving instructions.... well I have a wife , 3 daughters, and 3 grandaughters....so believe me I know exactly what you mean ha ha !!

Davy

I use a 0-4-0, a 4-4-2 and a 4-6-2 as far as steam. I am probably going to add a Mikado in July. Although heavy, the Pacific has to take the tight radius turns slowly. Diesels are the Plymouth now in addition to a A-B-A set of Alco FA CP units. I run mainline and narrow gauge consists and change them out monthly for a change of pace.I am enjoying the pictures of your stone work on the retaining side..the last set of pictures served as a great cut-away view for me.

The track on the retaining wall has been there for roughly eight or so years and with the addition of the ballast set in concrete, it looks much better. The block wall is under three feet so it doesn't require extra work against frost heave. I still have to finish ( begin) the yard ...on the backside of the garden. I have the track, but I am waiting for the weather to cool off a bit as we have high seasonal humidity.

Hi Bruce,your pacific,is it Aristocraft ?  

It is and it is in the maroon, orange and gray Milwaukee Road Chippewa scheme. I run it with two Milwaukee Road (Aristo) heavyweight coaches. They are enormously long ( dwarfing the standard gauge heavyweights in length ) and it is somewhat painful to watch them to watch them twist and turn along the tight curvatures in the garden atop the retaining wall.

I originally purchased them when I built a large indoor G layout in the basement of a former home with wider radius curves. The Pacific has no issues but again I have to go light on the throttle around "dead man's curve."

Hi Guys, aye Bruce I asm familiar with the pacific you are refering to. I also have two of those Aristo heavyweights in B&O colours.

 Anyway,pushed on a bit today .More or less have the new stone retaining wall built along where the station area and passing place is goin to be. Just loose-laid some track to show where things are goin. A couple of days work will see this area well on its way to completion. Oh well thats me for the night. Just about eaten alive with midges so I'm sounding the retreat ! Hey by the way guys,meant to ask do you know of any suppliers who do driving wheel sets/sparesetc., for O gauge 2 rail.?

   Cheers  DAVY

Davy... and Bruce,

I have long wanted to build an O scale layout in my rear garden area. Watching your progress has given me lots of ideas how to go about doing it.

Davy, Stevenson Preservation Lines here in the U.S. should have a supply of the drivers you're looking for. Search online.

Hi Chris, hope you get your O scale garden railway up and running. If I can be of any help let me know. As far as O gauge 2 rail spares go I'll tell you exactly why I ask.

 As for re-wheeling /converting American 3 rail locos to two rail ,here in the UK we have a company called "Slaters Plasticard",they make a quality range of O scale wheels. Though based on British practice you can usually find spoked driving wheels that are as near as damit very similar as makes no difference for US locos.However, British boxpoc/disc drivers are different patterns from US types. I have also been collecting Japanese National Railway steam and electric loco kits in 1/50 scale by Otaki,Arii and Aoshima. Japanese standard gauge was 3ft6". These 1/50 scale japanese kits are display models with plastic chassis and wheels etc., but they are superbly accurate.Modern Japanese steam locos followed US practice and I'm hoping to have metal chassis built for them and have them motorised but to run on 16.5mm track. So I'm lookin for American style boxpoks in O scale but to go onto HO size chassis. I suppose pretty much equivalent to Bachman On30 US narrow gauge types. Anyway I will check out that company you mentioned Chris. Thanks for that. Cheers DAVY    

Well this thread has nudged me over the edge with regard to an outside railroad.  It will be nothing as nice nor elaborate as yours, but I will use your basic construction principles.  Mine will be G scale for a couple reasons - I have three O scale layouts in my house and would like to try something different; I am planning a Narrow Gauge operation (I am in Colorado after all) and G seems like a good choice for that; and the size of the equipment may be more conducive to what I would like to try regarding power.  Which leads me to . . . .

As I understand DCC as well as conventional systems, power is carried through the rails.  Have you considered or tried an R/C system with the power contained entirely in the motive units?  I have a bit of experience with R/C cars - mostly crawlers and off-road rally cars.  There certainly is enough power although you couldn't run for hours on end.  I guess one issue may be with voltage as I believe standard G locomotives expect 18-24 volts.  Standard R/C electronic speed controls (ESCs) are set up to handle much less voltage e.g. 7.4 to 11.1.  The newer lithium batteries have been a boon in terms of power and run times and you can get high voltage batteries (more cells) - but they soon outstrip the capacities of the ESCs not to mention the increase in size.  So it may involve motor replacement.  I have no idea how hard that will be, but I will find out.   I have bids in on a couple G scale locomotives and will do some experimenting.  If you have ever considered R/C or tried it, I would be very appreciative of your experience and opinions.

O scale might be a tight fit for R/C electronics, though I think maybe heli or plane equipment may be miniaturized enough - though that is not an area I know anything about.

Hi there colorado, I used to use Aristo radio control but to control track power. Lots of guys on the forums used to complain about brass track getting dirty and this seemed to be their main reason for switching to onboard R/C. I tried brass track etc., and hated it.Didn';t much like stainless steel either. Switched to Peco Nickel Silver and had absolutely no problems with conductivity. No need for complicated track joiners or clamps either. My power to track worked fine. I might sound like a UK salesman for Peco with an axe to grind but I'm not. I found that it wiped the deck with American and German track hands down.Just a better product all round. Incidentally I have a load of it 2nd hand I'll be selling off. Its all been used and cut into various lengths etc but is all fine for re-use. Plenty left and right turnouts too. Don't know what it would cost to send it to Colorado but would be happy to parcel it up and let you have it at a decent price if it was financially feasible in postage costs.??? It is Peco G45 flexi and is meant for narrow gauge. I had enough to go round my garden 3 times with umpteen sidings. Only thing you'd need to buy new is rail joiners and I can get them easy enough over here.    Cheers        DAVY