Well the snow is finally gone and the ground is thawed out (at least 3/4 of the ground thawed)
First I have to get all the grass up, this will be the worst part but I made good progress except for the upper right half where the ground is still frozen.
Getting there. The red wagon worked out great with getting the grass up. I throw the clumps of grass in the cart and then mix the grass around and all the loose soil falls through the screening on the bottom of the cart. Good way to save on soil.
This is a larger shot of the area. The ridge in the background is the Kittatinny's There was a lot of light so it tough to see it clear. All those pine branches are from the winters storm that took the tree down. Good thing I did not have my RR built yet.
As soon as all the grass is up I am going to level the area out and put a load of top soil over top. Then it will be time to lay the track down and get an idea of what I want to do. Now I just have to hope we dont get anymore snow.
Online sources for miniature plants? I have collected a few:
This one is in Oregon but they ship anywhere: http://www.miniforest.com/ and they are quite well-liked by this bonsai dicussion forum: http://forums.bonsaisite.com/index.php?showtopic=3991&mode=threaded&pid=41361
This one is in Ohio (a bit closer): http://www.stutzmansnursery.com/index.html and is listed on the Miami Valley Garden Rail Society website
This outfit is even closer (in PA) and they were at last year's ECLSTS: http://www.smallplants4bigtrains.com/
That will get you started.
Al
Coogler Rail Line wrote: Well, you finally got your mug up there Toad! Looks like you are having fun runnin some trains. get back in the saddle....lay some track. Hey Snow, what are you going to use as trees? I am finding it challenging to find any thing scale down here in GA. We are in the middle of a drought and all the nursheries are not stocking anything.
Well, you finally got your mug up there Toad! Looks like you are having fun runnin some trains. get back in the saddle....lay some track.
Hey Snow, what are you going to use as trees? I am finding it challenging to find any thing scale down here in GA. We are in the middle of a drought and all the nursheries are not stocking anything.
We have the opposite issue here too much rain/snow. Im looking at the different thymes for ground cover. For trees probably dwarf white pines, dwarf can hemlocks and dwarf spruce. for hardwoods not sure yet i might try barrberry Im not sure whats out their for dwarf hardwood trees. Not sure where to find the dwarf trees though. dont think my local nurseys sell them not a big demand for it in these parts. I will need plants that hold up well to lots of cold snowy weather and hot summers. Does anyone have any good web sites for tree buying?
vsmith wrote: Watch out for those S curves, try to insert a 12" straight section where the track changes direction, this is to allow cars to transition thru without binding the couplers. If you have the area best to make sure you do everything as best you can. Having those straight transitions means you can buy those pricey Accucraft engines and cars with the body mounted couplers that look real prototypical. I found on my layout even with R1s I had to add a 6" straight section at each S curve or my body mounted link and pin couplers would bind up, even on my smallest 2 axle cars. Even truck mounted couplers can have issues without the transitions. No problems since adding mine.No switches for now?
Watch out for those S curves, try to insert a 12" straight section where the track changes direction, this is to allow cars to transition thru without binding the couplers. If you have the area best to make sure you do everything as best you can. Having those straight transitions means you can buy those pricey Accucraft engines and cars with the body mounted couplers that look real prototypical. I found on my layout even with R1s I had to add a 6" straight section at each S curve or my body mounted link and pin couplers would bind up, even on my smallest 2 axle cars. Even truck mounted couplers can have issues without the transitions. No problems since adding mine.
No switches for now?
I probably will add a switch for my logging operation. Maybe something that leads to the mt and into an old mining tunnel. I might make track from the switch to the mt or logging operation site. Good idea about adding straights to the s curve. that will add more length to my line.
Coogler Rail Line wrote: Looks about the same size I have...20ft x 40ft. but I added an issolated inner loop so I can run two trains at once. One year later I am still working on it. I wanted to get trains up and running to keep my family interested and it worked. Once I started adding buildings, it started to get congested.Are you going to elevate the area? If you do, you will surprised on how much fill dirt it will take!
Looks about the same size I have...20ft x 40ft. but I added an issolated inner loop so I can run two trains at once. One year later I am still working on it. I wanted to get trains up and running to keep my family interested and it worked. Once I started adding buildings, it started to get congested.
Are you going to elevate the area? If you do, you will surprised on how much fill dirt it will take!
My line is going to be more of a wilderness/outdoor setting with a small logging operation. My line is based off of the proposed extension of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western RR that was never built. If the line was still their today everything from the mountain north would be state forest and natinal park lands. Then south of the mountain/ridge is small farms. Im not looking to crowed it with structers but I want to add maybe a homestead/farm and small logging operation (this is where I plan on using a turnout) also plan on adding a firetower on top of the mt. I want to incorperate more wildlife and outdoor type things like rock climbers, campers on top of the mt. (Appalachain trail runs along the top of the mt). I want to be a layout that everytime you look at it you see something different that you missed before.
I dont plan on elevating the line above ground. Too much soil needed to fill it in. I may fill in one end with about a foot of top soil but that is mainly to make the ravine where the trestle will go over, but I wont know that until break ground.
Have fun with your trains
Starting out simple is good way I think, I was dumb, I wanted it all and later I ripped up all the track and after my father passed I am unsure what to do now. But it will also keep the Mrs. off your back abit about the track expense. K.I.S.S. will do good if you like your lay out.
Looks great to me
Call me Ole Toad
Well I finally sat down and came up with a loose plan for my RR. Warning my drawing is no way to scale. The S curves will come inside the layout more than what it shows. I have no programs on the computer to come up with an easier plan to understand. It is basicaly hand drawn. I plan on getting some draft paper eventually. As of now my plans show the layout as 10 feet wide by 15 feet long. Thats based off the track I currently have. I plan on making it longer, more like 20-25 ft long but the same width. I have no limit as for space and im dealing with very little grade. The size is going to depend on how much more the wife will let me spend on track. I do plan on expanding but for now I want something that is intresting and yet not too large. I dont want to overwhelm myself and spend all day weeding. I just want to let the train run and not worry about turnouts and sidings etc... Below is the basic layout I came up with. I will probably add a turnout to it as well and possibly another S curve on the tunnel side. Im going to put a Mtn in the center, from the tunnel to the s curve. The s curve sits in a gap through the mtn. (Culvers Gap is the name for that gap) Im using 6.5 ft aristo curves. Now my question is does this seem intresting or is there another option to add intrest. I want one trestle bridge, a mountain ( i dont want the train to go over the moutain) a tunnel and s curves. I want to avoid any major elevation like climbing over itself. Not ready for figuring out grades like that yet. I hope everyone gets the idea and im not confusing anyone. Im looking more for a wilderness setting with maybe a homestead/old farm in a few spots. The theme is more mt RR/Logging. Im sure once I start laying track down outside I will make some changes. This is just a basic idea for now.
Stan Cedarleaf does custom decal work for lots of guys. I'm sure he could even work up a "tin kitty" logo. His site - http://gold.mylargescale.com/StanCedarleaf/WebPageDecals/CustomDecalsx.html
-Brian
I would image with the technology of home computers today I should be able to buy clear labels or something and print anything off the computer with one of the programs. Good winter project.
Alps printing is almost to a end from what I hear, sad to cause it can make white! Letters numbers, etc.
My cuz is a banner guy and makes signs so when I am ready I am going to try out the banner stuff and see how it holds up.
I do have a decal maker from testors but yet to mess around with it, again it does not print white.
Toad
I like it. As of now I have the tweetsie RR. I plan on repainting the engine and adding some decals to the line. The tweetsi RR has a flat car, box car, passenger combine. I plan on adding a logging caboose to that. Then I have my LGB Stainz I plan on making that into a logging/coal operation. Once I start getting track down ect... I will have a better idea. All the input is great, keep it coming.
Any good places on the internet that does good decals for my RR or am I better off doing it myself with the computer?
SNOWSHOE wrote: altterrain wrote: I can see it now - Kittatinny Mountain RR the "Tin Kitty" line -Brian Kittatinny is native American (Leni Lenape ) for "endless Mountains" but i really like Tin Kitty, I just might have to incorperate that into my line now. Thanks for the idea.
altterrain wrote: I can see it now - Kittatinny Mountain RR the "Tin Kitty" line -Brian
I can see it now -
Kittatinny Mountain RR
the "Tin Kitty" line
Kittatinny is native American (Leni Lenape ) for "endless Mountains" but i really like Tin Kitty, I just might have to incorperate that into my line now. Thanks for the idea.
"Tin Kitty" is a great nickname!
Most "nicknames" were never officially attached to the RRs, it just what the workers or users called them, sometimes out of affection, but mostly not out of affection
Nevada County Narrow Gauge, the NCNG, was called "Never Comes, Never Goes"
or contemporary, CSX; C-rash, S-top, X-plode.
Well you can get some box cars and place it on there like old Santa Fe box cars.
Waiting is the hardest part!
Very good name and I even like Brians name too!
Toad Frog & White Lightn is really not mine lol. The head rail dude ain't formed one yet
Well I started doing some research in coming up with a name for my RR. I was going to model something after some of the local RR,s. We had a few branches like the Sussex Branch and the Paulinskill. It was all part of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western RR that ran through the mountains of northwest NJ. I also was thinking about doing my own RR, because i figured it would be much easier. While doing research I learned that there were parts of the sussex branch that were scouted out beyon the town of Branchville but never built. It got me thinking. Why not finish that stretch of RR from Branchville north but have a new branch name, Kittatinny Mountain RR. Since the line would have gone over the Kittatinny mountains through an area called Culvers Gap and along the flatbrook, I thought perfect since I wanted to put a mounatin in my layout with the track going through a gap in the mountain and along a creek.
Now I just have to wait for the snow to melt and the ground to thaw before I can break ground. This will be the start of my thread for my layout. If anyone is intrested in the sussex RR here is a good link
http://www.newtonnj.net/Pages/railroad.htm
http://dlw-sussexbranch.com/
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