I sure wish it was permanent

[ondrek]

over the labor day weekend, my son asked if we could set up "the big train" I couldnt say no. then when i told him we would set it up outside, he was very excited. I figured we would set up the layout i want to have out there permanently in the area we will have it. I just dont have the garden bed built yet.

We had a good time until the build up from the grass covered the wheels and killed the electrical connection with the track.

Ist a small layout, but he likes it and i figure that this size will have a lot less maintenance than a huge empire, and time is still a precious item.
Kevin

I am not a tall man, I took the picture from the second floor bedroom window...the layout is only 18x10
http://www.vermontel.net/~kevin_ondre/G%20scale%20Train/Green%20Valley%20RR%20day%201.jpg
Layout design is here:http://www.vermontel.net/~kevin_ondre/G%20scale%20Train/Green%20Valley%20RR.jpg

Design program is Railmodler for the mac

[Anonymous]

kevin
it's a start , put a big piece of plastic sheeting down , then maybe the wheels will not get grass on. ben

[Tom The Brat]

That's what it's all about!

Get out and have some fun.

[vsmith]

I'm curious, why cant it be permanent?
seems like you have the room, the track, and the enthusiasm, the hardest part would be pulling the grass up? go for it.[:p]

Line the peremiter with retainer blocks, fill with soil, relay the track, your ready to Rock'n'roll [;)]

[ondrek]

QUOTE: Originally posted by vsmith

I'm curious, why cant it be permanent?
seems like you have the room, the track, and the enthusiasm, the hardest part would be pulling the grass up? go for it.[:p]

Line the peremiter with retainer blocks, fill with soil, relay the track, your ready to Rock'n'roll [;)]

I know...there isnt really much of a reason...the plan is to put a retaining wall along the bottom of the bank, right where the woodchips end in the picture. then to build a box right where the layout was layin. the yard continues to slop down a bit from the bottom of the bank, so where my son was sitting will be 1' lower than the bottom of the bank so the box is needed in order to have a level layout.
seems easy, but doing it is another. time, money, and getting the dirt to where it needs to be is the trouble. plus there are plans to put an extension on the house. there goes some $$ well, more like $$$$$$.
but when thats started, I should have plenty of dirt to fill a box 1' deep and 20'x10'
weekends are pretty full. my daughter wasnt in the picture, but with the two of them, my wife and i keep very busy.

It will happen, just a matter of time. but we have had plans for a layout there at that spot since 2001.

Kevin

[Puckdropper]

Sometimes you just gotta do it.

Let me reccommend a pick axe for grass removal and heavily compacted dirt removal. I got one to start a edible stuff gargen (still looking for Aristocraft track for cheaper than my LHS or eBay.) and it makes short work of getting started removing grass.

[underworld]

Cool track design!!!

underworld

[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ondrek

QUOTE: Originally posted by vsmith

I'm curious, why cant it be permanent?
seems like you have the room, the track, and the enthusiasm, the hardest part would be pulling the grass up? go for it.[:p]

Line the peremiter with retainer blocks, fill with soil, relay the track, your ready to Rock'n'roll [;)]

I know...there isnt really much of a reason...the plan is to put a retaining wall along the bottom of the bank, right where the woodchips end in the picture. then to build a box right where the layout was layin. the yard continues to slop down a bit from the bottom of the bank, so where my son was sitting will be 1' lower than the bottom of the bank so the box is needed in order to have a level layout.
seems easy, but doing it is another. time, money, and getting the dirt to where it needs to be is the trouble. plus there are plans to put an extension on the house. there goes some $$ well, more like $$$$$$.
but when thats started, I should have plenty of dirt to fill a box 1' deep and 20'x10'
weekends are pretty full. my daughter wasnt in the picture, but with the two of them, my wife and i keep very busy.

It will happen, just a matter of time. but we have had plans for a layout there at that spot since 2001.

Kevin

Kevin,
Do you or your wife have a buddy in construction? or landscaping?

[John Busby]

Hi ondreck
A thought can you do anything with pvc guttering and
down pipe or similar.
To do a track on a stick arrangement run cable pipes and pits then later build the bed boarders.
Once that far the rest can be filled and planted at your liesure.
Or perhaps old dads spline track bed there is a link for that
in the usefull links the sticy at the top of the general descusion list.
[2c]
Track of the grass and incentive to get on with it[:D]
regards John

[Capt Bob Johnson]

Triox and a rototiller will make short work of grass. Get that done, then start picking up a few block or whatever you're using for the retaining wall every time you hit the building supply joint; then when you start the house expansion the groundwork is already done and you just say "Oh, I don't mind if you dump the extra dirt over there!"

Aha! We have the beginnings of a layout!

[ondrek]

all great suggestions!

thanks a ton for them all. the layout will get done some time here. just gotta start it. getting the landscaping ties for the bank would be the best start.

Kevin

[Capt Bob Johnson]

And when they are dumping that extra dirt over there, for a sixpak or so they'll probably spread and pack it for you too!