The Rock Island Backyard DSM, IA Division (My layout plan, & now construction )

[Anonymous]

OK I finally have a layout design & back yard pics on the web (and I just published my 1st web page -please excuse my inexperience)

http://home.mchsi.com/~b.eric/wsb/index.html

photos of back yard are in "photo" section.

My goal with this layout is to get as long of mainline runs as possible with the longest sidings. I also want switching, which has 3 areas set aside, but I havent planned exactly how the track will go in those areas -to be figured out later. I believe behind the garage will be a yard, possibly inside a shed for storage. The alternate storage is a track that isnt on the plan, but would go thru the window marked on the bottom left of design to bring the trains into the basement. Diameter of the main will be approx 20', but the track that goes in front of the stream may be sharper.
Thank you all for your input, I can take all the help I can get.
Eric

[markn]

Eric-looks like a great place to start and build your railroad-I would suggest you put a loop at the bush in the lower left of the graph and not run it in front of the patio and down the walkway. I assume you will keep the lawn area and I would not want to drag the mower over the tracks, worry about the kids/dog walking over/on the track etc. It would give you clearly a train area and a lawn/play area, also if you want to raise the track it would be easier with the beds along the fences-Good Luck-we all look forward to following your progress.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your input I'll take that into consideration

[moparrailfan]

Wouldn't not running it by the sidewalk shorten the mainline and not be able to have as broad of a curve?

[Anonymous]

Ok here is the photo of my start, I have actually cut this out (still need to finish smoothing so the rail head will lay flush with the concrete), but I havent taken photos of that yet.

my 1st photo post [:)]

[ttrigg]

That's what we love to see, graduating from paper to the dirt. Remember; If all else fails "Have Fun"

[Ray Dunakin]

What did you use to cut the groove in the concrete?

[Anonymous]

It may not have been the easiest or best, but I used the visible saw (standard circlular saw) with a concrete blade, depth set using the track, cut about every 1/3" and broke the in between pieces out, then used my right angle grinder with stone grinding blade to smoth it out. It didnt take that long, I started last thurs worked on it about every other day for about 1-2 hr each of the times I did (maybe about 10 hours total incuding what needs done) . I should be done today. I'll post progress pics later.

[Anonymous]

Progress pics posted on my web site. I am currently on vac. from work, planned so I can build my layout. What isnt posted yet on my site is : I poured concrete into the forms tonight (started at about 8pm finished at 2am including run to lumber yard for more concrete (1&1/2 hrs). I had to do it tonight because the late sat. rain wrecked havoc on the tarped forms (humitity & time????) 1/4" Masonite may be a little too flexable. I had to double the # of stakes to even it back out, but they remained usable, I didnt want to push my luck, as it is supose to rain late tuesday. The forms worked just fine for the pour. Some how I did it right (I think, Tues am will let me know for sure). FYI, I plan to use up the cut masonite on curves, and start using 3/8"? plywood on straight runs, I think that may make laying forms go faster. The antique cement mixer I borrowed somehow started up (amazing that this happened as it as been stored outside for 3 years and the motor isnt sealed), and it worked great, a bag of concrete was mixed in seconds, much easier than mixing by hand, but lugging the concrete in 5 gal pails.... well lets say we'll see if my back allows me to do much on tues.
Question, assuming my back allows me, how long till the concrete is set (ie till I can remove forms and lay track)? I used standard Menards concrete (60lb bags of standard setting concrete). It has been a long time since I have done anything other than fence post concrete work, I may build forms to complete the inital loop, but if it rains on tues eve and it isnt too strong I may go ahead and lay track, assuming I can and the responses say I can. Forgive me if anything posted here or updated on my site today is goofy, as I did it all between 2-3 AM after spending all day (started at 10AM) outside building, My brain and body are fried, I should be in bed, but I had to post!!!!

[Anonymous]

1st concrete pour photos posted on site. Not much work done today, too tired/sore, mostly worked on culverts, planning, r/c work/ watering the concrete, non train stuff. The culverts are being made out of cut up aristo metal pipes that the track came in, I doubt they will last, but since most of them will be encased in concrete, the concrete should keep the hole open. Ok Im a whiner, but hey its my vac from work.... I hope to really be on top of my game wed, now that I know what I am doing, and spent most of today resting.

[Anonymous]

Most of the forms for stage 1 (initial loop) in place, should be able to finish (pour concrete for) all of stage 1 on thursday, and I came up with a less track/yard intensive method for putting in my basement window storage idea, it requires a sharper grade (2-4 percent) and curve ( aprox 15' diameter -the sharpest except for industrial areas? -I am not set on diameter in industrial switching areas) than the original idea, I still havent studied it enough to make sure it works, picture explaination to follow later once I have studied it a bit more.
I just noticed on this site I havent posted my "standards" which are approx 1.5% grade and 20' diameter curve, and #6 switches on the main and sidings. I havent determinded the standards for the industrial areas, but I know they wont go below wide radius switches and 10' diameter curves. I am thinking that the switches will be probably LGB 1800 switches and matching curve. The yard will probably have lgb 1800 switches as the #6 would just be too long to work.

[Anonymous]

Concrete pour #2 for stage 1 completed tonight. I now will have a complete loop for running trains, once it sets. The second part of Stage 1 was a bit more interesting as that had several more switches involved and was gioing thru the existing gardends ( key was not going over any existing plants (which I avoided of the ones that had sprouted)), but several will need to be moved before long. The plywood forms worked much better, and sped that part of the process up a lot. I will no longer use the masonite forms. Assuming I didnt screw anything up, it went amazing well (but slowly). For example, I guestamated the grade for completeing from the 2 seperate constuction points, and it came together without a hitch. I must state that the 1st part of construction would not have gone so quickly if it were not for the help of 2 friends (Doug & John)! I will post pics later on my site for the second part of construction. Next to be done is track on the original pour and forums out from each switch, maybe done Sun eve.

[Anonymous]

Forms out and dirt in on original pour area. Site updated to include all but previous sentence. I was gonna include those photos, but the camara came up with some sort of error message. Hopefully I can fix the error, or progress pics may become more grainy as it would require use of an antique digital camera (uses floppy discs). The original pour is ready for track, just need to buy ballast and my spit jaw track expantion joints which I believe are due in this week (I hope). I am not sure I need them, but like everything else I build, I overbuild/plan for every conceivable problem I can forsee (of course usually just after completion I go, "I forgot this option").

[Anonymous]

Ok since I havent posted lately, here is the progress. Last week, I have removed forms on all the concrete, and backfilled the slightly raised roadbed with dirt. I have bought ballast (gray granite medium chicken grit). Since it was raining friday, and rained all day sat, forcast for non stop till wed. I now have a fully working RCS/sieirra sound equiped engine-it took more work than I expected to get all the bugs out (all bugs caused by me), but I got it all done, the next engine should be a cake walk! I bought a outdoor mat and cut it to fit the exsisting patio conctrete track, cut to fit, when placed upsidown-it should look like modern railroad crossings (and keep leaves etc out of the ties which would cause problems without causing derailments-basically tested (set in test track in basement, didnt derail loco)- long term testing to be determined). Photos to be posted when it isnt raining - got a new (cell phone) camera so pic posting will continue, once weather permits (none since last post- I'll let you know when that happens). The big track laying project is being held up because I am waiting for the spit jaw rail expansion sets to show up at my retailer -I dont know if I need them, but I am sure one is needed in the confined space of the patio between the two switches (no room for the track to flex and allow for heat expansion, and the rest of them is part of my over building personality).

[Ray Dunakin]

Wow, sounds like you're making good progress, Eric!

[Neiler]

How's the chicken grit over the concrete do in the rain? I'm going in the same direction and curious ...

[Anonymous]

Neiler, I haven't put down ballast yet, I'll post over time if I have a problem, with my ballasting idea. Rain, in my situation, is the least of my wories, since I have a (relatively) big, very active dog (1&1/2 yr old 40lb standard poodle -loves to run, he can kick 1" rocks several feet when he runs), and the layout cuts accross a well traveled part of my yard I am "glueing" the ballast down using the technique from the following post.
http://www.mylargescale.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=38355
It sounds like just the ticket I need to keep it in place while the dog travels over it. I am sure I will still need to maintain it and add fresh (ballast & "glue") now and then. I hope to be placing track and ballast very soon. Spring rains and the dog will let me know if it works (only time (cold winters/hot summers) will tell in the long run -possible frost/heat expantion issues????).

[Anonymous]

Since last update: forms out and dirt in around 2nd pour (a week ago thursday). It rained all last weekend so no real outside work accomplished then. I bought a indoor/outdoor mat and cut it to fit the street running (patio) area and placed upsidown to look like asphalt.
Thursday the splitjaw expantion joints came in, so I laid track on all finished concrete. I RAN MY 1st TRAIN at 10:30pm last night. No derailments caused by roadbed or track work! BUT: After several slowly increasing speed test laps, I ran the train several laps both forwards and backwards at full throttle (as a test) without a problem until the second lap of backing a piece of my street running filler material moved and derailed the caboose -I already had plan to glue the mat down, but I wanted to see if it would work with the flanges first. About an hour later a second derailment happend when an out of scale dog nudged the slowly moving train with his nose and toppled the engine breaking the sunshade & a foot board (already fixed). Ashton had been so good uptil then -I guess it will take more time to teach him to leave the trains alone . FYI my site isn't updated yet, but the camera started working again, I just need time in the daylight to take pics. It should be updated Sunday??

[Neiler]

Ian:

Thanks for the tip on the Quickcrete bonding material. I've started pouring the concrete roadbed but with all the rain we have the finish is for %&$#*!! I hope the chicken grit will give me a level surface and the vinyl glue keep it there. I know it's hard to take pics at 10:30 at night but ... love to see your progress.

Neil

[icepuck]

Greetings earthling... Would you by chance know of any rr clubs in the DSM area?

[Anonymous]

Icepuck, I sent you an email about CIGRS (the Central Iowa Garden Railway Society G club). I noticed after I sent it that you didnt specify scale (although I assume you meant G club). There is also 2 other DSM clubs but they are not G scale CIRC -an HO club at the State fairgrounds and Racoonvalley -mult scales N thru O.
Eric

as an update, very little progress on the layout since the last post, mostly been working on non train stuff- life has gotten in the way, I hate it when my ablity to work on trains gets derailed ..... I hope to get back to layout construction Sunday....

[icepuck]

I was planning on a 0-4-0 ruby before doctor and vet bills got in the way..
-dh

[Anonymous]

My website finally updated with current photos, my website was a little out of date as I have had track in on my initial loop for quite a while. Hopefully I will have much progress over the next week and a half

[icepuck]

I found a local hobby store today that has a small selection of guage 1 trains, so I bought some more track and set it up in the heat of the day. I now have a small oval track with two niece powered ore cars.
http://www.greathobbyadventures.com/

[Anonymous]

Glad to hear you have a start [:)]

[Anonymous]

very impressive eric , should be a good solid layout. I use horticultural grit , slightly bigger than chicken grit ,it washes away but i just keep adding it .My local garden centre loves me ....................................................

[Anonymous]

Dave thanks for the tip, I'll look into it.

I got about 1/3 of what is left to be poured done last weekend, and the next 1/3 forms set. just looking for a large chuck of non rain time to pour it. (couldnt do it Thursday as storms were predicted, and boy was the forcaster right, VERY hard rain, but my drains thru the concrete worked nicely -no standing water, but  I had 2 mamoth scale trees down blocking the curent main in a couple spots (read acctually approx  3" or so branches which were 25' long or so).  Thankfully little damage, just some cleanup work to do.  With any luck I should have my mainline complete this month, as the last set of forms should go very quickly as I have definately come up the learning curve on how to do this.  FYI I have fould the best forms to be 1/4" plywood, sturdy, yet bends to the curves nicely.  I still use the masonite to fill in dips under the recycled forms to get to forms down to ground level.  Site to be updated later....

If anyone is interested (& lives close enough for picking them up) in my used forms and stakes once I am done with them let me know as once the main is in I wont have much need for most of it.  I will still have quite a bit left to build (my industrial areas and the yard, but I plan to put them on packed ballast, for better water contol -as they will take up 3 fairly large spots- and being able to change them easier if I dont like how they turn out.)

[Anonymous]

with any luck I will pour the rest of the mainline Sunday!!!!!  I was hoping to get more done today, but I had several issues to deal with all non movable -a downspout, diamond, bush, pond, garage and an area 20' wide to try and deal with all these and make my last curve work.  I intenionally saved the hardest area to do for last, so that way I had a bit more expierence.  In reality, I may have more expirence, but the frustration level of trying to get it done, made me wish I had worked on this before.   I ended up having to compromize my min radius slightly.  I had to "freeform" a curve, but it looks like the outside main will have approx a 19' diam, and the inside main will have a 18' for that curve.

[Anonymous]

Hi all, I attempted to update my website, but I ran out of room after 3 pics, ( I have about 10 more to add).  I will have to do a major revamp of my website to make this work, thankfully I have 2 friends with web site knowledge to help me out, but it will take time. Hopefully the end result will look much better.  I started looking at what I could remove to make room, and realized how much of my original plan has changed!  I need to correct my plan on the site to show what I have done, but that hasnt happened yet because of the space limit, but for a brief expaination...  the main loop around the yard (other than by the house/thru the patio is now all planned to be double track) the area  on the map called flower garden has a wye in it.  

As far as what has been completed, all forms for mainline are built, all but behind the pond & and about 10' to the North of the pond and about 6' to the South have been poured.  What is left to be poured will take lots of concrete as most of it is about 6-12" deep and 10.5" wide.  To do the math a 60lb bag of concrete is 0.5 cubic ft of concrete.... I think I have about 70 bags left to pour to finish the mainline.  To explain how much concrete this has taken to date, the entire line has taken about 160 60' bags of concrete, or not counting water I have poured just shy of 5 tons of concrete.  In my own sick humor I must smile thinking about who ever buys this house next and decides to tear out my layout! .  I have never been accused of doing things the easy way, If I plan to do it I want it done the "right" way so it will last!

[Anonymous]

Well my guestament was about dead on as I just finished pouring the rest of the mainline and it took just shy of 70 bags to finish.  Now I need to  build forms and pour the leads to the switching areas and the yard lead( shouldnt take more than 20-30 bags total).

  The actual switching areas and the yard are not gonna be poured in concrete  as they very well may be changed in the future/ allow for water drainage from rain as they will occupy a fairly large area next to trees/buildings.  The yard lead concrete pour will include the mult. switch platforms, and the industrial areas leads, but the industrial switches will sit on concrete blocks for stablity, instead of a complete concrete platform.  Hopefully the mainline will be complete (track and ballast) and all the remaining planned concrete poured with in 2 weeks!!!!! Finishing the yard/ industrial areas will take much longer as alot of switches will need to be purchased and lots of buildings made (will be next year till all track for that is in, and who knows how long for the buildings).

  I should mention that the switching area behind the pond will be a little bit of a problem (and is excluded from above statements) and will require a future (next year????) concrete pour as a bridge is required across the stream end, it will be close to the main behind the pond, but only accessable from the bridge accross the pond.  A problem yet to be looked into (serious grade problem- drop of about 1.5 feet from one side of the pond to the other- maybe a large gravel/dirt back fill???)

I hope to also have a redesigned website with the next month, to explain what I have done and what I plan to do, but done much better than how my site is now.

Ambitious yes, can I do it when I said I would, we'll see....