New pics, major progress! In-ko-pah Railroad

[Anonymous]

Ray, Stone looks great!!! Why I asked is my Uncle is a mason and he saw the photos and had me ask you. He said it was well pro. looking to him, again great job!

Sorry to hear there out of state but when they came and visit I know where they will want to play

William

[Ray Dunakin]

I forgot to mention, the kids (both grown) and the grandkids all live out of state, so unfortunately I haven't been able to get them involved with the railroad project. But the grandkids did enjoy playing with the temporary layout during their visits.

[ttrigg]

Ray;

Your pictures ALMOST make me wish I had not given up our old house and moved into this one with no hill in back.  In that one the hill started nine and a half feet from the back door, and the wife wanted more room for her dogs.  You have done an awesome job.  Keep up the good work.

[Ray Dunakin]

No, I'm not a stonemason, in fact I've never done anything like this before. I did read a book from Home Depot about working with stone so I could make ssure that what I built would be stable and durable, but found that most of it was pretty intuitive. Of course I've learned a lot over the course of the project, and eventually I plan to make some changes to one of the first areas I worked on. The mountain at the upper east corner was put together "dry stacked" with very little mortar. It's plenty stable but doesn't look as natural as I'd like. So I want to rework it a little, add some smaller rocks and rocks of different color, make it look a little more natural.

With the longer daylight we have now, I've been able to work longer and am making great progress. I've almost finished filling in the gap in the middle of the upper level mountains.

One thing I'm planning that will be really interesting if I can pull it off, is a curved, cast concrete viaduct for the highline over the western canyon. That route comes very close to the pathway so I want something solid enough to handle the occasional bump.

[Anonymous]

That is a GREAT looking RR! Has alot of flow to it. Are/was you a stone mason? What did your grand-daughters say, noticed them hauling there dolls. Did you get them hooked yet? Your Son/Daughter hooked after seeing your lay out?

Alot of work I know but came out a A+ in my book!

[Ray Dunakin]

Figuring out access to the tunnels was the trickiest part of designing this layout! All but the shortest tunnels have removable access panels so I can get into the middle of the tunnel for maintenance or in case of derailments. These panels are cast concrete and double as part of the walkway on the upper level; or as steps where the tunnels pass under stairs. In one case there is an opening on the "back" of one of the foreground mountains.

[Mike Dorsch CJ&M r.r.]

Really impressive , looks great ! I was wondering how you would access a train if it derailed in one of those tunnels . They look rather long . Is access a problem or did you already figure that out before you started ? Just wondering out loud here , keep up the good work !

[Ray Dunakin]

I'm actually planning to plant a lot of miniature cacti and succelents. I've planted a few already, but most will be planted after I've finished the heavy construction.

[S&G Rute of the Silver River]

I see how it works now. Sounds like its time to call out the calvery (faimly and friends) and put them to work!

 

 Next time you should transplant the cacti into the layout, or pot it and never wory about home defence again.

[Rastun]

If you can't get to the layout photo with the link provided in my previous post, try this instead:

http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=3009006&a=32116967&p=75444363

That gives you the "automatically reduced size" version. To see it full size, you'll have to click "view at full size" from the list of options to the lower right of the pic.

The full size version isn't very big but the photo hosting site automatically reduces anything wider than 640 pixels.

 Here Ray I made the latest link clickable.

 

Vic, I think the biggest problem is this forum software doesn't recognize url's like the old software did. So the [url*][/url*] tags need to be manually placed around the url to make them work as a link. (of course you would leave the * out of the url tags.)

Jack 

[Ray Dunakin]

If you can't get to the layout photo with the link provided in my previous post, try this instead:

http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=3009006&a=32116967&p=75444363

That gives you the "automatically reduced size" version. To see it full size, you'll have to click "view at full size" from the list of options to the lower right of the pic.

The full size version isn't very big but the photo hosting site automatically reduces anything wider than 640 pixels.

[Ray Dunakin]

Here's an interesting new photo of my layout, taken from the roof of our house:

http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/View?u=3009006&a=32116967&p=75444363&Sequence=0&res=high

(I had to fix a dryer vent, and discovered the roof provided a great vantage point for viewing the layout!)

Currently I'm working on completing the mountains in the upper center of the layout. Next will be finishing the canyon to the right of center. Then I'll need to build several bridges and trestles to cross that canyon.

Also, in another album I posted four pics from my recent trip to the desert. Nothing railroad-related, just some beautiful scenes beginning with this shot of a horny toad (aka "horned lizard"):

http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=3009006&a=30075449&p=75444382

Enjoy!

[S&G Rute of the Silver River]

Yes, concrete! Of corse you can never sell your house, or at least sell it to a demolition expert (not me but i do my best ) An exelent job all around, clerences must be fatasticly tight! Have fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tangerine-jack]

My Kingdom! My Kingdom for topography!  Very nice work indeed!  Impressive, truly impressive!

 

Beware Vic and his Dalek avatar, you might be exterminated (or I might have to build another Dr. Who/ Dalek rocket car!)

[Train 284]

Looking awesome! Keep up the great work!

[Ray Dunakin]

Here's a little more info about my layout:

The basic trackplan is a long dogbone, folded into a Z shape that overlaps itself. About a year ago I posted a crude 3D plan for the terrain and track, but these have both changed considerably as the project evolved. I'll see if I can whip up a new trackplan that is more up to date.

There's still a lot to be done before I have it ready to run. After I finish the second canyon, I have to build and install several bridges and trestles to connect the many tracks that cross it. Most of the lowest level is incomplete and will remain that way until the upper level is finished. Currently, it looks like I'll have it running by the end of the year.

Tomorrow making a trip out to the desert to pick up another load of "special" rocks which I use to break up the monotony of my "basic" rocks.

[Rex in Pinetop]

Wow!  That's a lot of rock!  Beautiful work.

Rex

[ondrek]

I think you have done an excellent job with this layout, excellent use of the space.

Keep up the good work.

 

Kevin     

[vsmith]

I finally have some new photos of my In-ko-pah Railroad posted, beginning with this shot of the west end of the layout:

http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=3009006&a=32116967&p=75381531

You can click through the rest of the photos from there, or go here to see the entire album:

http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=3009006&a=32116967

Hi Ray , just activating the links in order for me to see them...

Dont know why this seams to be a ongoing problem with this web format.

Wow my back is aching just looking at all that great stonework

[Ray Dunakin]

I finally have some new photos of my In-ko-pah Railroad posted, beginning with this shot of the west end of the layout:

http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/ViewPhoto?u=3009006&a=32116967&p=75381531

You can click through the rest of the photos from there, or go here to see the entire album:

http://albums.photo.epson.com/j/AlbumIndex?u=3009006&a=32116967

I've made major progress since the last time I posted anything...

1. Completed the west end mountains.
2. Completed and installed a new plate girder bridge with catwalk and handrails.
3. Finished the concrete stairs at each end of the layout, and gave them a rock-like texture.
4. Built a miniature stone retaining wall.
5. Began excavation of the second canyon.
6. Built the eighth and last tunnel.

I've also included a few pics of my Buddy L 2-6-2 after modifying, detailing, repainting and weathering it. I replaced the diamond stack with a "shotgun" type made from a baster. Detailed the backhead and cab interior. Replaced the headlight with a battery powered LED. Converted the tender from coal to oil. Added an engineered made from a heavily modified Railroad Avenue "Wayne" figure.

Last of all are a couple pics of the LBG Porters that we bought on ebay in December. Eventually I will be repainting and weathering them.