Pinetop Progress Report

[jhsimpson62]

Rex, Looking great! As for crossing the walkways, I just trenched across and laid the track even with or just a little below the walkway. Haven't had any problems with people walking on it, just an easy step across even the couple places that because of the grade came out a little higher than the walkway. The track is plenty strong enough to take an ocassional step or even a wheelbarrow. Jack

[altterrain]

Lookin' good, Rex.

Bummer you didn't get to go along to Amsterdam to hang out in a coffeehouse or two.

-Brian 

[Rex in Pinetop]

I attended the NGR convention here in AZ and then went up to Pinetop for two weeks while my "chief-of-staff" was on a business trip to Amsterdam.  This gave me time to rake up the pine needles and rebalast the track from the winter snows plus continue adding to the layout.  The list was long so I'll throw in a few pictures rather than bore you with my writing.

The gold mine got its tressel finished and its back slope dry stacked in basalt.

The helix only needed minor repairs and some rebalasting.

The logging operation got a new forest planted and a rail spur.  That meant adding drip irrigation for the 53 trees I was able to get from Lowes and Home Depot.  Yep I bought all they had and still need about a hundred more.  I planted them in their pots so as to slow their growth.  I haven't trimmed them yet.  I'll do that after I set up the high line rigging.

A stream was added between the town and the residential area.  It has a pond liner and several tons of river rock and pea gravel.  It also provides water for the grist mill via a flume.

The south stream was dug in, lined with week block and filled with river rock and pea gravel until I ran out of rock and steam for moving it.

As you might imagine I had a lot of visitors this being a front yard layout.  Visitors includes the local police (I had 5 squad cars at one time at the place) but most of all I had a great time with the neighborhood kids.  They have been great.  So far I only have one loco converted to RC battery so the kids have to share the throttle.  They've been real good about sharing too.  The only problem has been some of the little ones don't want to leave when their parents are ready to go.  This picture shows the work on the lower main line.

Any suggestions for the track crossing the viewing path?  I'm thinking of maybe a shallow cut with some steps over it.  How have you guys done it?

Rex