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My elevated lyout


Jerry B44
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Making progress.  Crushed gravel base with concrete on top. Blocks moartered to the base and lower level. Rebar also and drains.. 4 blocks high on the low side of the yard, 3 on the high side. 12 x 17 x12" Caps on top of that.

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The high side is piling up well. Rain has held up some work. This dirt was from all the digging. Ordering some more. He still has to lay the lower side. He put in drains and I laid in wire for track power and lights in blue conduit stuff. Shopping for blocks . IMG_0099.jpg.b91559286211cbe134b8c0131b36c36f.jpg

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I read about this construction work elsewhere, Jerry.  It certainly is a major task for which I can clearly see why you got the boys in to do it.  :Wink_Emoji_large(24x24):

I am sure I am not alone in waiting to see it finished and the inaugural run by your first train.

I hope you like the new place and are settled in now. Both my wife and I would hate a move of home: we collected so much, junk and memories over the last fifty-three years.

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He got the islands all enclosed. I had 14 tons of dirt delivered, but that only did the small island, so two truckloads next week. Then a load of rocks and I can start laying track. I have been buying plants since I moved here in April, knew few would be available now, so should get a good start.

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Nice step he made for each island. Walls are 27" tall  on the high side of the yard and 40" on the low side.

 

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Still need some her, since it will settle. Other island has some scrap dirt in it, but will need a load and a half or so.

 

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More dirt comes on Friday, if no more rain. Then a gravel path around it, since it is all dirt and is a quagmire if it rains. Did dig a trench and aim the house sump pump to the canyon gravel area.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Last load of dirt was not too good, so hope it works out. My son and granddaughter came up to help move the dirt after the skid steer left. They were a big help. She works out a lot and did more than me and my son.  Before and after pic. 1761194374_DirtEmilyandEric.jpg.86b588e05ebbd72497b74d4e3805f8f3.jpg11666433_Dirtmove3.jpg.7b158f2064a09ee38c36201832a8344d.jpg

I put down some pre-emergent and have 45 bags of mulch. I plan on lots of mulcsh and rocks and some plants. Getting too old to weed . TOwn will be on a piece of tile back board, had good luck with that in Nebraska. Once I get some rocks I will start laying track.

 

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Bought some rocks locally and he helped haul them over and put them in the layout. Big/strong guy, I died the small stuff.  Four pickup loads. North end here is about done, was getting hot so we stacked the rocks on the blocks and I can get to them, once it dries out again. Rain again, sheesh.  Lots of mulch is next and then put down the plants I have been babying since spring.

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Rain keeps holding me up. I want to get the plants/mulch/rocks laid out before I lay track so I don't have to be careful of stepping on it. Supposed to be hot and dry after today, so it is possible..... Did have one day with no rain and I got down a gravel path around it, so that helps some. Irrigation boots get heavy after awhile!

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Doesn't look like much but it was many trips from my truck to the layout. Glad I shipped my lawnmower and trailer.   I was beat, at least it was cool.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks. The bridge I researched for a Howe Truss, as I recall. Drew up my own idea from that and made a jig and cut all the pieces to fit.. Buddy of mine welded it together. It's 14' long and has two tracks, don't recall the width/height.  Got some rocks moved that had just been tossed in when it was too hot to mess with them. Will fit some plants in and around  I trimmed the Alberta spruces some, spider mites helped me out there messing up some trees quite a bit, so some are pretty bare. Once the mulch is in I can get the track down without having to be carefull all the time to not step on it. Pretty tired today.  I work in the morning's before it gets too hot.  Not sure how all these pix got in. Ray, maybe you could delete all the ones below?

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When I look at Alberta Spruces I always check the trunk, sometimes you will find you have two trees, or at least a double or triple base. Makes for some interest. I also trim the foilage to get away from the Christmas tree look.

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Good progress Jerry. The steel bridge look fine.  Do  see a covered bridge in the background?  Did you bring that with you from your previous home?

I like covered bridges.  They are scarce over here, there are some in Switzerland however.

My covered bridge is based on one in Cedarburg WI. A friend there, when he saw a picture of it, said "hey! Alan that looks just like the bridge down the road from me".  I said it is, I modelled it on that bridge; Google was able to show me three sides of it.

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Alan, both bridges were moved down here to use. Incorporating them in the build resulted in the two 'island' set up. I made the covered bridge years ago, build is on my web page, maybe in the projects button. The wood bridge is just a generic build for an impression of one by the viewer. Now that things are closer to a viewer I may have to detail things a bit more.  My son helped with mulching the south island and a  little this and that, we were pretty wet with sweat.

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Got the south island mulched and pretty much done. My son was a big help. Hardi backer board is where the town will be-someday.  I've started laying track, but is a slow process. Have to clean the clamps and rail ends good, then use die-electric compound on them. Once I have the rail bent finally with my dual rail bender I will gradually solder jumpers on each just to be sure of good track power IMG_0221.jpg.3aa246731408cc26c2e485971dfbd3b3.jpgIMG_0222.jpg.c19120c8bcd8cc941c33b1a01ad6d96a.jpg

 Tragic plane accident in the canyon.

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South end with the board for the town buidings. Not planning on a lot of vegetation, some trees/mulch/Roundup is the plan.

 

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I got the track all hooked up for the main loop on top of the blocks. Getting the buildings and a few more trees in. Nice to be able to run trains again. Using mulch quite a bit, not a lot of groundcovers planned, weeding that wore me out on my old layout. Familiar buildings that I borought with me. Almost have them all re-wired.  Keeping it all simple. Few buildings to go, not sure how many cars/figures I'll put out this late in the year.

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