[Ray Dunakin]

Last night I finally connected the last sections of mainline track!!! Not quite a "golden spike" moment though, as there are two places where the track is suspended over the canyon sans bridge. Until those two bridges are in, I still won't be able to run trains over the entire route.

They will both be stone arch bridges, larger than any I have attempted so far. I also have to construct some miniature retaining walls to support the track in a couple of spots closest to the edge of the layout. I'll do the walls first, then the bridges.

After the mainline is operating, there is still one passing track to install and a couple of sidings.

BTW, last Saturday three fellow garden railroaders came by to see the layout after attending the convention in AZ. Greg Elmassian, R. J. DeBerg, and Ted Doskaris. Real nice guys, and I greatly enjoyed their visit. Nice to finally meet RJ and Ted in person. I've previously meet Greg at a couple of the local club meetings.

 

[vsmith]

Thats great news ray, how about temporary wood bracing under the bridgespans until the bridges are built? Dont have to look pretty, they just have to work.

 

[blackburn49]

Posted By Ray Dunakin on 05/07/2008 10:46 PM

Last night I finally connected the last sections of mainline track!!! Not quite a "golden spike" moment though. . . 


Yes, I sure know that feeling ! I am in the process of connecting up my own final 96-foot elevated segment as well. This will enable me to properly operate my Phase II outdoor mainline.  It will be a big moment. Congratulations for you are definitely in order.

 

[Ray Dunakin]

I considered using temporary plank bridges but due to the circumstances of the terrain I'd have to construct abutments and supports that wouldn't be used on the permanent structures. So I decided to just skip it and go straight into construction of the bridges.

 

[blackburn49]

Posted By Ray Dunakin on 05/08/2008 10:29 AM

I considered using temporary plank bridges but due to the circumstances of the terrain I'd have to construct abutments and supports that wouldn't be used on the permanent structures. So I decided to just skip it and go straight into construction of the bridges.

Ray, I hope you don't mind. I took the liberty of pulling one of your pictures from your website so our members could once again see what a beautiful job you are doing within a very small area. Your work really is stunning.  I went looking for the trackplan, but, regrettably, you have not yet posted one.

 

[Ray Dunakin]

Thanks! And no, I don't mind you posting the pic. I still haven't gotten around to drawing up the track plan.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Ted Doskaris, R.J. DeBerg and I visited Ray's last weekend. We had a blast and I will tell you that the pictures, as good as they are, do not do justice to his layout. I took a few of some more unusual details, and I'll post a couple on my website and link them here on Sunday.

The attention to detail is very high, and when you just stare at one area, you keep seeing more and more. For example, in the lower right corner of the above picture is a mine opening that will be enhanced in the future with buildings, people, etc. This kind of detail is sprinkled all through the layout!

Ray's layout is like a long folded dogbone, and it zigzag's left to right from the bottom to the top. He does not run the 2 tracks next to each other all the time, so it's not apparent what connects to what, a great plan.

So, you see this enormous "wall" sloping away from you just covered with track and bridges. We tried to count the number of them, and we think it's about 22. It was not easy!


Regards, Greg

 

[tbug]

Extremely nice layout!!!

 

[Greg Elmassian]

The pictures I took are here:
http://www.elmassian.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=249&Itemid=291
Regards, Greg

 

[Ray Dunakin]

Those pics turned out great, Greg! I really like the close up shot of the ocotillo. It's interesting to see the layout through someone else's eyes, gives me a whole new perspective.

 

[blackburn49]

If I were living in the states where I could have a real garden railway and then I saw those pictures of that rock-garden model railroad, I probably be tempted to tear mine all up and start over. That one is really inspirational.  

 

[docwatsonva]

Ray,

What a fantastic layout. It shows an incredible amount of imagination to fit a layout into what most people would consider an impossible area for a garden railroad.

I have a question. I noticed you have at least one curved girder bridge. Would you be so kind as to relate how it was constructed and on what radius? Thanks.

Doc

 

[Torby]

And people wonder what to do with a slope!

 

[Ray Dunakin]

The "curved" plate girder bridge is actually composed of four short, straight sections joined together at an angle. Getting the angle right was more of a pain than I thought it would be. I actually had to add small spacers between the sections, on one side, to get it right.

The materials are the same as my plate girder bridges: I used 1/8" thick G10 fiberglass for the sides, and Plastuct styrene shapes for the braces. The interior and undersides are not detailed.

 

[Ray Dunakin]

Oh, and the track on the bridge is 4 foot radius.

 

[aceinspp]

Ray sure was a perfect host. As Greg and others have said the pics really do not do the RR real justice. Seeing in person was the tip of the ice burg. Thanks again Ray for the opertunity to view such a work of art, and one fine looking RR. Later RJD