Biblegrove R/R update...

Waterfalls are COOL!

The wall is less than 4 feet high

Has anyone in here experianced a leaking river/waterfall? Can't it be done?

I could use 1 continuous piece of that heavy rubbr liner the pros use. I appreciate the concern and info on water damage, it never crossed my mind but some good news here would be helpful...

It's warmed up a little today so with shovel in hand I started digging... Although it's for putting in steps it does have to do with the layout. I also unloaded the blocks for the steps and hope I have enough (I knew I saved them things for a reason) It is too muddy to continue, boy I need an end loader right now!


Steps will go along this wall, maybe I should place a drainage pipe under it?

top view, look for rough drawn steps in white chalk..12" but will be more like 8 1/2"

I am sure you guys are getting bored with me posting but.... Your comments and remarks keep me motivated. Not to mention taking shots of stages in progress. I did manage to install the 1st row of steps. They will be capped off with flat stones and I'm wondering if anyone has cut masonry with their Skill saw using a $4 masonry blade I saw at Menards the other day?

Thanks Dave!

I need to keep from having one giant step at the top, I suppose the depth of the steps will determine this mostly.

Blocks are 7 1/2" tall...

88" divided by 7.5 =
It would take 12 steps high (not counting the bottom one, I measured up from there)
117 / 12 = 9.75" deep steps?

So, If I offset the 2nd row 3" over the 1st (need to be over it anyway) I will have even 7 1/2" X 10" steps.
And if my calculations are correct the last step up to the sidewalk will be about 3" (nice and safe)

Does this make sense? It's been a long day and I need an engineer's help.

Heat wave in the 50's today so I was able to accomplish something on the steps.

I am about half way there.

Freaky warm temp here today, must be in the 60's! Very Windy though...
I was able to install more steps as part of landscaping the front yard for trains this Spring.

All but one step left and I am wondering if I should place a drainage tube under the top step and then turn
90 degrees and run along the outside of the steps all the way down. I have the tube, it's perfect length and I
have no other plans for it.....?

As you can see here, it looks like water drains from under the sidewalk here. I definately don't want it to build up
and was away my hard work! I can get some gravel to fill around the pipe to help the drainage too. I am also
thinking of maybe cutting the top piece that runs cross ways in half so the water would enter easier?

Any engineers out there to give suggestions, or any of you guys that may have some ideas please?

I think the standard for foundations around here is 8"-10" thick concrete and mine are 12"! There are also little drain holes in the bottoms of the wings too.

BTW I went to the quarry today and got some rock. I wanted the "rip raff" loaded in the pick up truck so it would be easier to unload. They were hesitant to do so but did it anyway, he dropped it in from a HUGE endloader as easy as he could but still damaged my bed I'm sure.... old truck, no big deal. I had the CA5= 1 1/2" gravel loaded on the trailer. I unloaded 2.4 ton of this stuff on the renters driveway yesterday by hand! Anyway, I am using the gravel as fill since I have no bucket to move my dirt/mud around. Sure won't hurt with water drainage either eh? The boulders will be mortared together making small retaining walls etc.
Today's load of Limestone was 3.6 ton and cost only $23~!

Thanks for your continued support Ray!
For those interested, here is what I got accomplished today. I am sorry that I seem to post EVERY single step I accomplish but it's in hopes of someone with more experiance may chime in and help me out.


I got most of the 6 ton of limestone unloaded...OH MY BACK!


Most of the gravel went for fill where the village of Biblegrove itself will be established.
The wife reminded me to place enough dirt on top to support plantings...I hope 6"+ will do here.


Here are some of the Larger stones that will have to be rolled off the tailgate.
Question: Shouldn't I use these for the base of me mountain?


Here you can see the steps are all but finished, only need to top them with stepping stones and face them.
much THANKS to Ray Dunakin and the In-Ko-Pah Railroad!
I did install the 4" drainage tube under the top step and along the side of the steps too, just in case.
Remember the waterfall will be right between the red blocks and steps
P.S. the steps don't "look" level in this shot but they are. I have them topped with Lime and dirt so they will be good and packed before placing the step stones on top. You can see them at the bottom of the picture.


Here you can get overall view of steps. The Village of Biblegrove will have an 8'-10' circle where it will start to make the climb up the Mountain.
I am more thrilled to get the township's base filled than the steps, I'm that much more closer to laying track!

I am now entertaining the thought of picking up some PVC piping so I can start laying grade before building mountains/retaining walls/cribbing/trestles etc.

Thanks,

Ray has been most helpful and I am using most all of his suggestions too.

Here is a 10' loop of PVC to get a rough idea of the 1st installation.
I multiplied 10' x 3.1416 (pie) to get circumfrance.

Yeah, I come across this old issue of GR and would like to follow this article's guidelines.


Has anyone reading this have experiance they can share please.

Here is my latest plans to incorporate more of the river/waterfall into the track plans... HELIX baby!


I wonder if I could run a little side stream (off the main river) down the hill into town that ends in small pond. In that pond have an overflow tube run down to the Main pond?
Maybe have someway to adjust the flow etc?