[castlebravo]

This is the first run on my first track. A simple loop for now. 12.5 turns with 36' of straight track. I put landscape fabric down with asphalt cold patch on top. Chicken grit for ballast (I need more) but it is a start

 

[up9018]

Very Nice! A great start and I love Locomotive!

 

[Richard Smith]

Great start! You're going to need some warning bells though to warn all that traffic in the background.

 

[castlebravo]

When I started this I expected it would be a project that never ended, and I want it that way. It felt good just to have the loco going around the yard and pond. In years to come I want it to circle the house with some lights and buildings.

 

[Torby]

Nice start!

 

[Dave F]

WHoa!.. Very nice start, and what a fine loco.. Love the C&NW. A close cousin to my beloved IC. I grew up with both in my backyard. You're gonna have years of fun..

 

[leonpete]

Congradulations and I like the CNW engine. Have fun. That's what it is all about.

 

[Joe McGarry]

A great start, got around the loop without falling off the track. You must be doing it right.

I started pretty much the same way last year. Had a bright shiny GP-9 and just had to see it run. Laid about 30' of track and hooked up a couple of wires to the track, and it ran, pulling 1 box car and a caboose. What a thrill!!! A year later Ive got about 300' feet of track down and hoping to complete a loop by the end of the year. Building scenery when I run out of money for track, having a really great time seeing the layout grow.

Best wishes on your project, hope you keep us posted on your progress.

Joe Mc

 

[castlebravo]

Thanks all.
That GP looks great. I still have a place in my heart for the tall hood. I could see them most every day at my grandmothers house. She lived right on the tracks. Heck I even got to see my uncle's go by a couple of times. I had two that were engineer's on C&NW. Grandfather was also. He was lucky enough to run steam and diesel.

 

[castlebravo]

A couple of pictures of the track. It needs more ballast but I hope it stays in place after the winter. Time will tell.

 

[JackM]

What the heck is "chicken grit"? It looks pretty good in the photos, and if it is, as I am, cheap.....

 

[Semper Vaporo]

Birds don't have teeth to chew their food, they have a muscular organ in their throat, the Gizzard, that they fill with rocks to grind their food for digestion. You have to feed these rocks to chickens in the poultry "industry". If you go to a farm type store (Farm & Fleet, Tyson's, etc.) you will find large bags of 3 or 4 different sizes of rocks (crushed grannite) and crushed oyster shells for this purpose. Most folk use the Medium or Small sized crushed grannite. The oyster shells usually don't work well as they are light and float away in the rain (besides not being prototypical color and shape).

 

[Torby]

Be sure you get "grit" as shells are a different product for a different purpose. Layin' hens need lots of calcium as that's what the egg shells are made from.

 

[castlebravo]

What I got was called starter mix I believe from Farm&Lawn.
10# bag was like $1.50. Putting it on top of the asphalt it has stuck pretty good. We have had a couple hard storms and it still looks about the same.

 

[Dave F]

Posted By castlebravo on 08/04/2008 7:36 PM

That's either one big loco or one small girl...

 

[castlebravo]

And I didn't even coach her for that one, she posed all on her own. Maybe she has a future in special effects. LOL

 

[Kevin Miller]

Asphalt cold patch, now that is a unique idea. I have used it for its intended purpose but never thought to try it as roadbed. Keep us updated as to how it is holding up.

Kevin

 

[JackM]

I knew about gizzards and things, but never considered HOW they get the necessary rocks. Is it too obvious I'm a city boy?

jack

 

[Semper Vaporo]

Sparrows have eaten a sizable portion of the ballast on my elevated mainline!