[Jerry Barnes]

They are starting on my raised layout. More trenching then fill with crushed concrete and tamp it down. Block laying on Monday. 3 blocks high, with a cap, 4 on the low side. 600 blocks. 20 x 50'. Orange line shows where the 'canyon' will be, the gray area in the drawing.

 

[Totalwrecker]

Gonna need more block..

 

[Chris Scott]

Jerry,
WOW, 600 Cinder Blocks! That sounds like a lot of work and a lot of beer.
Have you maybe considered alternative material cinder blocks. Foam (of different types) is one alternative. With glue they appear to make a good ridge wall. They're used in construction which gives them credibility for a railroad. Lots of youtube videos on using them to construct various structures with many alternative material blocks. Don't let the videos of making your own from resins put you off you can buy them already made. You wouldn't have the same level of work putting them together but still have need the same amount of beer.

The picture is not meant to imply a soft railroad .

 

[Jerry Barnes]

Too late Chris, I got the blocks a month ago.

 

[du-bousquetaire]

Jerry, As I have about your age and am considering a big move, may I just say that your way is certainly what I would do at our age. concrete is very good base so cinder blocks would be too, do think about the foundations if you are on clayish soil or in heavy ground frost erea. Then it should last, trouble free. All the best, Simon

 

[Jerry Barnes]

Simon,
They did trench and put down a base of crushed concrete, then a layer of concrete over it. 27" high near the deck and 39" on the other side. Ran conduit and wire for track lighting and track power.

 

[Jerry Barnes]

Making progress. This is the blocks on the low side of the yard, will be 4 high, higher side will be 2 blocks, with caps on top. Base is crushed concrete with a layer of concrete on top. Blocks are moartered to the base and each other. Rebar for strength also. Drains will be added. Holes are for them on the low side. 20' x 50'. .

 

[Naptowneng]

Great project, Jerry, looking forward to seeing it develop.

Jerry

 

[reeveha]

Jerry, the way you are progressing you could be on the WAGRS tour in September. Herb

 

[Jerry Barnes]

Not sure about that Herb.

 

[Jerry Barnes]

Rain has held things up some. Here he is moving in the dirt from the digging to lay the blocks. I laid down wiring for track power(two hookups) and a line for lighting. I used blue conduit. Baling wire works well to drag the wire thru the conduit. This is the high side of the blocks on the low side of the yard. Cap stones will go on top. Gap for the covered bridge and will be one for the metal bridge on the high side of the yard. Been shopping for rocks to put on one end for mountains. Larger island will be flatter for the town and yards and passing siding. Eventually I may double track the layout. Next year maybe!IMG_0099.jpg

 

[Totalwrecker]

 

[Jerry Barnes]

you da' man Joe!

 

[placitassteam]

Some serious dirt work going on there. I'm glad you have some help.

 

[Totalwrecker]

you da' man Joe!

Joe is on the other site, I've been helping you here.


After you add your attachments and have closed the little box, you can open each pic and insert it into the post, then send it in(post it).


Open each pic, I only know; One at a time, put your cursor on the open pic and right click and save it's location, (you will tell the other editor where it lives open) there are keys for Macs, close the pic and then use the icon of a mountain and moon to paste the address and ok.
That inserts the pic. Enter on the keyboard will move the cursor below the pic to locate the next one. Repeat the above. Wrong pic? Backspace removes it.


I'll be happy to help.
John

 

[Jerry Barnes]

Thanks John

 

[Jerry Barnes]

The islands are enclosed and you can see the bridge trial fit. They just dumped 14 tons of topsoil to put in them. Hope it's enough. Caps are still going on.

Hey, I got the pix to work John! Thanks.
Canyon between the island will have a gravel base and lots of Roundup probably. I may put a building it, have a wire for lights in there. Looking at some neat eroded Kansas rocks to use. Yard/town in the right island, mountains in the left. Been buying trees/plants since I first got here in April, knew not much would be available now.

 

[placitassteam]

Looking good Jerry. If I remember correctly I had to move about 40 tons of dirt to build mine, mostly by wheel barrow. I was definitely in better shape then. I just looked back at a write-up of building my layout and found that I moved 300 tons of fill! Makes me tired just to think about it.

 

[Jerry Barnes]

14 tons of dirt were enough for one island, other one is larger, so two dump truck loads I guess. He did some nice steps to get into each island when I need to, us old guys need stuff like that. Once I get a load of rocks I should be laying track.

He moartered all the blocks in and some are filled with mortar and have some rebar. Nice wide blocks to sit on. I will run the track on top of the blocks. Stays level and no dirt/rocks/ballast in the track. I know, but it is my railroad.

Nice step to get inside each island. He dug a deep hole and filled it with mortar, then later moartered in the blocks and caps. Blocks are like 70 lbs and the caps are about 50. Too much for me!

 

[denray]

Wow Jerry looking very nice, thanks for sharing
Dennis