[Richard Smith]

This is a continuation of the posts from last year, Nov., 2007. Progress is a bit behind because of a longer and wetter winter than usual. Link to Part 2 below.
http://archive.mylargescale.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=49652

Step framework with hardware cloth (hereafter called screening) installed. Steps better hold the loose earth and rocks in place.

Landscape fabric laid over screening and stapled in place.

End view. Doesn't have to be neat but needs to cover everything without leaks for loose soil to trickle through.

Here soil and rocks are being placed. I use the natural dirt from here on the property although I strain it through 1/4" screen to eliminate large chunks and vegetation, etc. A small layer of soil to level the bed and give a surface for the rocks to sink securely into and then more soil.

Here's a close up. I try to keep the colors consistant without any especially large variation. It looks more natural that way I think. Sifted dirt is poured over the rocks and allowed to settle naturally.

A new section of cribbing for installation adjacent to the parts already shown. Looks too white to be cedar but it is. Entire structure was brad nailed with 18 ga. 5/8" brads using the brad gun. No glue. Don't use a pin nailer here as they won't hold over the long haul without glue.

The same cribbing freshly stained with Behlen Dark Mahogany from a spray can. This is actually a first for me as I've never had need or opportunity to use cribbing on a model railroad before. I really like the look.

More screening applied. Fabric comes next.

Test fit for the cribbing. Maybe the framing configuration makes more sense now?

Retaining walls in place and backfilling is in progress.

Cribbing in place and backfilled. More on the tunnel later.

An overview of the cribbing and much of the backfill rock and dirt.


Part 4 will properly "plant" most of this section up to the tunnel.

 

[Dave F]

Oh my Richard.. excellent job, really excellent. You sir are the master, I bow in alegience.
Well done.

 

[R.W. Marty]

Richard,
Excellent as usual.
Question.
Are you going to have any trouble keeping that soil in place on that slope during the more than scale rains? Maybe more of that beautiful cribbing will be required.

Gotta get back up to see you again
Later
Rick Marty

 

[Richard Smith]

Hehe Dave

Rick,
The soil here holds a considerable slope once its settled in. It's very loose now but after the rains come it'll settle down and I'll have to add some to it a couple of times then almost no maintenance except picking leaves off. Welcome anytime Rick!
BTW Did you get my email?

 

[rangerjoel]

That looks great! It looks like classic HO scale bench work on a grand scale. I would love to do something like that if my wife would let me get away with it!

 

[Dave F]

Joel.. As is evidensed in my backyard..... It's easier to beg forgivness than to ask permission.

 

[SteveC]

Really fantastic work Richard.

The part that is so neat to me: is how you've used the slight bend in the layout in combination with the rise in elevation of the land to the rear of right-of-way. To hide the fact that the Beginner's Maintenance Shed is actually sitting at the start of the Davis Slough trestle, after which comes the livestock loading/unloading pens and the outskirts of Coos Bay. Enhancing the illusion of a much greater distance covered than actually is either coming or going.

Not to mention the two hidden rolling stock storage sheds underneath the hillside. (Oh yes, duly abducted & stored.)

 

[Richard Smith]

Joel,
Just tell the wife you're building her planters to make it easier for her to tend the miniature plants for her elevated rock garden. Incidently wouldn't that be a neat place for a "small" bit of trackage? Dave has started a wonderful raised layout mostly along his fenceline. Check it out and maybe he can advise you on obtaining right of way priviledges.

Steve,
You have got to be one of the most perceptive people I've ever come across. You read me like a book. hehe! Maybe that's why you're so good at putting them together. The slough and the hillside along with the back-curve are of course scenic blocks separating the Coos Bay area from the next town, Bandon, and serve to give an illusion of distance just like you said.

The shed in the "Buildings Forum" was needed not only for interest at that location but its size was dictated by the available space and a small structure tends to exagerate the height of the background hills. Too, I wanted something of modest size for the track to run behind instead of in front of without making it inaccessible. You will note that except in the Coos Bay yard I have kept the track away from the edge a few inches to better integrate the track "into" the scenery instead of merely going by it. I would also like to angle the track more in relation to the edge of the benchwork but this has proved difficult due to the limited depth. Track is of little use if you can't reach it.

Thanks for the comments.

 

[jimtyp]

Perfect timing Richard, I need some cribbing and I like the look of yours! Once again great info and I appreciate the how-to's with enough detail I can follow and maybe one day do something similar

I'm amazed at your vision of how something like steps turns into a rock wall!

 

[Don Howard]

Beautiful executed, as usual.

Steve mentioned a storage area that I hadn't caught.
I do think you may have missed an opportunity to have a switchback to the top of the "steps", as that is what I saw at first with the switch leading back into the hill. I saw a tunnel leading to up a swithback down toward the slough! Oh well, fooled again. Maybe I need to look at the pics at a screen resolution that would allow them to fill the screen.

Again, Thanks for posting your progress.
Your posts are always full of ideas.

 

[Guest]

richard,

will the complete part three be avaiable as .pdf as well, or do we have to download, as it comes?

even if i am building indoors, i am planning to use a lot of your tricks.

 

[John J]

WOW that sure is looking great.
I remember when I was a kid they needed to fill in his lot for aparking lot. They used cribbing much like yours only it was out of concrete.
The parts looked like huge concrete dog bones. The were stacked and fill in like you did.

I am trying to figure out how to cast them to fit my RR.

 

[Richard Smith]

Jim,
Thanks much. I'll be interested in seeing your cribbing. If I can be of help please let me know.

Don,
The hidden storage sheds were covered in Part One....http://archive.mylargescale.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=49650

Kormsen,
The PDF files were done by Steve Conkle. I didn't do them. You'll have to ask Steve about future files.

John,
Modern cribbing is indeed mostly concrete. In fact it has been done that way for many years now. Concrete can be replicated by painting plastic strips concrete grey and gluing them in place as I've done in wood. You'd have to round over the corners a bit so they look cast as opposed to simply cut like wood. I think that'd be a lot easier than trying to cast the cribbing unless you want to really get drastic and use real concrete. After seeing your megaton tunnel project it wouldn't surprise me of course. hehe!

 

[leftyfretguy]

Lookin' Good!
I am currently running on a ground level layout and even at my young age I am getting tired of getting down on the ground to run my live steamers. This method seems to fix that except I want my layout to be popultaed with dwarf alberta spruce etc. Will these tables have enough strength to support larger plants and the soil they need? Do you have any issues with critters making a home under the layout?
Where can I find the pdf's on the construction of this layout? My head is spinning with ideas! I want my next layout to last me 50 years and this seems to be the ticket!
Matt

 

[SteveC]

Posted By kormsen on 07/22/2008 2:28 PM

Richard, will the complete part three be available as .pdf as well, or do we have to download, as it comes? «snip...»
Korm

The answer to your question is Yes & No; Yes: POC Update Parts 1, 2, 3, & 4, will eventually be included in a follow-on PDF document.

Evolution of the Port Orford Coast Railroad
Volume II
No: However, I don't have any plans to do the individual posts by Richard as stand alone PDF documents. So if you want to copy various posts for future reference, until I get enough posts accumulated to publish the second volume, it wouldn't be a bad idea.

Just for information's sake...

Evolution of the Port Orford Coast Railroad
Volume I
Contains approximately 55 posts covering a period from 31-JUL-2002 till 05-SEP-2006. Currently for volume two, I've got 8 posts starting with 03-JUL-2007 till 21-JUL-2008 (most recent posting).

 

[SteveC]

Posted By leftyfretguy on 07/22/2008 8:35 PM

«snip...» Where can I find the pdf's on the construction of this layout? My head is spinning with ideas! I want my next layout to last me 50 years and this seems to be the ticket! «snip...»
The following link is to a consolidation of the many posts that Richard made starting way back in 2002. It's a large file in Adobe PDF format.

Port Orford Coast Railroad By Richatd Smith
File Format: PDF - File Size: 25MB
(Left-click to Open - Right-click to Download)

 

[Guest]

Richard & Steve,

thanks.

 

[Jerry Barnes]

I've kept my Alberta spruces in their pots and they have done fine, but they are in the ground. They don't need a lot of dirt, but you'd have to water them often. Jerry

 

[Richard Smith]

Thanks much Steve for bringing us up to date.

Matt,
I had originally given thought to including some dwarf plants on the RR until I discovered they weren't needed due to the narrow benchwork and the natural background here. I do have several varieties of moss on the layout.

As to larger plants you can leave them in pots as Jerry has suggested. You won't need excessively deep soil on the RR that way. Merely provide holes through the top with brackets or shelves hung beneath the normal benchwork top to rest the pots on. Then you can extend fabric into the sides of the pots and run dirt right up to them to hide the tops. Due to the drainage afforded by elevated benchwork they probably will have to be watered more often than if they were on the ground. The benchwork itself would provide easy installation for drip irrigation as the lines could be run beneath or through the joists and just popped up to nozzles or sprayers where needed.

Another way for potted background trees would be to place them behind a fence(model) or other scenic block to hide the pots thus making them easily removeable for tending or winter storage inside if needed. If you follow the suggested methods for deck construction in your area for the framework it should be plenty strong to support many plants. I've gone to 16" centers on joists and leg support every 4 feet and it's solid as a rock.