First G Scale out door Layout!!

dmiller Jun 3, 2009

  1. dmiller

    dmiller TrainBoard Member

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    Bridges to Autumn

    Ok, So I got really tired of seeing my crappy bridge next to the trestle....so I finally spent some intimate time with my table saw, brad nailer, and some glue, and this is what I came up with. I think it matches the rest of the layout pretty well. You will have to go back a few posts to see the bridge it replaces.......this one is much better, IMHO..
    Now I just need to stain some of the track deck I put in this summer........hopefully next week.

    D
     

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  2. dmiller

    dmiller TrainBoard Member

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    Autumn Runnings!

    The weather latley has just been unbelievably gorgeous Indian Summer, so we have been out running the trains. I couldnt resist getting the video camera out as well......so here are some clips from the recent days of fun. Its a bit long, but I hope u still enjoy the views!!

    Regards,

    Darryl and Joan

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eq3qibxEdIg
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 20, 2010
  3. westcoaster

    westcoaster TrainBoard Supporter

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    Thats great.:thumbs_up:
     
  4. HemiAdda2d

    HemiAdda2d Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    I have had a wonderful time following your layout thread--only just today discovering it. Have you considered chicken grit for ballast? It's finer, and seems to only come in light gray shades that I have seen. Pricewise, I have no idea, it's been 20 years since I last bought a bag of grit.
    How did you build your trestles? I saw use of a nail gun, and glue listed, but how was the glue used, and how does it fare outdoors? Which type?
    In time, after retirement, I'll start to build a garden layout.
     
  5. dmiller

    dmiller TrainBoard Member

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    Techneques......

    HemmiAdda2d..

    Im glad u found the thread......If others can learn from my work......good or bad, then the time Ive spent posting, etc, has been worth it. It really has been a labor of love, and fun!!!!

    Baically, from what I have seen, the chicken grit in my area is just crushed limestone, and is what I used, only purchased in bulk. It is produced here as "ag lime' , is yellow and white, and the farmers use it for putting lime into the soil in the fall and spring. It packs well.....and stays formed amazingly well!!!!! Plus it is cheap........I got it by the pickup load for around $8!!! I just used the grey rock as a decorative ballast....it is sold as a walkway gravel......but does not pack well, or stay in position......I have to keep re working the grey to stay in place.


    After cutting the wood to size.....(it was all old pressure treated decking from an old deck around our pool) I then made a template on a piece of plywood that held the precut lengths of trestle in place. I would glue each piece, and hold it in place with a couple brads from the nailer.....then flip it over, and ad the diagonals the same way.

    I used polyurethane, "gorilla" glue.......it is weather proof, and easy to use, albeit very sticky. It expands...and is easily trimed after dry. We stained the wood with an oil based deck stain.....then set them in place when dry. They have held up very well.....I would not do anything differently on the trestle. I will even be able to move it with us when we move....the footings should break loose relatively easily.....and if not......I can cut the bents at ground level...and put extensions on.....but that wont be for a while yet.

    Dont wait for retirement......it isnt that hard to do.....and you will get a great deal of enjoyment in the process!!!!!

    Regards,

    Darryl
     
  6. dmiller

    dmiller TrainBoard Member

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    End of season project

    Today was beautiful out again, so I decided to work on and finish up the last little project on the layout for this year, the power center for the transformer.
    I built a box from some lumber, that has a false bottom for the power wires to pass thru. Then, I mounted 4 toggle switches on the top. These came from the Automotive dept. at _all _art.......and have the spade connections on the bottom. After some wire crimping, etc.....I have a nice little spot to hook up the transformer to so I can turn the power on and off to sections of the layout. I run simple track power, and need to be able to isolate areas....to let trains catch up, or get ahead of the others.....and this allows that in a simple fashion.

    The pics show the result.......and the plastic fake rock covers it all up so weather stays out. The box will get stained eventiually, but for now......it is functional!!

    D
     

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