# Desolation Valley



## wigginsn (Jan 9, 2008)

Started this project a while back, this summer saw things nearly done – here’s some early pics.


A couple of millennia ago there was no valley, more of a lump really.













Initial erosion was slow, to say the least..













But eventually there was progress..
























And finally I could get some idea of how the track would run. This was how it looked 1 ½ years ago. 














This one’s an overall shot from the garage roof taken around the same time. There is a complete loop just to the left so I could have a train running while I chipped away at things.














By summer’s end I’d already put one other tunnel in and was thinking of a cutting all the way through this part but realised I had too much dirt to get rid of easily. I needed to put most of it back if I could. Tunnel #2 hit the planning stage. 


This one ended up being a concrete base and 10” x 2” PT walls and roof. The green stuff in the photo is a copper based wood preservative applied to the cut ends. The side pieces had galv nails sticking out to key them into the concrete while it was wet. Tie wire held it all together while it set. 






















At the end of the summer this is how it looked. And that’s how it looked for ages. Eventually the name Desolation Valley stuck, for obvious reasons..













More soon.


Cheers


Neil


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## SE18 (Feb 21, 2008)

It looks cool as is without plantings.


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

IMPRESSIVE!!!


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## wigginsn (Jan 9, 2008)

Last spring it was time for a makeover, that meant a tad more digging..









And I got firsthand experience on why not to dump unwanted rubble in the bottom for fill. Hadn’t seen this old washing line base for several years, and didn’t expect to see it again. Yeah right!









I put some rocks around the tunnel mouth first, and started digging out the top line. I put a double line of bricks along the line of the grade so it’d be easier to add the roadbed later on. The rocks are a bit mixed in colours and types but that was all I had to work with.


















I got word from a local club member of some rocks near us that were available. Almost all of the local rock is river rounds and not so good for rock walls and cuttings. Went and had a look and what a find. Nice size, and broken faces and plenty of them! Got permission to take a trailer load or two... 
So the top line cutting got a rebuild and some of the odd rocks near the tunnel got ‘swapped’. Lots of work, but worth it.


















Next, in with some drainage, perf PVC piping in gravel to try and get runoff to a soak pit rather than wash [email protected] into the bottom tunnel.

















Getting closer to finishing now!









Thanks for looking.

Cheers
Neil


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## Greg Stevens (Jan 3, 2008)

It really looks nice Neil. Keep up the good work.


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## sailbode (Jan 2, 2008)

Niel, 
It looks great and is an inspiration to me ......to get going! Tell me, how you will secure your track? Looks like a 1" plastic pipe under the track?? 
thanks, 
Don


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## wigginsn (Jan 9, 2008)

Thanks guys, 

Don, 

Yep, 20mm conduit - roughly 3/4" OD. I've kinda done a mixture of fix and float over the rest of the railway so probably no different here. I'll fix it directly just above the bottom tunnel since that's a grade change (1% to 2.5%). I use flat washers and go straight through the centre of the ties with a short screw. The rest will float in crusher dust ballast since it'll see a bit of sun and want to expand and move. 

Cheers 
Neil


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Keep going Neil.....The valley looks great. One can not have toooo many rocks.


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## wigginsn (Jan 9, 2008)

The home straight (so to speak)..

Added some more rocks to the valley entrance to make it look a bit more cliff like.











And started clearing the grade for the outside line. Whoops! 1 project at a time – ha ha.











Re measured and set the pipe on grade. The pipe is fixed with 3/8 reo, and copper wire ties. Plastic cable ties have proved not strong enough, and steel tie wire has rusted out in earlier installs.











Crusher dust slurry for the roadbed poured and roughly shaped. I cheated and mixed this lot up in a concrete mixer. It pours and shapes like mortar and takes a few days to dry out. 











Roadbed shaped and smoothed to grade, topsoil layer added and a couple of small trees planted to set things off.




















And here’s a fish eye look as it stands today. Ordered some track yesterday – enough to get me from the bottom tunnel up right to the top and over the big trestle that you can’t see in the background..










I planted some ground covers and spreading juniper cuttings, they’re a bit small to see in these shots, I wanted to take advantage of the autumn growth and get a good start for next summer.


Cheers
Neil


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

Looks great wish mine was half that realistic looking, but hopefully this summer will get some things accomplished on my Kansas flatland!! Hah LOL Regal keep up the good work!


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## wigginsn (Jan 9, 2008)

The work continues.. 

I laid some track up the valley first. As mentioned earlier I’ve attached the track at the tunnel entrances for the first 12”, the rest is floating.











And then of course I had to test it! 








































Exiting the second tunnel..










And the railhead isn’t too much further up the hill.








Meanwhile, the other track crew was working from the top down, more pics to come..


Cheers
Neil


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

tunnel portals all look great , blends in very well.


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## SE18 (Feb 21, 2008)

beautiful design


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## bottino (Feb 7, 2008)

Put that third picture down on the cover of GR. What a place to take pictures. It looks real. Very nice.
Paul


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## livesteam53 (Jan 4, 2008)

Neil, 

You are doing a beautiful job you have the ideas and talent. 
This is going to be a layout to be remembered. 
Keep up the great work and keep us updated.


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

Looking positively SWEET!


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Wow you have come a long way....That looks great.


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## wigginsn (Jan 9, 2008)

Thanks for the nice comments guys, it means a lot. Remember some of the inspiration comes from looking at your layouts too – keep posting pics...

I’m thinking this update should have been in the track forum. Ah well.. The trestle has been up for 18 mths or so, kinda acted as the target to get to one day. So, track laid from the trestle up to the summit, and starting on the way back down.




























And that just leaves the gap over Desolation Valley to be filled (plus a bit..) to finish track to the top. Woo hoo, close now!



















Thanks again for looking.

Cheers
Neil


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## Henson (Jan 2, 2008)

I like it, I like it, thats my kind of layout a rock garden with a railroad. Just a great job.


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## B.A. (Jan 13, 2008)

Yea what Henson said!!! Nice


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Neil....... that is awesome. That is coming along just grand. Super job.


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## Paulus (May 31, 2008)

It's becoming a wonderful layout! It must be a real pleasure to sit in your garden and enjoy the trains going through this scenery.


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## SandyR (Jan 6, 2008)

Neil, your railroad is breathtakingly beautiful! It is so unified with the rocks, and the use of many plants but only a few different species. It is absolutely stunning! And so is your persistence in working for so long on it. Please keep us updated on it! 
SandyR


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## wigginsn (Jan 9, 2008)

Thanks again guys. Planning and building this stuff give me a kick..


Paulus - I can't wait for summer (or even spring) to arrive so I can sit in the sun and watch the trains! Just gone shortest day here - hope you folks in N hemisphere are enjoying the longest.

I had no real idea of the bridge to go in over the valley. As a temporary fix I grabbed an offcut of sq downpipe and hit it with the black paint.











Roughtly cemented it in place with a weak mix so I can bust it out later without too much hassle.










And I'm running again.. First rake of empty disconnects going up the hill for loading.










Thats all for this thread, come spring in a few months I'm hoping Desolation Valley will be in name only as the ground covers start to take over. You can see some small growth in the last shot. 


Cheers
Neil


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