# Kittatinny Mt RR



## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

I got all the grass up and layed the track down to get an idea where it is going.  I measured the slopes I have to deal with.  The front left of my layout is a 6 inch rise over 15 ft. (Just under 4% grade if I did it right) and goes to 4 inches over 15 ft on the front right of layout.  I started laying rock around where I have to build it up.  mainly the front of the layout.  I am going to go with a more natural  look.   I plan on digging dirt from the back and brining it to the front to fill in the grade.  That way I can use the back as cliffs.  Eventually I plan on putting one or two turnouts in.  That all depends if I can come up with the money.  Here are some pics.  Again I apologize for the large pics my program will not let me get them smaller. 

 








Where the track will go.  I used steaks to mark the location of the track.









This is the start of the rock wall I plan on doing.  It is not going to be very high maybe one more smaller stack on top.  After the rocks are in I plan on taking dirt from the back to fill in the front.


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## Guest (Mar 24, 2008)

to make your pictures smaller is easy. 
open a picture with MS Paint. 
look in image - attributes that tells you how big your photo is. 
make an estimate, how much percent of your width the allowed 640 pixel might be. 
go in image - strech and skew, put in that number in both 'horizontal' and 'vertical'. 
revise with 'attributes'. if it is not right, use Edit - Undo. if it is right, save the picture and load it up.


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## ralphbrades (Jan 3, 2008)

Shawn, 

Althouh I have no "true" datum line... Could I suggest that you run your locomotives in a counter clockwise direction. This is because a locomotive works better climbing gradients if it attacks it in a straight line. Curves increase the load on it. 

regards 

ralph


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## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

kormsen thanks for the tip  for some reason when I got my computer it had microsoft paint and others but it was a 30 day trial.  I never bought the program.  That is the biggest problem with computers today.  They go down in price but you dont get all the programs anymore, everything is 30 day trials. The way I have always done it is through tinypics.com.  You download your image and then it gives you an adrress to cut and past.  It is suppose to keep it to the correct size for forums.  Anyway got some more work done today.


It sure is nice having more daylight now. After work today I got to do a little more to my wall and built one drainage so far.  This one will act as a drainage and a real stream bed.  Im going to have a trestle go over the stream bed.  Eventually I am going to put some cribbing to level it.  The other side  am going to do the same except the wall be lower and I am going to put another dry stream bad for drainage.  Here is a picture of my latest progress.  click on the link and it should bring up the picture.  Hopefully this will work out better.


    http://i30.tinypic.com/5nt7ir.jpg
 


For a roadbed I am going to dig a trench a few inches deep and then put the crusher fines in.  This should do the trick I hope.


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## Guest (Mar 25, 2008)

when i see your terraforming, i am content to be only an indoor-modeller. /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/whistling.gif

i hope, you enjoy it!


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## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

I got my wall finished and leveled the area out.  I plan on giving it a week or so to let all the dirt settle and then I will see where things stand.  After that I will lay the track back down and outline where the track will lay.  Then I will start digging my trench for balast and add the tunnel.  I think the next hardest part is going to level the track.  Never did this before so I hope it goes all as planed.


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## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

There was a good supplement in the latest GR that gave good ideas about laying track, including leveling. Looks like you are off to a good start! The one thing that may be of concern is the S curve. You may want to just run some rolling stock through it to make sure they won't derail.


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## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

I have the next two days off, Im hopping to get some landscaping done. I got most of my wall complete. I got a load of top soil and some hose for my water fetures. My turnout shouldbe coming in the mail any day. Then I will be able to start laying down some track. I also got great deals on Dwarf Alberta spruce $7 for 2-3ft tall trees. I picked up 5 for now and probably in the next few weeks I will pick up a bunch more. Cant beat that price. got them at Lowes. Will post some more pics of my progress when the rain stops.


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## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

The rain stopped finally. I was able to get a little more work done. I started building my mountain/ridge. The picture below is the front of the ridge. When done it will extend to the back with a tunnel running through the back part. As it goes further back it will get a little higher. To the right is going to be a ravine with a creek. Eventually I plan on putting a fire tower on the back part of the mt (highest Point). Next step is to get some track down so I can get an idea where to build the tunnel. Once the tunnel is built I will build it up to form the rest of the mountain. I may need another load oftop soil. I also picked up a few more Dwarf Alberta spruce and some Dwarf boxwoods. Boxwoods were 5 and change and the spruce 7 bucks. Cant beat that price. 

http://i27.tinypic.com/2mfgbo1.jpg 
http://i25.tinypic.com/n3xf0o.jpg


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## Bob Rich (Jan 4, 2008)

Shawn, 
Looks like you are on your way. 
I sent you an e-mail with some information that you might find helpful. 
Keep up the good work amd post more pictures. Have you tried setting you camera to take photos at 640 X 480? I usually do that if I am going to post the shots. Then there is no need to shrink them. If you can't take them in that size hopefully you will find a way to shrink them afterwards. 
Regards, 
Bob Rich


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By snowshoe on 03/23/2008 6:06 PM

I got all the grass up and layed the track down to get an idea where it is going.  I measured the slopes I have to deal with.  The front left of my layout is a 6 inch rise over 15 ft. (Just under 4% grade if I did it right) and goes to 4 inches over 15 ft on the front right of layout.  I started laying rock around where I have to build it up.  mainly the front of the layout.  *I am going to go with a more natural  look*.  . . 



 









Where the track will go.  *I used steaks to mark the location of the track*.













Looks m_ore like stakes than steaks_ to me. I like the approach of going for the "natural look," which is my approach for my garden railway, which actually takes advantage of the native plants.


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## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By blackburn49 on 04/04/2008 10:14 PM
Posted By snowshoe on 03/23/2008 6:06 PM

I got all the grass up and layed the track down to get an idea where it is going.  I measured the slopes I have to deal with.  The front left of my layout is a 6 inch rise over 15 ft. (Just under 4% grade if I did it right) and goes to 4 inches over 15 ft on the front right of layout.  I started laying rock around where I have to build it up.  mainly the front of the layout.  *I am going to go with a more natural  look*.  . . 



 









Where the track will go.  *I used steaks to mark the location of the track*.













Looks m_ore like stakes than steaks_ to me. I like the approach of going for the "natural look," which is my approach for my garden railway, which actually takes advantage of the native plants. 






That is good I guess I head steak on my mind at the time. Now you got me hungry. Didnt even catch that one at the time. Plus I am not good with spelling. LOL


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## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

I havent been able to get much work done outside, been a typical Northeast spring, cold, damp misty weather. The only good thing about the weather is it gives my soil I added a chance to pack down nice. I have been trying to figure the best (cheapest) way to connect my rails. I am using the screws Aristo provides but I also wanted to solder jumper wires. One thing I learned is a can not solder if my life depended on it. Thanks to tangerine-jack who had a great way to do jumpers on the track. Using the screws that holds the ties to the track underneath, I make a loop at each end of the wire. then I slip the wire loop ends under the plastic tie. Then I put the screw through the loop and screw it into the rail. Why did I not think of that. Works out great. Only difference is I did not solder the loops. The loops I made seemed fairly secure. At least I have something to do until the weather clears up. Tomorrow looks like I nice day and I am off. going to start on my tunnel. Here is a pic of my jumpers. (click or cut and past the link below for picture) 
http://i31.tinypic.com/o5vl1y.jpg


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## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

Well the sun fiinally came out and it got real nice outside. I started work on my tunnel. So far it is coming out nice. Here is what I got so far.

http://i27.tinypic.com/wugyme.jpg

Im using cinderblocks and paver stones for the roadbed through the tunnel. I might keep the paverstones as the roadbed. I may end up just using stones. Stone might help drainage better. Will see when I get a good rain storm. It works great I burried the cinder blocks in the ground a few inches and then fill the holes on top with stone and soil.

http://i29.tinypic.com/2luxsvc.jpg

This is the tunnel with the roof. I had some nice large paverstones to use as the roof and another layer of cinder blocks. Again I will fill the holes in the cinder blocks with stone/soil. On top I will put plastic down to help keep moister/water out. Then I will put stone and rock on top to form a mountain.

http://i31.tinypic.com/2058ldg.jpg

This is a close up. I have some nice rock shaped like bricks with a nice texture to it. I will face the outside of the tunnel with those. This will close in the entrance of the tunnel to look more realistic. The tunnel is about 13inches high.


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## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

Taken a break from my tunnel construction. I started digging my trench for my water line. Going to feed the stream I am going to build. Not sure exactly how I am going to do this but probably use cement for my stream and bubling spring. Is there a special type of cement I should use. What is the best approach. I want to avoid plastic liners for the stream. It is hard to get them to look natrual. Any thoughts?


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## Big John (Jan 4, 2008)

Don't mess around with cement for your stream. Plastic liner is the only way to go if you do not want to have leaks in the future. I have installed three ponds and two water falls with streams. The only one I had leak problems with had a cement base. You can cover the liners with river pebbles that look very realistic. Go to a pond place and see what they have to offer. They usually have sample ponds, waterfalls and streams set up for the customers to see how they will look. I can guarantee you every one of them has a plastic liner. 

John


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## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

I started some work on my creek, so far this is what I came up with. I wanted the stream to start out as a calm creek and then end with steep sides. (Ravine) This is the point where the train will cross over. The upper end is going to be a bubbling spring. Not sure how I am going to acomplish this yet. I have a small hard pond liner. I am going to try and drill a hole in the bottom and stick the hose through the hole. I just have to come up with a way to seal it. Any ides??? Garden RR had a small article were someone took a pvs pipe T joint and hooked either end of the T with a small hose. In the small hose they put small holes around it. This is what gives the bubbles. The stream is going to empty into a pool except the pool will be filled with rock, that way it gives the appeares that the stream goes underground. We have a few stream like that in my area. They just go underground, sort of disappear. That is where the pump will be located. Now this is all just ideas, Im sure things will change some especially if anyone has better ideas.

I have to get some contact cement to hold the rocks in place especially on the steep section of the ravine.

http://i30.tinypic.com/27zal3t.jpg

_(image exceeds 640px max width (i.e. 1600), changed to link, SteveC mod.)_


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## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

I had my stream running all day yesterday. When I got home from work last night I found the bottom pond had very littlewater in it. It was leaking somewhere. This moring I refilled the pond and ran the stream. Found my problem. The flow I had was to strong and the water was spilling over the sides of the upper spring. I took a garden hose (I had a large fish pond hose but it seemed to crack pretty easy) and cut it to length. Turned the punp on and had a perfect flow with no spilling. The stream runs a little slower then I wanted but overall it is not bad. I also put the hose end above water level and created a cascade. looks much better. When I had the hose under water the water would run back down to the lower pond (when I turned the punp off) ANyway here are some pictures, once the water cleares up i will worl on hiding the hose better etc... Next step is start playing with the track. 








Upper spring with small cascade.I have to work on the spillway a little more. 








Lower pond.


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## flatracker (Jan 2, 2008)

Your creek looks good! Did you end up using a plastic liner like someone mentioned? I've seen the cement ones crack and leak, so the advice was correct. Hope yours lasts a looong time. Good luck!


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## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks, I used the rubber liner for the stream and the hard plastic liners for the upper and lower pond. I solved my leaking problem by using expandable foam where the water leaves the upper pond and goes into the stream. Water cleared up. Now I am working on laying my track down and hopefully have a train running very soon.


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## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

Finished my trench and put down my base layer of balast. I tamped it down with a home made tamper, worked great. My stream still leaks but i checked everything and found nothing. My guess is it is from capillary action. You can see where the water runs up the banks and makes the rocks and dirt wet. Here are some pictures. I am also going to put some cribbing in where the tracks cross the creek. I took some tree branches and going to shave/carve them. Then paint them to protect the wood. Sort of an experiment. I want to makw my wood like they did in the late 1800's. Going to try a trestle like that too. Should be ral rustic looking (I hope). 







































This is my new Lionel set I got. My brothers in-laws were getting rid of it, so he grabbed them for me. Army lionel not sure how old but my gues about 20 years old. Wish it was G scale though Good find for free.


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## multiplealarm (Jan 3, 2008)

Your progress if FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love the way you are incorporating different elevations into the layout. I think the final product will be visually pleasing. I only wish I had started with something other than a flat area. Kinda hard to add topography once line is in place. 

Keep us posted. 

Jeff 
Tallapoosa and Southern RR


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## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By multiplealarm on 04/20/2008 6:01 PM
Your progress if FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love the way you are incorporating different elevations into the layout. I think the final product will be visually pleasing. I only wish I had started with something other than a flat area. Kinda hard to add topography once line is in place. 
Keep us posted. 
Jeff 
Tallapoosa and Southern RR




Thanks, I figured since my line is going to small, (60ft of track for the main line) that I would put a lot focus into detail. My goal is to make a small layout appear bigger than what it really is. The Kittatinny RR is going to be a mountain/logging RR. Im not going to put much in the way of structiuons. I plan on putting in a sawmill, Fire Tower and mountain farms and some sort of logging camp.


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## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

I think I solved the leaky creek proble. Thanks toad and Brian. I got all the track down and started to level it and balast it. Its too bad I have to go to work this afternoon. could have had all the track balasted. oh well tomorrow. I also stained my wood for the cribbing and trestle. After Balasting I will work on the trestle. here are some pictures so far. 




























Where the trestle will go.


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## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

I finished my cribbing and trestles. Looks pretty good for my first real wood project. I did some more work on my Mountains. I found some nice rocks covered with moss and lichen around my property. I put them throughout the mountain. Came really nice. I also ran my trains again today. My Bachmann Big hauler runs great except for one spot on the track where the front wheels jumps. Looks like a high spot. I tried to play with it but had no luck. I might try weighing the wheels down some. If no luck then does anyone have any other advice? 

Tomorrow i am going to get another load of top soil so I can finish my mt. I would post pictures but I forgot my camera at work.


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## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

Well I got the cribbing and trestles in. They came out pretty good for my first attempt at making anything from wood. The only thing i could do different is make the legs on the trestle more boxy looking. 










This is the latest. I started taking nice moss/lichen covered rocks and put them into the mountai. (The rocks to the left of the tunnel in the dirt) I have a lot more rocks to use. this is just the start. 










Trestle and cribbing. I might end up using more squared legs. This will work fornow. It is more for show rather than support. 










View of part of my RR. To the right of the tunnel I am putting more cribbing and then extending the moutain to make a cut before the train enters the tunnel. Also going to make some wooden portals for the tunnel. I need plans though. 










ANother view


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## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

The sun finally came out. I was able to get some planting done. My line is starting to come to life. 










Bears are out of hibernation. Mom had a cub over the winter. 










Got to run some trains. Cant wait to start weathering my trains and kitbashing. Not till winter. Also added my throttle house. I put it on top of the ledges and will make some stirs or a ladder for acess. 










Another view 










Tunnel entrance. Also playing around with dead pine branches and using them as dead trees in my forested mt. 










My creek. Put some lemon tyme along the edges. Will be some time till it covers. I also planted some small cedars to the left. Picture came blurry.


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## bobgrosh (Jan 2, 2008)

THAT LOOKS GREAT! 
The curved bridge is nice and so is the creek. 

OK, a sugestion. 
I'd loose some of the rocks arround the tunnel and replace then with some more of that nice looking cribbing. 
I'd also try to add more heigth and width over the tunnel. Use some of those rocks to make cliffs and add another foot of soil to the top. Make a ridge about 6" to a foot wide, by at least four feet long. The ridge would go across the rails in the tunnel, (90 degrees). Put as many of those trees as you can spare along the top of the ridge. 

Railroads built tunnels only when they HAD to. The rr would not seek out a little mountain and head for it just so they could have a tunnel. Further, the tunnel would likely go through the shortest direction, ( 90 degrees to a low ridge ). On our garden railroads we seldome have such a location, so, we have to fake it. When looking into a tunnel, try to make the mountain seem as WIDE as posible. Even if it only seems like a wall when viewed from the side. I dosen't take a lot more dirt, just shape the dirt you have. 

I'm not sugesting that the tunnel and mountain try to fit some scale, or even follow real world practices, or even be geolgically probable. I just think that right now, is a good time to make it look NICER. Fool the viewer into seeing a tunnel entrance that looks like real ones by providing as much of an excuse for digging through the mountain as posible. 


By the way, There looks like there are several potentially nice camera positions. I wish I had planned for more of them on my RR. Set a cell phone camera on a brick and take some shots of the little loco. Then look at them on you computer and try to see how you migh compose the scene. would a tree here or there hide a view of the house? Would they help to frame the loco, bridge, building or tunnel? 
I find it convenient to cut off a limb, or prunings from some shrubs and stick them into the ground when I compose the scenes. One you are happy with the composition of the pictures, replace the tempory limbs or trimmings with the plants of you choice. I usually use really large branches as my temporary placeholders. Then I let the trees grow into the scene. Takes a year or so sometimes, but by then the other plantings will have filled in and the scene will really look great. 



That LGB train will look perfect with all those bridges, creek and mountains. 

Keep up the good work. 

B0B


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## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

Bob 
Thanks for the advise. I was wondering if I should have gone a little higher on the mt. Just to make sure I understand you. Make a ridge another foot taller, 4ft long and 6 inches wide or so. From the picture below I should make the ridge go left to right over hte tunnel? Just wanted to make sure that I got it right. Thanks again. 
Shawn


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## up9018 (Jan 4, 2008)

Great looking layout, I really like your ponds and stream, that's what I plan on having on my railroad. This is "Cripple Creek". How large are your formed ponds? I plan on using this type of setup on my railroad.


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## bobgrosh (Jan 2, 2008)

exactly


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## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By up9018 on 05/04/2008 8:26 PM
Great looking layout, I really like your ponds and stream, that's what I plan on having on my railroad. This is "Cripple Creek". How large are your formed ponds? I plan on using this type of setup on my railroad.



My ponds are acrually small. The top one is maybe 12 inches long by 6 inches wide. It is a small spring coming off the edge of the mt. Then the creek runs through to the bottom pond and the bottom one is 2ft by 2ft. I didnt want anything too big. Something that looks nice and easy to maintain. I am also going to make a bog in one of the corners. Still have to work it out.


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## leonpete (Jan 4, 2008)

Nice job on your Railroad, it's coming along nicely. I like how you have the center higher. When everything gets bigger it will give you a nice back drop for photos. Bob has some good pointers for you. That higher center also keeps you from seeing the whole Railroad while you are setting down and will make it seem larger than it is. Nice stream running through it also. Keep us posted of your progress.


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## KYYADA (Mar 24, 2008)

What is the width and depth of the stream. Also what size pump did you use it looks like a good flow not to much and not to little. Good Job!


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## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

The stream is a little under 6 inches wide (water edge to water edge) and a few inches deep. I used a waterfall pump. I forget what size I will get back to you on that. Originally I used a larger hose for it. It had a nice strong flow but a little too much. It was spilling over the sides of my spring. I then used a garden hose and it gave me a perfect flow. I started it as a small pool (Spring) off the mountain. Then as it goes down it forms a deeper ravine until it emptys into the lower pond.


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## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

I had a little time yesterday before work so I put my wall in on the back end of the RR. I just have to have to get some nice plants (ground cover) for top of wall. Something that will hang down nice. After getting over an inch of rain everything held up great, no washouts. 










Dry streambed coming off the Mtn. 










Part of my wall I built.


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## 6323 (Jan 17, 2008)

That is coming together VERY nicely!!! 

A couple of quick questions: 

1. Are you running a single track line, or will you have a siding or two added at some point? 

2. Just curious as to some of the plants used. 

Guess this shows that one can have a layout that is NOT big and fancy!! 
Again, I like it!! Gotta work out a plan for my eventual layout soon.


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## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By KCHahn on 05/11/2008 8:36 AM
That is coming together VERY nicely!!! 
A couple of quick questions: 
1. Are you running a single track line, or will you have a siding or two added at some point? 
2. Just curious as to some of the plants used. 
Guess this shows that one can have a layout that is NOT big and fancy!! 
Again, I like it!! Gotta work out a plan for my eventual layout soon.




As of now I am running one main line. I have one turnout but did not add any track to it yet. As soon as I get somemore track I am going to add onto the turnout. It is going to end at the mt. I plan on using that as a out and back line for my eventual sawmill/logging operation. Eventually I am going to put a second larger line in around the currnet one. It will have more trestles and go around the mountain. But that will be a much slower expansion due to price of track, although I may end up making my own ties for that. As for plants I am using English boxwood, Cedars, Dwarft Alberta spruce. For ground cover I have lemon tyme, elfin tyme, goldmoss stonecrop, I also have a few smaller flowering plants but forget the names. Will get back to you on those.


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## VillageRail (Apr 25, 2008)

Nice progress for such a short time from the intial posts. I've been moving track around on the ground and "planning" the next loop for a couple months now. Ground level or raised. Single line or sidings. By the time I get around to having a free weekend to work on it, the plan will have changed twenty times. The planning phase can be fun too, but eventually you want to see some trains on the track.  

Paul


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## tbug (Feb 16, 2008)

Great progress! Shaping up to be a pretty nice RR.


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## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

I got my wires burried that go from the outdoor throttle to the house. I alsi hooked up an electric box by my RR. That way I can have something close for my water pump and other future additions. I bought 2 more alberta spruces as well as some blue spruce sedum for on top of my wall. Other than that just been enjoying my trains. Will have some more pics soon.


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## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

It has been a while since i posted any updates. I got a few more things done, although I have slowed down some. Mainly due to rainy/cold May. I was able to get an outlet by my layout to supply power to my water pump. I added few more plants and built a small pond in the back corner of my layout. 










New addition pond. The stream is a dry stream bed. Acts as an overflow for the pond. 










Power outlet and throttle. I burried the wire from the throttle to the power supply located in my house. 










View of layout. Things are starting to grow and spread 










Another view


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## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

I got a little more rock work done today.The left side of my layout needed something. It was flat and did not go with my mountain railraod. I decided to build a mountain out of rock. In the cracks I filled with top soil and added some alysyms to it. Here are some pictures, it should like real nice once the plants take off. 










This is before the rock work. 










This is after rock put in. I still have a little rock to add in some places but waiting to come across the right rocks. 










A farther away shot 










A moose moved into my RR and almost caused an accident.


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

Moose burgers on-the-hoof!


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## silverstatespecialties (Jan 2, 2008)

Those moose antlers would sure look good mounted to the front of that locomotive... 



I love how your layout is coming along, it's beautiful! The topsoil & plants added to the cracks in the rocks really set it off, and help everything blend together. Great work!!! Keep those photos coming!


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