# Building the Stonehedge Railway.



## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Hey everyone,
I've decided to start a new builder's log for my railroad! 

The previous builder log is basically dead and useless now:


http://forums.mylargescale.com/11-public-forum/7717-stonehedge-railway-new-garden-railroad-born.html

My early photobucket links are now dead..
Then Shad did a forum upgrade in 2014 that killed every embedded youtube video 
They never came back..Half my posts in that thread had a youtube video, that now shows nothing..so that thread is just useless..

Time to start a new one! I'll give it one more try.

I will jump right in with 2017! Current work being done this summer..
If you want a recap on what has come before, the main webpage is here:

https://scotlawrence.github.io/Stonehedge/index.html

Since that is a lot of detail to wade through, I will also give the condensed version here: 
The trackplan:









2010, before work on the railroad started:









Later in 2010, beginning the stone retaining wall, and laying down PVC pipe to mark the location for the outer loop of track:

















Got laid off from Kodak in 2012, after seventeen years there..Work on the railroad slowed to a crawl while I went back to college full-time for two years, and pulled off a complete career change in my mid-40's.









2013:









2014:









2015, the pace picks back up! 









2016, finishing the rock wall:









LOTS more detail in the webpage! 
https://scotlawrence.github.io/Stonehedge/index.html

And here we are at 2017..The most productive year yet! Photos from the past few weeks:

Starting the first of two large wood octogons, to support the upper loop:




























And the webpage for 2017, with more detail, and videos!

https://scotlawrence.github.io/Stonehedge/2017.html

More to come! I hope to get a lot done this summer and autumn.
Thanks,
Scot


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## backyardRR (Aug 14, 2012)

Good to see you back in the saddle. I couldn't help but notice the image from the British TV series "The IT Crowd". Now what was the number to call the Emergency Services?  I spent the last third of my career in IT and I still double over when Roy answers the phone "have you tried turning it off and then back on again"?


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks Wayne,
Wow, I thought it would take awhile for anyone to get that reference!  I dont think it ever played on US tv, so only IT people have seen it here. And we only know of it becauae of youtube. (Im now a sysadmin)

Thanks,
Scot


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## backyardRR (Aug 14, 2012)

I have a region free DVD player and we regularly order British DVDs from Amazon UK. We got hooked on the IT Crowd immediately. I think this was one of Chris O'Dowd's first gigs. The very first episode is hilarious to me as I went through the same experience when they hired a director who knew little about computers. At least we weren't in the basement.


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

I am totally in love with the laser level! 

 



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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I do the same, and also use it to trim the landscape hedges in the twilight.

Thanks for starting another build log.

Greg 900


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Updates!

July 30, 2017 - The top deck of the west platform is built:

























































August 6, 2017:
Video 21 -Work begins on the East (right) platform:
























Webpage updated too:
https://scotlawrence.github.io/Stonehedge/2017.html

thanks,
Scot


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

End of season update for 2017:






And the full progress for the year:

https://scotlawrence.github.io/Stonehedge/2017.html

Got a lot done this year! 

thanks,
Scot


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Congratulations Scotty......I know its been a long time coming. It's great to see your railroad come to fruition! 

Thanks for posting your updates.


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## Mike Flea (Apr 8, 2014)

Looks good Scot, you accomplished a lot this year. If you get a roll of landscape fiber, or even a hay bale broken up over the new grass seed, it'll keep the birds from eating the seed, keep the ground warm and protect the seed, by springtime you'll have new grass in that spot


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Spring has arrived..work starts up again for 2018:


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## OldNoob (Apr 30, 2016)

Scottychaos said:


> Got laid off from Kodak in 2012, after seventeen years there..Work on the railroad slowed to a crawl while I went back to college full-time for two years, and pulled off a complete career change in my mid-40's.


Reminds me of the time DANKA decided to hire some big wig over from XEROX who literally brought the company to it's knees through layoffs and "automation". I went from being a Copier Tech to having to learn Tile Setting.  Tile setting was much less stressful


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

OldNoob said:


> Reminds me of the time DANKA decided to hire some big wig over from XEROX who literally brought the company to it's knees through layoffs and "automation". I went from being a Copier Tech to having to learn Tile Setting.  Tile setting was much less stressful


yeah, we also have a big Xerox facility here in Rochester, they havent been doing well either.
(Kodak, Xerox and Bausch & Lomb were all founded in Rochester..all three are a shadow of their former selves today)

Scot


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Bridge started!


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## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

My first time back to MLS in years! Glad to see some old familiar faces still posting. Especially you Scot! Glad you survived the tech crash of Rochester! I've experienced some similar issues here in the southern tier and even sold off some trains to help make ends meet. I am now back to work in my field (sort of) and making ends meet once again. Glad to see you making some progress!

Chas


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks Chas,
welcome back! 

Scot


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## placitassteam (Jan 2, 2008)

Always good to see people making progress! Will there be some kind of structure to support the track between the crossbars of the bridge? Looking forward to seeing that arch bridge, that should be spectacular. 
Chas, good to have you back.


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

placitassteam said:


> Will there be some kind of structure to support the track between the crossbars of the bridge?


Winn,
no, im not going to add any extra support between the crossbars, its not needed. Apart from the two switches, the rest is long sections of straight, 3 and 4 foot sections..there isnt any extra track support needed across the main span. There will be extra support needed on the loops though, they are made of short sectional pieces, Aristocraft 8-foot diameter sectional track. See next video below..
thanks,
Scot


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Update! The entire upper loop has track! 






thanks,
Scot


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## Tom Bowdler (Jan 3, 2008)

Is "Angel" too heavy to inspect?
For the support of the switch before the bridge on the right side I'd recommend carrying over the theme of the retaining wall and using flat, dry laid rocks. Local source or more southern tier trips?
Great progress!
Tom


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks Tom,
yes, the "angel" is defiantly too heavy! 
although good idea..she is an inspection engine afterall. 

Rock wall? could work!
I have three ideas for the "wye" sections between the switches and the raised platforms:

1. Extend out the "floor" from the platforms out to the switches.
2. Rock wall to support the area.
3. Wood trestle work, incorporated into part of the main arch bridge.

I'm leaning toward #3, but I haven't decided yet.
The right-side switch/wye area also is going to have a track passing under it:










Current plan is slightly different than that older trackplan. (its now a single track across the upper bridge rather than a double-track) but the two lower loops are still going to be the same as on that plan..

Scot


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Update! More progress..






Scot


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## Robert (Jan 2, 2008)

Scott
Any detail you can share about how you made your spring loaded switches. I have need to do the same thing. Thanks.


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Robert said:


> Scott
> Any detail you can share about how you made your spring loaded switches. I have need to do the same thing. Thanks.


Hi Robert,
sorry, I totally missed this post from you! 
I haven't looked at this thread since..well, I dont even know! 
probably not since last June..

I did have to give up on the spring switches..they wont work for me because of light steam locomotive pilot wheels..explained in one of the videos. (coming soon)
but I will attempt to explain how I made them..

This weekend I will make a new video explaining the creation and installation of the springs..its fairly easy, but "seeing" it is much easier than trying to write it out in words!  So stay tuned, I'll get to that soon..Plus I will have new updates for this thread soon..

thanks,
Scot


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Update! July 2018. 
The sub-layers for the "ground" of the upper platform is nearly complete:


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Robert said:


> Scott
> Any detail you can share about how you made your spring loaded switches. I have need to do the same thing. Thanks.


New thread about the spring switch is here:

http://forums.mylargescale.com/16-t...88856-building-spring-switch.html#post1142664

thanks,
Scot


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

August 4, 2018.
The top of the platform is complete!






Thanks,
Scot


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