# The Knackered Valley Railroad-Phase II



## backyardRR (Aug 14, 2012)

With the warmer weather this spring I have started the expansion of my Knackered Valley Garden Railroad. Same technique as last year's phase I. 3 inch deep trench lined with weed block fabric and filled with tamped paver base. Phase II extends the original loop about 100% around one side of the gazebo, looping back around near the front gate, and returning up the side of a path that runs around the gazebo. I have completed about 2/3 of the run which includes a curved wood trestle at the extreme end of the new loop. Phase II is in the lower part of the track plan shown below.











Here is the first train to switch off the phase I loop onto the start of the phase II loop. The track in the background is the still uncompleted return portion of phase II.









From the other direction and a little bit further along. On the left is the end of track for the return portion.










Curving around the gazebo past newly planted Hostas and Pachasandra. This is a very shady area so the plantings should do well here. In the background you can see the excavations for the return portion. In the foreground is a small arch bridge over a dry "river". 










A view from the other direction. On the right you can see my piles of Lowes paver base.










After the bridge the track curves back and over the path to start the long curve that begins the return back to the original loop.
The commercial RR signs add some flavor to the scene.


















This winter I built the curved trestle indoors while the snow piled up outside. As before, my "water" features are built using
pond stones over weed block fabric.


















I gave my new Bachmann Shay a run over the trestle.










End of the line, so far. Heading outside for more digging.










Here is a short video of the first train to use the completed portion of the phase II loop. Note that the video stops well before the trestle.
This is because I am still using the hard wired Bachmann controller and had to give myself enough time to stop the video
and run into the gazebo, where the controller is, to stop the train before it runs out of track. I really have to move up to a remote control 
RC system!


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## backyardRR (Aug 14, 2012)

Now that I have video posting figured out (I think) here is an engineer's eye view of the phase I loop from last year. This is before major plantings were added in the fall.


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## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

Beautiful work Wayne! I'm surprised you posted this on the "Beginners Forum," your layout is looking quite advanced to me!


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## backyardRR (Aug 14, 2012)

Cliffy, thanks for the kind words.
When I retired two years ago as an IT Project Manager I needed
something as a goal. The garden RR has fulfilled that desire and then some. I did come from the HO world so the concept of a miniature RR
was not foreign to me. I have been digging and laying track almost
every day lately while the weather is not too hot. Not today though.
It's been raining since early this am and the newly dug roadbed trenches
are mud puddles!. Good for the flowers though.


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Wayne;

Your railroad is really taking shape nicely. I had a ground level layout for eight years. It was a lot of fun, but my location was under our white pine trees. As the trees continued to grow, I found that significant quantities of pine needles had to be removed before each operating session. Even "Groucho" was not up to the job.










Presently I either set up track on my carport or run on others' tracks. Since I now have some live steamers, I am hoping to eventually build an elevated layout. It will not be as scenic, but it will allow me to run trains.

Best wishes for Phase II,
David Meashey


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## backyardRR (Aug 14, 2012)

Love that plow! I only have a pear tree over a small portion of the route. Some leaves in the fall plus pears that fall or are chucked half eaten by the !%$#?! squirrels. Last year, for what ever reason, there were no pears.
This year I see plenty of little ones growing. Even without leaves or pears
I have learned to not get cocky and try to run trains without first walking the line. It's amazing what gets on the track. Mostly from those blasted squirrels throwing mulch everywhere as they forage.


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## backyardRR (Aug 14, 2012)

Nice cool mornings and dry weather have enabled me to put down about another 15 feet of track since the first post on this thread. 
The track, which ended just past the trestle, now loops around an Alberta Spruce which was planted 20 years ago well before any thought about a garden RR. 
I am contemplating a cinder block tunnel at this point. Look carefully and you can see the feeder that distributes power to the center of the new loop. There are 3 power supply to track feeders spaced evenly around the railroad.









A look from the other side of the loop.










Next was the installation of the Piko switch that will take a spur up a slight grade to a proposed staging area. Since the Piko switches lack the screw holes of the Aristo track joiners I solder jumpers over each joiner. I also added jumpers around the entire switch assembly. Probably overkill but I have had some intermittent power issues with another switch. It's much easier to add all of these jumpers prior to installing while the entire assembly is on a work area.









Here is the switch assembly in place on the roadbed.









Looking back towards the trestle loop. The spur track to the right will transverse a grade up to a 3 track staging area that will occupy an old 
planter.









That's it for now. I have about 12 feet to go to close the phase II loop.
Unfortunately it's raining here today so it looks like an indoor day.


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Your track work looks better than some experts'


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## backyardRR (Aug 14, 2012)

Thanks Torby. It has held up well over one of the worst winters I can remember. I just finished the phase 2 loop and hope to post videos
soon. Yesterday I ran trains around the combined phase 1 and 2 loops for about 4 hours. My neighbor came up to me in the morning and said "I looked out my upstairs window and saw train tracks! I can't wait to see something running". So, I obliged her by running a train around with my track cleaning car. She was very impressed but probably thinks I am "that crazy guy next door with all the trains in his backyard". 
I resemble that remark!


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## backyardRR (Aug 14, 2012)

Good weather and only about 6 feet to go and I pull a muscle
in my back. Not from the RR construction but while taking
out some bushes with a chain saw. A weeks rest and some meds 
from the doctor and I am back working on the completion of the
phase II loop. Those 50 lb bags of paver base must be moved
gently!


The last section of roadbed with the landscape fabric and paver base. 
Yeah! 










One last section of track to cut, fit and solder.










I made some videos of the first trains around the new phase II loop area.
This is a complete run around phase II with my Bachmann Shay.




 
This is a view from the trestle end of the loop using my Bachmann Forney.




 
Now to work on the tunnel.....


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## rntfrmme (May 23, 2013)

Very nice, seems to be coming along well.

Bill


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## Dick Friedman (Aug 19, 2008)

Very nice. Looks like a pro has been doing it! If only LI were 3000 miles from Sacramento!


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## backyardRR (Aug 14, 2012)

I have a recent section of my phase II expansion that loops back around a large "dwarf" Alberta Spruce. I decided to use a trick from the smaller indoor scales where you can "hide" a reverse loop by incorporating a tunnel. First, to see how this particular area has progressed, I have included a "before" picture taken last year before any track had been laid in this area. The bushes had become overgrown and had to come out (you can see I started and then thought, "oh, a before picture would be nice"). I left the spruce but cut back the lower branches.









Then the track and trestle went in.










I decided to construct the tunnel using 16 x 16 pavers placed on edge. They are buried about 3-4 inches into the soil.
For caps I used 8 x 16 pavers. You can see that my outdoor electrical box is smack dab in the way. I just left it there, 
not wanting to have to do any rewiring. 


















From the other end....









In building the portals and retaining walls I used the same technique that I used for my stone arch bridge.
Styrofoam scored with a soldering iron and painted with acrylic latex paints.


















The portals and walls were attached to the structural pavers with silicone caulk. PT wood stakes help support
the long retaining wall. This retaining wall keeps the cedar mulch in place.


















The view from the other side. The track on the right will go to my phase III staging area.









This is the area for the phase III staging yard (Knacker's Yard). 









Last but not least a video of the first train through the completed tunnel.


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## backyardRR (Aug 14, 2012)

*Knackered Valley RR Phase III - Staging Yard*

I had originally planned to build my small staging yard next year as part of phase III. However, work on completing this year’s phase II went so quickly that I decided to push ahead and get the yard built this summer. As staging yards go this one is on the compact side with just three tracks that are 7 to 8 feet in length.  I was able to cobble together the track and switches needed and ended up using Aristo Craft, Bachmann (brass) and Piko track. Each yard track has an insulated rail joiner on one rail with those rails connected to a simple 3 toggle switch control panel installed in a Rubbermaid plastic container. The staging yard area was originally an old wood planter that was removed and graded to allow for a PT wood “deck” about 2 ½ feet wide and 9 feet long. I wanted the yard to be slightly elevated to make it easier to place my rolling stock and engines on the track without having to kneel on grass or gravel. Space limitations plus the desire to keep any grade to a minimum dictated that the yard deck would be about 6 inches above ground level. I would have preferred a bit higher but even with the 6 inch minimum I ended up with about a 3.5% grade up to the yard from the mainline loop. My Bachmann Forney generally needs a “run” at the grade if it is pulling any more than 4 cars but the Big Hauler 4-6-0 and Bachmann 3 truck Shay don’t seem to be bothered by the grade. Here are some pics of the new area.
*This is how the area originally looked before I had removed the bushes on the right for the phase II loop expansion.*









*During phase II construction the area became a spot to store supplies.*










*The side view of the completed staging yard platform.*










*The grade up from the mainline loop.*










*From the other direction.*










*The yard "throat" and control panel.*










*Yard side view with track installed.*










*Yard side view with trains.* 










*3 trains ready to go. *










*My motive power fleet, not counting the rail truck.*










With the staging yard now complete I don’t have any immediate plans to expand trackage on my Knackered Valley RR. The addition of more buildings, plantings, etc. now moves to the top of the list. 
Thanks for coming along on my journey!


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