# BrownsCountryRR Construction



## NavyTech (Aug 2, 2008)

I have begun construction of my new layout this year. I am only at the ground breaking point but wanted to share with you all where I am at.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Looks good! 

Your yard is a fair amount above street level? 

Greg


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## Marauderer (Jan 5, 2008)

Wow, looking great NT. I look forward to you posting lots of pictures of your build.


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## Nutz-n-Bolts (Aug 12, 2010)

Did you ever settle on a final track plan? I know there was lots of debate on your other thread. What you have so far looks very nice. The use of the weed block will make you happy later on.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Are you still planning on Solar Power for this? 
Looks like you'll have plenty of room for your pike, nice job. 

John


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## NavyTech (Aug 2, 2008)

I still have not decided on the track plan other than it will have a dogbone shape and if I have enough track a second loop. I still want to have it solar power but I have run into a couple snags. One is that there is not a whole lot of sun light and I need to find the best location.









Here is a picture of my deck that overlooks the layout


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## Marauderer (Jan 5, 2008)

Nice looking deck. Did you build that?


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Cover the top of the trellis structure with solar cells? 

Looks sunny up there! 

Greg


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

I'd say roof top, but may need a permit... 

John


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

the "trains" solar powered??? 
If its just the lighting should not be a problem. my north end is full shade and my solar panels work fine.


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## wigginsn (Jan 9, 2008)

Looking forward to watching your build. Should be a bunch of fun. 

Cheers 
Neil


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## NavyTech (Aug 2, 2008)

Yes I did build the deck myself and I thought of solar panels on the roof but I am growing vines on it so I am not sure that it will be the best place. I will come up with something. the track plan has priority at the moment but I do not plan on laying track untill next spring. I will be laying it out this summer to get things marked out once I get a track bender.
The key thing for me this year is to get everything built in the yard and get the yard fenced back in. I will run under ground wiring once I figure out the best place for the power system.


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## Marauderer (Jan 5, 2008)

You did a great job on the deck. I think that the overhead of the deck would support the vines and the solar (I wasn't referring to weight) as Marty suggested. But you have enough time to say "What if" 2-3MX before next spring and you will work it out. 

I look forward to following your build.


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## NavyTech (Aug 2, 2008)

Today a walked around the layout to take pictures to share with you all.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

That's some serious grade you've got there... I think I would have raised your retaining wall by a couple of boards. 
For best battery charging I think your panels should go on the roof of the house, too many trees and tall buildings. 
I assume the concrete pad is for your lounge chair, a cold one in one hand and the throttle in the other... 

I see trestles and bridges in your future.... and a spur to the shed to store locos! 

Good times ahead! 

John


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## NavyTech (Aug 2, 2008)

I have decided to keep a simple track design


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

I like the deck and the trellis! The railroad's going to look good out there.


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## NavyTech (Aug 2, 2008)

I am in the middle of rounding up some pine and spruce trees along with moss too plant in the garden bed. I have access to a lot with lots of free stuff to take. The idea is to get a good start growing what I can this year in preparation for next springs laying of track but I do have to admit it is difficult to be patient about it all. I am doing this because I have more important things to take care of inside the house this year.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

I'd leave the track down so I know where not to plant. You might want a road and parking lot for your station too. 

Must have been an optical illussion before, your area looks nice and flat. 

Finally in some quarters the term; heretic might be bandied about, more important than trains!!!??? Off with his head! lol 

John


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## NavyTech (Aug 2, 2008)

The area is flatter than the pictures show as over time the earth sinks and I have been slowly levelling it out. I do plan on using bridges and trestles .


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## rsmproductions (Jan 5, 2008)

What a great view as you sit and sip a cold beverage...looking forward to more updates. 

Richard


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## NavyTech (Aug 2, 2008)

I was out ditch digging today and picked up some free moss, pine and spruce trees. I planted them in the garden to get them started


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## NavyTech (Aug 2, 2008)

I got started with some of my ballast.









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## NavyTech (Aug 2, 2008)

I am making some progress slowly and will have to get much more dirt.
IMG_0755.jpg








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## Nutz-n-Bolts (Aug 12, 2010)

That's really starting to take some shape now. It won't be long before you get your loop going. How are you getting your dirt to your railroad?


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## Therios (Sep 28, 2008)

What is in the window of the shed? Ghost?


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

A haunted Garden Rail Road?









A ghost in the window

Chris Walas been to visit you ? 

JJ


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## NavyTech (Aug 2, 2008)

@import url(http://www.mylargescale.com/Provide...ad.ashx?type=style&file=SyntaxHighlighter.css);@import url(/providers/htmleditorproviders/cehtmleditorprovider/dnngeneral.css); I got some more work done on the layout today.


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## NavyTech (Aug 2, 2008)

Made some more progress. I started the second loop 

















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## NavyTech (Aug 2, 2008)

Edging complete and now waiting to get stone for the ballast.








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## Therios (Sep 28, 2008)

I still think there is a ghost in the window of the shed. Are you ignoring the issue due to the fear of a haunted railway? Or is it a secret war machine disguised as a garden railway so you can't talk about it? Or is it inlaws that actually inhabit the shed?


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## NavyTech (Aug 2, 2008)

If you must know, it is two bicycle handle bars showing in the window. I had hoped that my layout would draw your eyes away from it


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## Therios (Sep 28, 2008)

Your layout is looking awesome! I am looking forward to seeing some movement out there! Soon? Now I can relax.


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## NavyTech (Aug 2, 2008)

I now have a river put in with a water feature. I still need more rock to finish i up but you can get an idea what I am doing.


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## Therios (Sep 28, 2008)

Awsome work. I wish it was cool enough to work on mine.


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## Nutz-n-Bolts (Aug 12, 2010)

That has turned out very nice. Have you been running anything on the inner loop? The water always adds a lot of interest.


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## NavyTech (Aug 2, 2008)

I have finished the ballast today and now it is really looking like a layout.









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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Looks sweet!, I'm hoping there's room for your depot. 
Is that a trolley loop in the center? 

It's better to address the oddball questions here, because left to their own devices our kids get silly! Myself included sometimes... 

You've done a nice and clean installation, I wish mine was that neat, but no sense until the monsoons stop. You should get many hours of enjoyment.... until the urge to expand hits! 

Happy Rails, 
John


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Looks great Jason! 

Greg


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## NavyTech (Aug 2, 2008)

Today I created a canyon to join the last of my track bed.


















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## NavyTech (Aug 2, 2008)

One loop done and train running









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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

Wow, that station looks really terrific. Really nicely scaled and not too small,a s they often are


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## NavyTech (Aug 2, 2008)

Video can be seen here

http://users.eastlink.ca/~brownscou...tryRR.html


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

That link doesn't work Navy Tech!! Regal


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## NavyTech (Aug 2, 2008)

Not sure why when I added that link the web site added some characters to it that did not belong. This one should work.

Dual track video


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Looks great, the plants really work well. I see you still have some trackwork to do, like the loco coming off the bridge... but all of that is the fun part of fine-tuning the layout. 

Is that your control stand on the left side? 

Regards, Greg


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## NavyTech (Aug 2, 2008)

Yes Greg it is.









I want too switch too DCC next summer and keep the power supply in the shed. If money was no object I would get the NCE system. I am looking for a system that will work good with QSI sound cards.









As for the track work your right I am slowly tinkering around with it and it is coming along. One issue I am having is my Bachmann K27 is derailing once and a while on my LGB R5 turnout. It is perfectly level in both side to side and front to back. Seems to bee the cross section between the wing rails is bumping the front wheels up .


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Check the back to back on the loco, all wheels, and the depth of the flangeway at the frog. 

You call these check rails, but they are (I believe) more properly called guard rails. Check the width of the flangeways. Even if your wheels are gauged properly, an overly wide flangeway at the guardrail can not control the wheelset properly and let it bang into either the point of the frog, or the wind rails. 

Also, the gauge is sometimes tight in switches... 

Hope that helps. 

Greg


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## jake3404 (Dec 3, 2010)

I was wondering about the radius of the LGB R5. It might be a little tight for the K-27. I dont have LGB switches so I dont know.


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## NavyTech (Aug 2, 2008)

Really Jake3404 too tight? It was the widest turnout I could get and I can not recall seeing any bigger that was not hand made. 

As for Greg's suggestion I will have a closer look and see what is there.


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## Nutz-n-Bolts (Aug 12, 2010)

I would have to agree with Jake, I think at minimum you would need a true #6 for a K and some swear by #8 switches for trouble free running of the large wheel base locos. I think the Aristo wide radius switch might work for you, they are supposed to match a 10' diameter. You could also try switchcrafters http://www.switchcrafters.com/ or llagas Creek http://www.llagastrack.com/ for specific number switches.


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## Big Tracks (Jan 3, 2008)

I am getting ready to start laying track. What did you lay your track in? Looks as if it will keep the ballast in place and also keep over growth to a minimum. What is the overall size of your layout? 

Thanks 

Rick


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## jake3404 (Dec 3, 2010)

Posted By NavyTech on 20 Sep 2011 01:53 PM 
Really Jake3404 too tight? It was the widest turnout I could get and I can not recall seeing any bigger that was not hand made. 

As for Greg's suggestion I will have a closer look and see what is there. 

I was thinking about the K-27's minimum radius of 8' dia. I know mine is pretty picky about that minimum radius. I had a siding that was measuring about 7' dia and my K-27 really didnt like it. I had to crawl it through it to keep the front truck from derailing. I have since widened the curve so I dont have that problem any more. Again, I dont know the radius of LGB switches but I'm wondering about that R5. I know Greg has that info on his website. Might check there.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yep, an R5 is 15 foot diameter but the frog is only around a #5, an Aristo #6 would be gentler. I believe you can get switches with higher frog numbers from switchcrafters, but the K will work fine on #6, and I think you should be ok on the LGB R5. The Aristo WR switch is too sharp for really nice running, I'll have to measure the frog angle, but I'd shy away from them. 

Regards, Greg


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## armorsmith (Jun 1, 2008)

I have the Bachmann K27 and it will negotiate an Aristo Wide Radius turnout (10' diameter). I don't care for the appearance going through the turnout, but it does work. As always, bigger is better. 

Bob C.


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