# Modest little expansion



## White Deer RR (May 15, 2009)

You can see my first post, containing some photos, of my modest little oval here. Short version is I've had an oval with 9 foot straightaways and 4 foot curves on the ground for three years. You've all been very nice and since I used to just lurk here I thought I would try to post photos as warranted, as my small way of trying to give back. I don't have much in the way of technical expertise to offer, so I hope that you kind folks who can offer it know how much some of us really appreciate it! I received a great bunch of Father's Day presents--including a box of 2 foot straight SS track and a track cleaning car! I've had some extra curves and three foot straights in the garage from a previous plan that didn't work out due to "S" curve issues, so the box of 2 foot straights is all I need to basically double my small amount of track. More importantly, the Headmistress of Land Grants approved an expansion of the railroad to the unused weedy area, provided the "crossing" just past the sidewalk is as narrow as possible. Here you can something of an overview.







After considering various options, and trying a few things, it became clear that due to the angles involved some track would need to be cut. Luckily it worked out to about a 75 degree curve, so cutting one curved piece in half worked out almost perfectly. (Thirty plus thirty plus fifteen, take off the shoes, count the toes, voila!) Very lucky to wind up being able to cut one piece in half and use both parts. A neighbor with a huge and relatively unused box of Dremel tool attachments was quickly enlisted. His cutting discs were a little small, meaning the cuts were not perfect due to the size and shape of the Dremel tool, but some grinding made things match up well enough that when some Split Jaw clamps joined things together it works. (One safety note--the cutting discs my neighbor used tended to break apart after cutting through about one piece of SS rail, so safety glasses are a must. And stand at an angle so that when it breaks it doesn't hit you. I speak from experience here. Luckily no harm. And well ventilated is good, lots of dust and heat.) So it all came out pretty darn close to the sidewalk, as desired:







There's a little bit of grade involved, so using some pavers identical to others used in our back yard for borders, I made a short concrete bed with an "abutment." Not prototypical but we kind of like how it may look.







So here's the Aristocraft 0-4-0 switcher and a Sierra coach posing. I've just stuck some plastic trestle bents into some sand until I get more permanent.







Still working on a theme for the new area. Since my set is ATSF Panhandle, the Assistant Engineer Who is Nine and Very Cute has announced that the old loop is in Texas (White Deer) and the new loop is in New Mexico. Ah, the imagination of kids...she'll set me straight, as she also presented me with a small herd of plastic buffalo for the layout, along with wildflower seeds. After getting everything together, I found that the Aristocraft hook and loop couplers I was still using were causing derailments on left turns. (This is 4 foot diameter stuff, I'm working in tight quarters.) Luckily I found that by installing the provided Aristo knuckle couplers the problem was easily solved. Oddly, the screws on one of the Sierra cars were in so tight I was chewing the heads up trying to remove them. I resorted to removing the truck and kind of peeling the hook and loop couplers away, then removing the screws with pliers and using new screws. This coach now has a rather fabulous tendency to squeak much like a real old time train. Go figure. As for the "crossing" at the end of the sidewalk, luckily the onlly things I need to roll over it are the yard recycling car, the wheelbarrow and sometimes the lawn mower. I rolled the first two items over the track after it was well ballasted, probably with 50 pounds in the recycling cart, to no ill effect. I usually bring the lawnmor through the other gate anyway. If I need to I can just "walk" the mower over the track. The Headmistress of Land Grants is excited about possibly getting some flashing crossing lights. Ran the thing until dark tonight. I've tried to check this post for errors, so please forgive if there any goof ups. Happy running to you all.


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## CCSII (Jan 3, 2008)

That looks like fun. I think I can tell the difference between Texas and New Mexico there in your photos. Bless those cute, nine year old assistants who are involved in one's railroad.


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## Biblegrove RR (Jan 4, 2008)

That looks just great! Small and simple is sometimes envied, thanks for sharing!


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Beautiful. 

Don't you love those 0-4-0's and Sierra coaches?


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Great layout you have there.


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks for sharing. Looks great. Looks like you did your home work. Later RJD


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## White Deer RR (May 15, 2009)

Thanks everyone. I have grown kind of fond of the 0-4-0 and the Sierra cars. Definitely a Disneyland sort of thing in a way I suppose. The original Disneyland railroad coaches were yellow like that.

My wife was kind enough to go out and purchase some dwarf cyprus (I think that's what they are) and a variety of sedums, so we're off to a good start once we get the plants in the ground. 


I am having decent results using the Aristocraft cleaning caboose with a piece of Scotchbrite pad instead of the "eraser" that comes with the car. My main audience is just folks we know who come over, mostly neighbors, and it's always fun to see them go "hey, I didn't know you could have a model railroad outside!" I've run the cleaning car behind the little consist and unless you point out the pad regular folks don't even seem to notice it. And you can buy large size pads "from the makers of Scotchbrite" at a big box store for a pretty cheap price, maybe less than five bucks for five of them, which can then be cut up into multiple pieces. So I've run the train two nights in a row with not so much as a flickering headlight after the first trip around.


If I had to quibble I would state that the cleaning car is not on trucks, and there is a slight mismatch in height regarding the couplers if you want to just drag it around using the 0-4-0. But it's only decoupled once of its own accord, so that's not bad. The cleaning car also seems a little small behind the Sierra coaches, and I would have preferred a bobber caboose, but hey, I can always buy one of those at some point I suppose. 


Best to all!


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

(Thirty plus thirty plus fifteen, take off the shoes, count the toes, voila!) 


Easier for me









You can easily move the pad from the cleaning car to a bobber caboose.


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## White Deer RR (May 15, 2009)

One last pic for this thread. Here is the layout on Independence Day.












I was a little nervous as I figured there might be some kids come to the back yard, as our neighborhood has a very nice 4th of July celebration. Luckily I thought to mark some "RxR" and "stop, look, listen" on the sidewalk with chalk right before dark. I illuminated things with a solar LED flashlight just in case.


It worked well as at one point I had about 15 kids and parents checking out the train. Awesome! The best was a little three year old boy who was just beside himself, and gave some Lego figures he had a nice long ride along with my brakeman. Very fun. There was another kid who had the toy horses transported around. I had a nice time explaining about G scale trains and stuff.


Then we blew stuff up out front, and down the street, and down the other street. Great way to see all your neighbors! We are very lucky as we live in a place where most folks are pretty darn nice and will offer you a cold beverage as you stroll by. Good times.


Happy running everyone!


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

Fantastic! What a great way to celebrate the 4th! The layout's looking great too!


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## silverstatespecialties (Jan 2, 2008)

Very nice! Your whole family has something to enjoy in the backyard, so you can all be together.


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## Pete Chimney (Jan 12, 2008)

I enjoyed seeing your pictures of the layout in-progress. Even simple layouts can be fun to operate and especially to finish with plants, buildings, trestles, etc.

One thing I did notice, You have a ladder hanging outside on your fence. If you or your neighbors have a 2 story home this is a perfect way for a burgular to gain access to a window on an upper floor. I had a ladder that was hanging on a fence "used" by someone going across fences through backyards to gain access to upstairs windows. It is better to store ladders in garages.


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## White Deer RR (May 15, 2009)

Good point, Pete. It's behind a locked gate but that wouldn't stop a determined crook. Plus I've hit my head on it more than once now....


Best!


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