# WHY would any one in their right mind EVER put...



## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Model trains out doors??????
I HATE spring. I simply wanted to test run two locos that have never run on the railroad. I spent lots of time pulling wild grasses, weeds, sticks, millions of tree seeds all over. After all the work I did last summer to same yard work time. I don't think it was worth it??? I used Preen, barrier, killers, rocks.
I hate this time of year.
But I finally got them to take a few laps.









This lead unit arrived last year or so from the SV&LVW railroad.










The track work is fine, but man would I like to cut ALL the trees down around here.


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Nice...............


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## Terry Jackson (Jan 4, 2008)

I have been thinking the same thing. I started cleaning up my railroad and my back aches and knees hurt and I got bug bites and scratches and I am thinking this is the last year for my railroad. Next year tear it apart and get rid if it. Don't ever buy a plant called CREEPING RASBERRY!! The name fits. I ripped it all out and found some track under it. Weeds weeds weeds. yuk!!! And the tree leaves !!!!!!!


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## Del Tapparo (Jan 4, 2008)

I know why my trains are outdoors ... The trains look better, the beer tastes better, there are actually other people out there that want to see my trains instead of looking for an excuse to get out of my basement, and you know there are many more good reasons.

However, I just got in from clearing ground cover from about 6 feet of track, and my legs are killing me already!

But look at the bright side Marty ... you don't have to clean track, repair wiring, or fix all of those locos that go jerk, jerk, jerk, stop, instead of hummmmmmmmmmmmmmm......!


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

BUT!!! Marty, what you did NOT use is the new Round Up Ultima or Ultra, good to kill everything for 4 months, and now Ortho has come with one that does it for the whole season, and NOT the grass. Gonna get me some of that NEXT to try, either this year or next. Roundup works as it says for 4 months don't use on yer grass though just weeds, the Ortho one when I find it is not harmful to grass!! Regal


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

I'm with you Marty. With a dozen tall pines behind my lot, I'd love a yard with no trees within a mile. 

As for the Roundup, utima or ultra, it's all a waste of money. The onlt thing that stuff does a good job at killing is the grass. Weeds thrive on it. 

I'll be trying the new Ortho product. 

Till then, *"Damn the weeds, full speed ahead!" *


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Diesel fuel, rock salt, and a little dish detergent... kills EVERYTHING, even thistles and dandelions, and keeps it all dead for longer than 4 months.

Of course, if you get caught using it, you'll also get a request to give a very large donation to the gubmint.......


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

I'm glad I live in an area that is very arid. Not too many weeds, and the few that do show up can be easily eliminated with a little RoundUp. (Having a layout that is 90% rock helps too.) No trees in my yard either, though there are a couple small ones in the neighbor's yards.


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By rlvette on 08 May 2010 05:37 PM 
I'm with you Marty. With a dozen tall pines behind my lot, I'd love a yard with no trees within a mile. 

As for the Roundup, utima or ultra, it's all a waste of money. The onlt thing that stuff does a good job at killing is the grass. Weeds thrive on it. 

I'll be trying the new Ortho product. 

Till then, *"Damn the weeds, full speed ahead!" *

Randy, you are NOT supposed to put it on yer grass, yes it will kill the grass! Weeds only, the Ortho is for your grass and weeds just kills the weeds, not the grass!! GeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeZ Regal Oh well, it works for me!!


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

I thought about diesel fuel, but then if I sold my /our place I would have the EPA on my back. 
I really was discoraged today. Man I thought I did a good job. 
Our ground is SO fertial everythings grows like crazy. 
Even if I had a raised RR, the seeds and leaves would drive me nuts. 
Took the wife out for ribs tonight, all is well on a full stomack.


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

You people dont lisen??????????????????? if you go down and pick up a case of table salt and sprinkle it around your track and water it in your done with weeds for the year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA the student teachs the teachers.....................







and who said i just looked good and didnt know anything.he he he


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## Madman (Jan 5, 2008)

Another good reason for building the garden railway on a raised bed of some sort. I like the example shown in LGB's hardback book. The raised railway is on a wood framework, with hardware cloth as a base. then over the hardware cloth you can place gravel, soil, track, etc. You can have areas that will support plant growth by placing landscape fabric on the hardware cloth. It all drains well, and maintenance would be easier on my legs and back. The only downside, for me, is the exposed framework. It can be hidden with bushes or plantings of some sort though.


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## ThinkerT (Jan 2, 2008)

Makes me glad I stayed indoors...but now I gotta get back to the benchwork...


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

Marty,
Come on out to Gig Harbor and run some trains. I'll do the work,you can just run trains. The convention is here in Tacoma this year. Maybe a MLS open house at my place???


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## Dennis Paulson (Jan 2, 2008)

Its really easy to maintain an elevated layout ,







just lean on the 3 foot high edge real comfortable like , and pick out what you don't want



















































What a beautiful Spring it is on the Darlington Railway


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## pimanjc (Jan 2, 2008)

This year I got lazy and hired three neighbor kids to do the hand and knee work in exchange for some $$$ to buy their mother a Mother's Day present. 

I was very pleased with their work. 

They were pleased to be able to get their mom a gift, especially since she got laid off recently. 

Sadly, though, two nights later we had a thunderstorm with 50mph winds. The 22 trees on my layout dumpted a fresh batch of leaves, twigs, seeds, and small limbs all over the track and ground. Now I get to start all over. 

JimC.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

I've been watering those strange green things that showed up, green is kinda neat on the rocks. 
Oh I did hafta pull a fine healthy specimin from between the ties on the cribwork, brought a tear.... 

Yesterday the Original Flame thrower was back on the job, green rushes to brown....was 98 in the shade. 

John


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Marty's Got the Nebraska Desert Syndrome again. I sent a coded message to Carrie to hide the Chain Saw. ( Marty. Don't Read this next line ) The flowers are cute. 

You guys should be glad you don't have Paloverde Trees. They bloom and shed these White and Yellow pedals. It is a mess. Out comes the shot vac turned leaf blower.


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## yutzk (Jan 2, 2008)

Hahahah the MRL does EXIST! Nice to see that unit running Marty! I also got one of those KCS units now too...thing looks sweet! I need to black out the grilles on it though and itll look better. 

Nice to see the unit running..will look great on your RR.


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

Hmmm........it would appear that just about everybody missed the teensy weensy, itsy bitsy but ever so critical last point:_ a full stomach of ribs and everything's alright!!_ Yes, weeds _are_ the bane of our existence but the track work was solid and, as was pointed out, you didn't have to worry about track conductivity, electrical wiring or any of that nonsense! My recommendation is to store up on the beer and BBQ! It won't stop the weeds but it will make the recovery time more palatable!


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## Dave F (Jan 2, 2008)

"WHY would any one in their right mind EVER put..." 

I think you answered your own question within the question itself... Obviously none of us are in our right mind.. let's face it, we're all a tad off center..


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

Marty,

Just get some gardening gloves so you don't cut your fingers on the dandelions next time. Man up. They're only weeds.









And as much as it pains me to admit that MB is right, she has recommended to me that I weed my railroad once a week. That means every week. I haven't done it lately, and it is getting a bit out of control here too. It will be a PITA when I have to do it, and I'll be cursing all those little sun loving plants, too. But, she is right. It is a lot easier to pick the small weeds than to pull up all the big ones. 

In other words, you need to run your trains more often!!!! That's the best solution! Chemicals are easy and using them does not build character, as Calvin's dad used to say. (But, Chlorox would probably be the easiest and cheapest solution. And it will make your railroad all clean and sparkly. )


And Dave is right, none of us is right in the head!!

Mark


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

I Love Spring!

The miniature trees are all blooming and all of the deciduals now have their full complement of leaves. The fields of thyme are a bloom and make seas of miniature flowers.

Once you've established solid groundcover, weeds have little place to find soil to root. Keep up on the gardening all year and weeds just aren't a problem, at least in our area.

Now if I could just get the Canary Island Date Palm to stop dropping nuts...


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## thumper (Jan 31, 2009)

THREE words: PREEN, and SHOP VAC!

Preen keeps any and all seeds from germinating. Apply it early in the spring and then again in mid summer. Time needed: 5 minutes per application.

The Shop Vac will suck up most of the junk that lands on your layout, including leaves from the winter. If you are careful, the Shop Vac won't even suck up gravel. Using the long extension tube, you don't even have to get down on your knees. However, it won't take care of the sap/gum that give sparkies so much trouble. Time needed: 15 minutes for about 170 feet of track, start to finish.

It's more fun running.

Will.


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

5 minutes????? I don't think you saw the photos. how many Preen bottles does it take to do 20.000 sq ft?? well , not the grass areas. Shop died. I use a gas powered vac now.


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Ah the joys of Railroading. Good thing you never worked for the real McCoy. All I can say is if you moan and grone about it you should give it up. Later RJD


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## Madman (Jan 5, 2008)

Posted By aceinspp on 10 May 2010 06:48 PM 
Ah the joys of Railroading. Good thing you never worked for the real McCoy. All I can say is if you moan and grone about it you should give it up. Later RJD



But this is the place where we should be able to get some sympathy


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## Biblegrove RR (Jan 4, 2008)

I have a few sections I can no longer reach with the riding mower... therefore I want to kill it all, landscape paper then mulch and plant plants and trees. Concerning the use of Diesel fuel... and worring about contaminating my water supply etc... I think I'll have a few beers and after applying the generous does of Deisel.... LIGHT IT! mmmuuuuaaaaaaaaahhaaaaaaaaa


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## 6323 (Jan 17, 2008)

Have read with interest. 
Definitely planning on flowers cluttering up my railroad!! 
Will help cover part of the retaining wall I finished today! 
Or at least help hide small sections of it. 
Updated photos added to Rail Images.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Question for you guys that use salt or salt mixtures: Doesn't it cause corrosion problems, either for the track, the wiring, or other items associated with the RR?


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

And I have a whole crew of horticulturalists to do that for me


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## Cougar Rock Rail (Jan 2, 2008)

I just love the spring and all the new growth from all my little plants...but to help from being overwhelmed I find the secret is to do a little weeding all year round. Since I run DCC I don't need to worry about my batteries freezing up or losing power! LOL Also, by working at it all year youo get the weeds before they go to seed, and it never gets too out of control. Also get some good groundcovers to help out...let them fight it out with the weeds!


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## Dennis Paulson (Jan 2, 2008)

NICE , really nice layout photo .


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## Madman (Jan 5, 2008)

Posted By Cougar Rock Rail on 12 May 2010 08:59 AM 
I just love the spring and all the new growth from all my little plants...but to help from being overwhelmed I find the secret is to do a little weeding *all year round*. Since I run DCC I don't need to worry about my batteries freezing up or losing power! LOL Also, by working at it all year youo get the weeds before they go to seed, and it never gets too out of control. Also get some good groundcovers to help out...let them fight it out with the weeds! 













But its somewhat difficult to locate those weeds beneath two feet of snow


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## propbreaker (Apr 25, 2010)

If you do not want anything to grow in your Track runs There is a product called Sahara ( just like the desert named that) you can put it done with precision and it is garunteed not to allow anything to grow where it is put down for up to 12 months. I used not on a model railroad in past but on an R/C car track that we had an issue with weeds and it killed everything were it was put at never had a weed problem again and saved me hours of maintain on the car track. I plan on using on my layout when I get it finished.


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Great photo! Would be even better with a couple "artist" figures working on the paintings.


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