# Walnut Creek Railroad Building Post. Updates Often!



## yutzk (Jan 2, 2008)

Well I've dove into it yet again and after being in a new house for a year with no trains ive started a new railroad, this time dubbed the Walnut Creek R.R. 

Just like the previous RR I built ( Scenic View and Lehigh Valley West) I'll keep the thread here and one on Aristos forum, updated with new pictures and building progress. 

For this build I'm going completely with concrete for my roadbed which ill top off again with screenings that i had used on the previous R.R. Credit goes to Mr. Cozad for harassing me enough to do it this way. Its a pain sometimes but being we have a concrete business on the side I have nice bendable plastic forms( which youll see in my shots) that ill use for the whole build. 


See updated pics at the bottom!!











Where that little pile of grass is on the below picture is roughly where it will curve back around and go back past the shed.....its sort of an L shape layout.


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## Dave F (Jan 2, 2008)

Wow, great space you have there.. Nice to see another Marty-ite using the concrete roadbed.. Keep us posted.


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## yutzk (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks dave.....that fence was just put in last weekend, especially for the trains to keep people OUT that arent supposed to be there....I should hopefully have time in November to work on it depending on temperatures....id like to get all the roadbed in before winter so i can lay track whenever but we will see.


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

woow Kev, cool 
just remember to leave room for the law mower to get around. In your situation that road bed will work well.


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## yutzk (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By NTCGRR on 10/19/2008 5:52 PM
woow Kev, cool 
just remember to leave room for the law mower to get around. In your situation that road bed will work well.

Im actually going to get rid of the grass inside the track and on the outside will be another one or two foot of mulch. I'll chip the grass away after all the roadbed is in as thats another **** of a project in itself. It should start coming together well in Spring....


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## Guest (Oct 19, 2008)

Hey Kevin,
I think your going to need wider curves than that to handle the Macs no? im very interested to see how the concrete rd bed holds up up here in the northeast!!!thanks for posting








Nick...


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## yutzk (Jan 2, 2008)

Nick, 

I figure more or less Marty and I are in the same climate so what he sees for the most part I should see......its reinforced as well as there is rebar buried in the middle to keep it together. 

The MAC should handle the curves fine....the pic looks decieving but all my curves are Aristo 20 footers....biggest you can get without bendin 'em yourself 

More pics coming when i work on it next. I'll need to get another pallet of Quikcrete to keep going and thats a few weeks away at this point


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Yea Concrete Road bed. Greatist idea since Cross Ties. 

Lawn Mowers? Yea I remember those. Used one once. Yea now that I think of it I remember Snow Shovels Used them too. Been a long time though.


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

Kevin,

Has it been a year already?! Looks good! 

Mark


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## yutzk (Jan 2, 2008)

Some more progress pics from today. Next section thats formed will be poured next weekend. 1st pour got its track put together today so thats done. Mulch and finish ballast coming prolly in a few weeks on the first sections...


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

I like how it meanders around the property. Like it's actually going somewhere.


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## yutzk (Jan 2, 2008)

Pics from todays work: About another 25 foot or so of concrete is in now. Also placed in a Garden Metal Models bridge into a curve section. I will need the hole in that space for drainage purposes. After running a battery powered train thru that area it looks like a great photo shot as I've super-elevated the track a bit in this area.


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## yutzk (Jan 2, 2008)

Well we poured twice this weekend and we now have the entire main loop complete! Ran quite a few times around as well and checked some clearances on bridges and all seems well. Now we are onto the landscaping end of this project which will begin this week with me cutting out flowerbeds on the outer side of the concrete. Then we lay down mulch and finally ballast where the tracks are to finish it off.


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

*Sorry to be the one to have to tell you Kevin but the snow is gone you can put the plow away he he he track is coming along great you should be complete soon No????????*


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

And if id reed your whole post i would have known that DAAAAAAAAAAAAAA


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## yutzk (Jan 2, 2008)

Yeah nick lol gotta read!!!

I had the plow on it to check width clearance on the bridge. Needed to make sure the widest car I had would make it on there along with normal cars like my intermodals and the Evans cars...


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Kevin looks good. 
that form material looks like it ways some following the ground??? I take it that you leveled it or string lined it straight?? and side to side? 
I did not see, what is the name of the form material?? It bends great but sags some?? 

BTY don't forget to remove srews and add exspantion joints on them straights.


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Kevin 
That looks great. Glad to see you are making such progress. That Building with the flower boxes under the windows....Can we saftly assume that it is "THE TRAIN SHOP"?


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## yutzk (Jan 2, 2008)

Marty, 

It was leveled via a stringline that i pre-ran. I wanted to keep to the ground contour as well if i could so there are some elevation changes ( granted it aint like the old RR!!!) leveled the forms out side to side then too. Theres room for expansion on the track as well as I did remove some of the screws as well. 

John, 

That is the Train Shop most definitely!! Has a 20 foot each track, 6 track yard in there that I will eventually run to a hole to be cut in the side of the shed once im done with the core layout. The sidings I have #6 switches out for will be added after I do the mulch in the inner part. Then I'll put the 4 car coal siding, warehouse siding ( about 10 foot long) and then run the line to the hole to be added to the shed.


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## yutzk (Jan 2, 2008)

Did some running today to see how long my siding was and if it would fit my Intermodal train in it. Well it does.......with about 5 cars left to spare for it..hahaha

Anyways heres the pics. I may have to do something about my bridge as its not exactly the best clearance width wise. Might have the need to seperate trains and not have them on the bridge. I may build another sub-yard off the siding somewhere in the future for car storage since I have an extra #6 or two laying around but thats down the road!


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## Chris France (Jan 3, 2008)

Looks great Kevin. Can't wait to see after mulching etc.


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## yutzk (Jan 2, 2008)

More progress...some mulching is done and it was enough to place the warehouse i have. The warehouse for reference is 6 foot long and 2 foot wide.


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

*Nice.....*


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

Looks nice, Kevin, and I really do love your warehouse!!

Ed


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Kev 
looks good, may I suggest pouring a slab for the siding and warehouse and parking. leave a tube in the middle so you can install lights. 
siding can slope lower than the main. 
lay 3/8 rebar in a square wired together to bond the sq pad.


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

*Open House dates please ?*


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## Biblegrove RR (Jan 4, 2008)

Hey are those NewRay tractors? Most imortantly is this question... WHERE DO YOU FIND THOSE TRAILERS? scale? price? I need a source please! 

thanks


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## Rod Fearnley (Jan 2, 2008)

Try here John. http://www.actionfarmtoys.com/32farm.htm#1/32 TRUCKS & SEMIS
Looking good Kevin.
Rod


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## yutzk (Jan 2, 2008)

Marty,

I'll prolly pour a pad for it instead at some point but wanted to see how this overall look was first. The pad can always come later. My original plan was to do it this way but i had some large pavers left over so i dropped them in where I wanted the pad to be. 


Nick,

No Open House dates set in stone yet, but Im planning to have this completely functional and ballasted by July 4th as were having a party here that day with friends and family.


Biblegrove RR,

These are NOT New Ray trailers, but rather Aristocraft Roadrailers stripped of the decals on a few of them. Ive so far decalled a Western Express, JB Hunt and 2 UPS Trailers for myself out of Aristo roadrailers. Im on the pursuit of Triple Crown Roadrailers now so if anyone sees any somewhere I WANT THEM!!!! The Green trailer that is sitting there is also a custom job, 53' USA Trains Container that was formerly a 40' and a 20'. You can see the current Garden Railways for this idea and how its done in Martys Article on it ( and my inspiration hehe). Its lettered for EMP.


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## yutzk (Jan 2, 2008)

More pictures from today!

This pic is me putting on some insulated rail clamps so i can make the siding switchable power-wise








This is going to be the area where most of the buildings will be located .








The little wood thing there will be a coal loading area once I fill it in. 2 hoppers can be loaded with a front end loader here.








The rest are just other views of stuff around the layout.


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

has the neighbors showed any interest??


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## yutzk (Jan 2, 2008)

let me phrase this correctly. the neighbors havent shown any interest, the whole NEIGHBORHOOD has shown interest in it.....Ive gone so far as to have people stop while driving by and point and look. While I've been outside working on it not only have I had people stop and say " Looks great so far, cant wait to see it finished" or " How big are the trains that run on that??" to which I pull out a Dash 9 and tell them this is it, to which they respond "WOW!", but ive also had people asking when do they run and stuff to. At this point ive been too damn tired to go and get the battery car and stuff out just cause we've been out working all day long on it. Did 3 8 foot long pickup truck beds full of mulch into the layout today. 

We have alot of walkers in our community and it turns heads ALOT. I cant wait for it to be entirely scenic'd and running full blast with all the buildings and such that we have planned for it. Im no where near done yet but im getting to the fully operational stage soon. I now have both sidings in at this point and i have 3 switches left over which Im going to use on a 3 track yard in the back of the shed as theres a long straight area there which would be GREAT for car storage and we could switch this yard as well. 

The hole into the shed will come sometime later as that is also setup for entry and exit for the trains I have on a 6 track yard in there. I bought one of those 3 foot long EZ Railers to load cars onto the tracks if i was devoid of the yard in the shed so i have options here which is nice.


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## xo18thfa (Jan 2, 2008)

Great job! That layout is going to be a "kid magnet" once the trains get running full time.


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## RIrail (May 5, 2008)

Hi Kevin, thanks for the inspiration, that road bed looks great. I am in the process of putting down a concrete road bed myself. I'm still in the form stage (seems to go kinda slow getting the grades right). What method of mixing concrete do you find works the best (for such large quantities), wheel barrow, mixer, other? I'm working on my first 170" loop which is about 58 cubic feet of quickcrete. I'm a bit intimidated by all that mixing







, but I know its probably small compared to others like yours and Martys. Any helpful suggestion would be great! I can't imagine what it must feel like to be able to run trains after all that work!

Steve


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## Engineercub (Oct 18, 2008)

Kevin it looks great so far! I can't wait to start laying my roadbed. I'm glad your neighborhood has taken such an interest in your railroad too. In Tennessee I am afraid of vandalism or theft honestly. I sure miss PA. So many train lovers up there. 

-Will


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## yutzk (Jan 2, 2008)

RiRail, 

I mixed all of it 3 80lb bags at a time in a big wheelbarrow we have. If your going to do this for extended periods of time one of those mixers from Home Depot or Lowes may be a big help for you. If i was doing much more i was seriously thinking of getting one. 

engineercub, 
I was afraid of issues with vandalism too but thats why I put a fence up around the property and made sure it was high enough that it couldnt be jumped. My gate is also lockable so I make sure i lock it when im not around to make sure no one can get in that I dont want in.


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Looking good. Later RJD


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## GG (Jan 1, 2009)

I hate it when brilliant people give me great ideas ....









Keep on posting.. ! 

gg


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

That sure is some serious concrete work, Kevin. If I had a way to get to my layout easily, I would be tempted to do the same. However....... Being content with decomposed granite for ballast is fine for now. I don't have a problem getting down on the ground, it's just that getting up thing..... 

Super job. The layout is coming along right nicely. It looks like it's a joy to run on....


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## yutzk (Jan 2, 2008)

It'll be more of a joy to run on when I have the power hooked up and going. I can run battery too but i want the options hehehe 

Should have it running and ballasted by July 4th!


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

is it done ,,yet?????


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## yutzk (Jan 2, 2008)

i wish! I wanna run some trains and stuff.....still needs quite a few more weekends of work till its near done'ish....its never done though!


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

*OK now that you did your photo ops, can you please pack up and send back all my trailers and my building? he he he







*


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## yutzk (Jan 2, 2008)

you wish man!!! hahaha..it aint hard to build one but i have to do a little maintanence on mine already and its only been outside a few days...found a few places that need more glue!


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## yutzk (Jan 2, 2008)

Well most of the ballast is in. Started putting out some of the houses as well.... 

Alot of work still to do yet with roads and other scenes on the layout but ill have those setup in the coming weeks. The warehouse for some reason isnt holding up well in the weather even though i used "weather friendly" materials. Oh well..lesson learned...start over with new materials!


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

*I like it...







*


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## yutzk (Jan 2, 2008)

Added in some streets and other good stuff to the layout today and finished off the last of the mulch and ballasting. And yes im adding a 3 track yard as you can see in the one shot. should be 3 20 foot leads to park cars on.


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

I think you need to remove the patio, it takes up way to much layout room.


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## yutzk (Jan 2, 2008)

No way im getting rid of the patio....its too nice!! I got enough room for the layout as it is ...


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## Dr G (Jan 16, 2008)

Obviously your priorities are NOT in order







--one never has enough room, time or money for the trains. He He He. ( I hope sarcasm translates on the internet).

Matt


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

I'm proud of Kevin. 
I remember when his first layout was built at his moms house. He was just a litl-critter then. 
Now he needs to find some locals to have run times on sat nights.


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## yutzk (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By NTCGRR on 06/09/2009 10:20 AM
I'm proud of Kevin. 
I remember when his first layout was built at his moms house. He was just a litl-critter then. 
Now he needs to find some locals to have run times on sat nights.




There is a club around here but we dont get together for run days like other clubs too. mostly populate each others open houses for the most part once or twice a year. Ill be content in running when I can, and the 3 track yard should add a switching dynamic to the layout too.

Now to figure out how to wire up the sections I need to wire!


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## yutzk (Jan 2, 2008)

The 3-Track outdoor yard is in!!!! Each yard lead is 20 foot long. This will be great for operating. This should allow many possibilities for trains to be ran out on the main as well as some possible switching action with a battery car or DCC.


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

*The only problem i can see is you wont be able to fit to many of those new usa tri level rack cars in there, i think you need to exspand into the kichen? he he he*


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## yutzk (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Nicholas Savatgy on 06/10/2009 8:17 PM
*The only problem i can see is you wont be able to fit to many of those new usa tri level rack cars in there, i think you need to exspand into the kichen? he he he* 

Theres room for more yards elsewhere Nick...no worries!!!


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Kevin. Remember this very important fact of GRR. "ONE CAN NEVER HAVE TOOOOOOO MANY SIDINGS"


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## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

I'm seeing an awful lot of grass to mow there still. Looking awesome there Kevin! I'm totally jealous! 

Chas


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## yutzk (Jan 2, 2008)

Well its for the most part done and operable completely now. Tonight me and fellow LVLS member Barry Yeakel hooked up his control box he made for me to control the yard tracks and passing siding I put in. It works great!! Cant wait to have the mains chock full of trains come July 4th as we have a large party here that day! Pics below of the control box and general area and all the wiring I ran for the tracks. All those green wires are for the various power drops, about 8 in all.


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## NedsTJ (Apr 4, 2008)

- whistles long and slow - 
Wow...very cool Kev....(didn't you also get married sometime in there???) 
So when is the open house....or did I miss it!!?? 
Ned (fellow LVLSer)


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## yutzk (Jan 2, 2008)

yeah the open house will be in a month or so Ned....and yeah got married last September!


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