Starting to think, maybe I can use this tear down to rebuild entire roadbed. And go with a concrete base instead. Will be MUCH easier to level, I think! Grades could be a problem, but not completely sure. Gotta do some searching for concrete roadbed. Construction methods etc... Have thought about this, and have wanted to do this for so time, so maybe.....??
Cooled down a bit, and have actually started on another rebuild. Extending the length of the grades I had. Watered things in tonight. Hoping by doing so, things will settle in, and that it should hopefully be easier to create a mild grade when track is ready to go down, again. Still toying with the idea of adding sections of concrete roadbed as well. Mainly in front, between a coule of switches and a couple of drainage locations. And along the side, where things could definitely use some help. May take a while to get this done, but I hope it'll help. IF I can find body mount Kadee couplers, that should help out a bit as well. Noticing coupler sag on the truck mounted couplers. A source of unwanted uncoupling and derailments. Will be interesting to see how this plays out.
Looking at the Kadee web site, I am surprised there is nothing noted as being specific to body mounting couplers. I am wondering if you could cut the boxes off exiting truck mounts, and use the stock conversion in those?
I suppose it's possible. Would have to build a mounting pad for them, to get the to the right height. With things down for a while now, I can look into it a bit more. A challenge, but possible, somehow!
Tested a styrene mount, that seems to work so far! Need to let things dry and get a screw hole drilled. Then test couple height behind a locomotive and see how it matches up. Should have time. Not much work to be done rwith building, yet again! Temperatures over the next r days are gonna be right near the 100* mark!! A little dirt work, maybe, in the evening, after it almost cools down some. Same with watering. Set sprinkler up tonight, watering plants as well as new road grade. Hopefully, helping fresh dirt to settle in, as I. Make an attempt to ease the grade(s). Still thinking of laying in a concrete base, along a few selected sections of the railroad. To help keep switches clear, and certain sections of track level! Also thing by doing that, it will hold Half size cinder blocks in place, used as drainage culverts. And maybe help hold a couple of decorative blocks, that I want to use as bridge supports, for a 48" wooden bridge! It's looking up, for now. Gotta reassemble ALL of the track I ripped out next. That'll take a lot longer than it did ripping it out! Not sure if I'll get to the point of having things running again or not this year. If things go smoothly, I think I might expect to be running again fairly soon. If testing goes well anyway! Gonna TRY to keep my fingers crossed that everything goes smooth!! Hopefully, I'll be able to keep my cool for a while! Didn't damage anything, but came way too close to doing major damage!! Think the rebuild was a very BAD idea, but it was needed, given a few problems that could have cropped up in time.
Watered in dirt placed yesterday. Will probably water in again tomorrow evening. Added more dirt where necessary. Purchased a few cinder block cap stones today also. Placing those under switches, as I start the rebuild process. Reclamped track, from upper switch, to lower switch and got it back in place. Got cap stones placed and leveled. Filled under track where necessary. Need to clamp one more joint, after I get clamps cleaned up a bit. Gotta get the dirt out of them, since I buried them by accident! Once clamped in, I can connect power feeders. After that, I should be able to start test running trains up the new grade. Modified one flat car, for body mount couplers as well. Need to do a different car, so I can test a decent train up grade. Flat car just doesn't have the weight to stay on the track! Not with several cars behind it anyway!! Slowly getting back, may put and hour, to maybe an hour and a half in in the evening. May not be much, but I'm getting things done! And so far, it's looking good. Just gotta see if it runs good! Not going to ballast track yet, until it's been soaked pretty good a couple more times! Gotta make sure dirt is settled in good! So far, so good. Will see what happens tomorrow.
This time, I think by doing a little bit every day will help. I should be able to hopefully, minimize any problems because I decided to go too fast! Next, when current section is done, I gotta dig up the current drainage pipe and replace with 8x8x8 half size cinder blocks. Gotta make sure those are placed right, or I'm really gonna have fits!! Not sure if I'm going to leave them at grade, or just below grade, ballasting over them when I'm done. Just gotta make sure I can keep 3 blocks, sitting side by side, level when placed. Have an idea, but not ready just yet.
Connected upper track, and pulled out a short train. Test ran up and down with single locomotive, and 3 cars, then 5 cars and eventually with 5 cars and 2 locomotives! Quite satisfied with results. Had to shave a couple of high spots. But, no major problems. Still get some couple height differences, even between locomotives, but not enough to really worry about. Might be able to correct that, when ballasting begins. Now, to decide where to start work next. And this depends on temperatures and the potential for isolated afternoon storms. May take a short break as well, letting things sit and settle, checking again in a day or two, making adjustments as needed. So far, looking good, and running pretty good. Keeping finger, toes, and, if it helps, my eyes crossed, that things continue in a good way!!
With as furious as I was then.......I'm surprised myself!! But, looks to be for the better. I'm able to improve water drainage. Clean up many smaller sections of track, eliminating a few unnecessary joints. Thankfully, cooler heads/times have prevailed! May be too hot over the next day or two, so I might not be doing much. Think I may also take a break for a while, before resuming work. Big yard/garage sale across the street in the AM. So, plenty of traffic for the day! Then again.....
Spent just enough time Tuesday, to get a couple more cinder block cap stones placed and leveled. Finished with second one, and called it quits!! I was getting too hot, and had sweat rolling down my face! Thankfully, I did NOT get it in my eyes!! And then, after dinner, it rained pretty good for about 5 minutes and cleared up. Overall, maybe 45 minutes worth of work. May not be much, but I accomplished something today!
Know how you were feeling. We had a quick squall line move through last evening. It did not last long, but watered the lawn for free, and cooled things down enough that I felt like sitting at my work bench.
Not much happening of late. Got hose and nozzle out and soaked down my track a bit tonight. Help get some loose dirt settled in. Might try to get another capstone or two in place tomorrow. Gotta see IF I can be up and moving early enough!! Or maybe start digging up the drainage pipe and replacing with half size cinder blocks. Although, with temps into the mid to upper 90's, it's been too hot to do work of any sort lately. That and I haven't been motivated to get out and work!
Figured I'd better get some current photos, before I get too far!! A somewhat overall view of work area. Track here lifted about 3" Added cinder block cap stones under switches. Hopefully, it'll help keep them kinda clean! Tunnel planned, just past cinder block "culvert". An overall view. Block on right are temporary. Planning to add another layer. These don't match what's already there. Wanted to see how the area looked with them in. Needed opinion from Mom also. Test train on bridge. Same spot, opposite side of track! Find the passenger cars are pretty good at troubleshooting track! The 6 axle Pullman derails on the curves! But then, curves are reverse superelevation! Outer rail slightly lower! Gotta try some of my narrow gauge stuff shortly. That stuff is notorious for derailing on a speck of dust!! Just too bad the K is out of service still. Gotta find my directions! Gotta figure out HOW to remove counterweights! Hopefully, a bit more finished tomorrow.
Started dropping block in place, closest to driveway. Had to move 3 blocks, after a quick test fit! Turns out, the pilot overhang on the K-27 JUST kissed a block, and the cab steps got stuck! The SD70 DRGW Heritage unit just barely cleared. So, a slight change there, but all works good. Tested the newly cleaned NW-2, with narrow gauge train, since couplers matched up pretty good. Was doing fine, until bolster screw on first car fell out. Again! Backed train up and first car rode right up halfway on the loose truck! Found parts, and got somewhat back together. Need a screwdriver to finish. Guess I'm going to have to thread lock the bolster screws yet! Not the first time I've had this problem. Other cars have come apart this way also! Maybe finish blocks tomorrow. Was a bit late, and still a bit too warm to do much, even at 7:30PM. Maybe when I get blocks in, I can think about ballasting and leveling that section of track. May water it in first, so it settles in better. Then ballast! Extra day or two maybe. And making sure my super elevation is faced in the right direction!! Curves lean OUT at the moment! Then to decide where to attack next!
Blocks added and replaced. A bit more dirt added, and watered in. Need to drop a tad more dirt on the inside of the curve. Once in and watered in again, I think I can start ballasting that action of track. Maybe test run first, then again, after ballast added.
Touched up the dirt around track, where needed. Being watered in now, as is about half the front yard! If dry enough tomorrow, ballast work may begin. May not do much this weekend. TCA show at Forney Museum. Will be there Saturday. At least part of the day. Shall see how I feel. Area where tunnel is going to go, may be my next project. Gotta fill in the area south of the track and soak in first. Still think I MIGHT have something running before winter sets in! Fingers crossed anyway!
Progress today. 7/29. Newly ballasted section of track. Also newly built retaining wall, to hold track/ballast in place! Built using landscape rock that used to cover part of the front yard. Ballast still wet, after being watered down with watering can to set. Been suggested that I finish small retaining wall, from current end, to the rock on Left. To help hold dirt and granite in place. Think this should hold things back! Trains, the SD70 and the K-27 did NOT clear the blocks that were in this spot initially. Remaining ballast work to south switch will be finished, when it dries out a bit more! A bit too muddy to the right of the blocks. Gotta decide where to go next! Think the south switch section is next, since track has been removed there. Blocking in drainage next! If I can get that done, I'll be able to run trains, on one, or both loops! I hope!
