Post your non-O scale stuff here!
Hi Guys ,well after a long break from the garden railway-build and with winter just round the corner I'm finally gettin a chance to do a bit more to things before the cold weather shuts down things till the spring. For the last few weeks I've been totally preoccupied re-hashing my old mother's place which was in a sorry ,run down and weed strewn state. Heres a couple of pics of the place then and now. Her new downstairs ground floor extension now well under way
Wow! You were busy! Looks like a different place!!
Anyway, about the only positive thing thats happened over the summer with my own garden is that the wee trackside area that I got planted out with miniature trees and creepin plants has matured quite nicely. Today am workin on finishing stonework . Would be nice to get things pushed on a good bit before next spring. Bought a few nice wee trees and stuff so with a bit of luck I might get them planted trackside before the year's out
Looking great Davy! and you did a wonderful job on your mothers place! Looking a up scale park. Wonderful work on both projects!
Mark Boyce posted:Wow! You were busy! Looks like a different place!!
Hi Mark, busy's the word, at my mother's place I had to finish the back garden before the extension work began .It involved demolishing my father's old brick garage .(99%) of which I buried under the new place.I also imported 16 tons of crushed rock,also used tons of sand and cement and ornamental chips. Laid/relaid about 100 concrete slabs. etc.,etc., the rockeries in front of the porch are planted with perrenial alpines ,so low maintenance will be the order of the day. Just the grass to cut pretty much . Once the builders are finished the extension there will be a decked area off it so ma old girl can sit out on nice days . I'll finish her decking area out with the same kinda flower box type fencing that I did in my own place.Heres my builder mates Chris ,Gareth and Colin happy at their work the other day... lol
Davy,
That's a lot you did for Mum! We had to move my Mum and Dad to a personal care home this summer, but have the empty house, out buildings, and 4 acres to maintain. Dad was hoping my brother would move in, but he works over 150 mile away, is younger than me, and couldn't get a high enough paying job in the area at his age to carry him through until he can afford to retire. I had hoped it would work for one of the grandchildren, even just temporary. So my sister, brother-in-law, and I am looking after the place for now.
On to your back yard railroad! The roadbed by the fence looks good. You have worked hard for Mum, so I hope you get some good weather before winter to make some progress of your own!
Nice looking Davy! What do you work on during the winter?
Hi Guys, hope you all had a nice Xmas and New Year, dealing with me old mother's senile dementia 24/7 and other life priorities unfortunately haven't allowed me any room at all for the railway hobbies lately so nothing to report ,just hopin things'll change for the better in the not too distant future and hopefully along with some good weather too so I can get the garden railway complete. Hope you are all in good health and have a great 2018. Davy 
Hi Davy, take care of the family! The trains are going to be there, plus you might want to wait for nice weather like you said! I hope you and your family have a wonderful New Years!
mike g. posted:Hi Davy, take care of the family! The trains are going to be there, plus you might want to wait for nice weather like you said! I hope you and your family have a wonderful New Years!
cheers Mike !
Hay Davy
Yes the Mom is first.
Wishing you and all your family the best for 2018.
Larry
Good hearing from you Davy . I hope this new year brings you some peace and joy . It's not easy being a caregiver . I've been in your shoes and I do not envy what you are facing . That's why its called "The Long Goodbye".
It's good that you have your garden to help take your mind off of things when the weather gets better .
Jim
Summerdale Junction posted:Good hearing from you Davy . I hope this new year brings you some peace and joy . It's not easy being a caregiver . I've been in your shoes and I do not envy what you are facing . That's why its called "The Long Goodbye".
It's good that you have your garden to help take your mind off of things when the weather gets better .
Jim
Hi Jim, long goodbye for sure. Its heavy goin. My mother and an old aunt are both in advanced stages of dementia and have no quality of life , they'd be far better passing away sooner than later. We wouldn't let an animal suffer in similar circumstances but modern medicine and healthcare keeps some old folks goin beyond what would be a natural time to pass on. But hey ho....it is what it is .... just need to make the best of it. Upwards and onwards !!
Hang in there Davy. Better days are ahead. Even if your mom can't express herself, rest assured she is comforted by your love.
Hi Guys, well my mother fell and broke her hip and that was the beginning of the end for her ,she passed away last week and her funeral is this Thursday. She made it to 90 though and all in all had a good long life . Sad she's gone but glad too that she's at rest because her quality of life latterly was very poor with no prospects of improvement.......
On the trains front,just saw this you-tube film of the latest 1/32nd scale loco products from Germany.... best ****ed sound and smoke I've ever seen...... WOW ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W556ur3R3B4
Davy sorry for your loss, but I think your right that she is at rest. Our prayers are with you!
Thanks for the video.
Davy,
My condolences to you and your family.
Sorry for your loss, for you and your family.
AS stated above, sorry for your loss. God Bless you and your family. And Yes she did live a long and fruitful life.
Oh Davy , prayers and thoughts for you and your family . Please take solace in the fact that Mom is in a better place and free of that dreaded disease. You are a good son .
I’m sorry for your loss. My parents are late 80s and my aunt is 92. They are all in personal care homes now. It is so hard to see those who raised you decline! You have my condolences!
Sorry for your loss Davy.
Bob
My sympathies to your mother, Davey.
SONG
End is in beginning; And in beginning end: Death is not loss, nor life winning; But each and to each is friend. The hands which give are taking; And the hands which take bestow: Always the bough is breaking Heavy with fruit or snow.
Davy,
Sorry to hear about your Mom. Cherish the memories.
My condolences to you for your loss, may she rest in peace and happiness.
Condolences on your loss. 
A difficult time that will be made better by the memories.
For all to remember: As you plan for the what will happen to your trains after your passing (in your will, presumably), it's well to think about all those end-of-life possibilities (such as life support, etc.) and make WRITTEN your wishes.
It's a good discussion to have with your health provider ----- sooner rather than later.
Hi Guys, ah well still waitin for the winter weather to turn to spring so I can get on with the garden railway again. However if any of you guys like steam locos as first preference heres a film of the last "real" workaday steam in europe. This coal mine in Bosnia is still using a few German built "Kriegslok" (war locomotives) BR 52 2-10-0 (although renumbered by the Bosnians as their class 33 type ) some great footage of them working last year.Sound is great . Theres also footage of one working a modern container train,so I don't know what the story is with this ?.... I take it the loco has been hired out or is on loan to the Bosnian state railways for the day ? ,whatever WW2 steam still in action in 2017 and as far as I'm aware is still the case now that we're into 2018. Enjoy .... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9-yqgnoQfI
Nice video Davy! Sure looks a lot like Bulgaria! Thanks for sharing, makes one want to go out and get a steam engine!
Davy Mac posted:Hi Guys, well my mother fell and broke her hip and that was the beginning of the end for her ,she passed away last week and her funeral is this Thursday. She made it to 90 though and all in all had a good long life . Sad she's gone but glad too that she's at rest because her quality of life latterly was very poor with no prospects of improvement.......
Hi Davy. I'm very sorry for the loss of your mother. My prayers are with you and your family.
Hi Guys, well after another pretty long break I'm finally back at the garden project.With my mother passin away ,dealing with all that and a VERY long winter this year I've had next to no time to myself and garden work has been impossible. Spring was a long time comin this year,with plenty snow and hard frosts,however the sun's shinin again so I'm back into things. Started work today on the back left hand corner scenic work. Will need to get back up the river yet again for more stone to get the trackside scenic stuff finished. Shouldn't take so long with a bit of decent weather on-side. Forecast for the rest of this week is pretty good so ..."make hay while the sun shines". The ground huggin plants and small trees are doin their thing nicely on the trackside run along the flower planter fence. Can't wait to see the trains running along there.The alpine plants I planted in the main garden have fairly spread as well. Anyway guys good to be back. Hope you are all well and doin good. 
Davy
Hi Davy , looks like it won't be long when we will see trains moving through that beautiful garden landscape !
. The weather has been lousy on this side of the pond too . Hopeful that we will have a nice summer ahead of us . Jim
Davy, nice to see you back! the plants are looking just wonderful! I too cant wait to see trains running!
Davy I agree with everyone, it is looking very good.
I'm back at mine as well and enjoying the beautiful weather and growing season. Everything coming to life it's a great time of the year for everybody especially a old guy like me. 
Keep having fun.
Larry
LARRY, you cant be old when you young at heart like you are!
Hi Guys, thanks for the welcomes back. Definately lookin at trains runnin before this season is out !...weather permittin of course !
Yes Davy, I hope you can get trains running too! I understand about weather permitting. Here in Western Pennsylvania we had a late spring, and now that it has gotten warmer we have had mostly rain! Next thing you know the leaves will be falling. (I have dreams about that this time of year; I wake up in the dream, and it's fall already!
Mark Boyce posted:Yes Davy, I hope you can get trains running too! I understand about weather permitting. Here in Western Pennsylvania we had a late spring, and now that it has gotten warmer we have had mostly rain! Next thing you know the leaves will be falling. (I have dreams about that this time of year; I wake up in the dream, and it's fall already!
Hi Mark, we had a long cold winter this year, the ski resorts in the Scottish highlands did great because they had a great ski-ing season. The Scottish mountains ain't all that high,highest around four and a half thousand feet, so mild winter weather is a killer for the ski guys but this year they got snow and hard frost right thru the season so they were delighted. Everybody else was glad to see the back of the winter this year. Right now we're gettin beautifull sunny weather. How long it'll last is anybody's guess but we'll just make the best of it while it's here. . 6.15 AM just about to head up the river and get more stone for the scenic work. Picture attached shows what it was like much of this winter. 
Yes, we are all glad to see the last of that. Beautiful to look at, but a little is quite enough unless one is a skier!
Quite a solid looking roadbed!
Mark Boyce posted:Quite a solid looking roadbed!
Hi Mark,short of an earthquake that roadbed is goin nowhere ... When I pop my clogs and somebody else gets this house and garden I just hope they ain't vegetable growin enthusiasts. (Unless theres plants you can grow in concrete and stone )... ha ha 
Hey Davy! Good to hear from you! Your mason/stone work always amazes me no Styrofoam and plaster for you. You use the real deal! AWESOME!
Seacoast posted:Hey Davy! Good to hear from you! Your mason/stone work always amazes me no Styrofoam and plaster for you. You use the real deal! AWESOME!
Hi George, cheers, oh well heres a couple of pics taken at the end of play tonight. Once the cement's cured I'll get that narrow trough between the stones along the fence-side filled with soil and planted. That curve will probably be the first to get the track laid. watch this space 
Looks great Davy! Plus how can you go wrong with a day with your grandson! Have a great time!
Hi Mike, sweltering hot here today, had some other garden chores to catch up with but got a bit more done. Started pinning fixing timbers on that curve. Pain in the butt and monotonous not to mention sore on the knees ! ,but makes the track laying much easier. Because the O gauge track is so much finer than G scale which I normally pin straight on to the timbers in the cement ,gettin the O gauge track up off the cement work makes for better ballasting. Bit of extra work but worth it. Givin it a coat of creosote as I go. 
Looks good Davy! Don't forget to take time and sit and enjoy your wonderful backyard!
Hi Mike,will sit back and enjoy it when its finished and the trains are running.
Davy Mac posted:Hi Mike,will sit back and enjoy it when its finished and the trains are running.
Everything looks great! Looks like you have a fine looking, young apprentice engineer ready to start running some trains as well. Obviously studying track laying and ballast at thins point in his training. There is nothing better than kids or grand kids helping you! They also have some pretty darn good ideas about this stuff too!
Looks like you have a good helper. That section is starting to shape up nicely! You will be glad you made the extra effort!
Hi Guys, never got much done yesterday but made a start to laying track on that curve. Will need to take my time with this though. The O gauge track being much more flimsy than G scale is much more tricky to get sittin dead level. Been testing it with a B&O coach with 6 wheel trucks which is very track-sensitive. The least wee dip in the track and she's off the rails. So will need to get the track leveling just right. Especially on the curves.The ballast is granite quarry "dust" or as we call it in Scotland "quarry stoor". I reckon if the coach runs fine then the rest of my rolling stock should be OK....we'll see ! 
Up early this mornin and got the outer track circuit laid and ballasted on that curve.Tested it with a French diesel loco ... running fine and no problems. So far so good. Now I'll need to lay the timbers for the inner circuit and get it tracked and ballsted too. Then I can complete the landscape work around that area and move on to other bits of the layout. 
That’s great progress!
Davy, that just looks great! I hope the weather is still nice there and that you still have your little helper keeping you going!
mike g. posted:Davy, that just looks great! I hope the weather is still nice there and that you still have your little helper keeping you going!
Hi Mike, I'm afraid the wee helper is back at school, he was only with me because he was on holiday for a couple of days. However when the main summer holidays start in a couple of weeks no doubt he'll be with me a lot more,especially if I manage to get a circuit of track complete and a train running. Spent the afternoon edging my sittin area in that corner. Trough work all round for plants. Also did some stone step building at the other end of the layout at the access point. Weather's been great and is lookin good for another couple of weeks so fingers crossed the weather forecast is right. 
You got some great work going on there Davy! Not only for the trains, but the garden is looking just as good! Nice stone work, I cant wait to see what's next! Can you do me a favor when you get a chance can you post a few pictures of your whole back yard again?
mike g. posted:You got some great work going on there Davy! Not only for the trains, but the garden is looking just as good! Nice stone work, I cant wait to see what's next! Can you do me a favor when you get a chance can you post a few pictures of your whole back yard again?
Hi Mike, I'll post some whole-garden pics soon. Theres a couple of places where I've decided it looks a bit bare of colour so I'm in the process of adding a few more stone troughs so that there will be even more colour next spring. The alpines are great, they've spread so well and hardly a weed gets a chance. Maintenance is so easy. A few plants gave up the ghost due to the severe winter weather we've had so they'll be replaced with hardier plants.
Hi Guys, well quite a productive day yesterday. The left hand corner of the layout is almost complete ,now movin forward onto the back straight section and turntable area. Have to have access to the turntable pully mechanism for maintentance/ repair so have done the scenic work in such a way that I can still get at it. Took the stonework right to the edges but left a brick-wide trough. Loose bricks cover the trough then in turn will be covered by loose natural stones.
good looking work there Davy! great idea to leave them loose in case you have to do some repairs! I like your turn table so much I have been thinking about building one for my indoor layout, we will see down the road!
Shaping up very nicely! I really like the stone work and the way you have done the little pockets of pea gravel with the plants in them. Nice looking plants too! It is all looking great!
Hi Guys thanks for the thumbs up !. Didn't get so much done yesterday as I had other must-dos to deal with ,however I covered the bricks over the turntable workings with some stones and also got the last stone step cemented in at the access from the patio at the other end of the layout. You can see in the second pic where the G scale line runs to the side of the steps next to the wee hut and underneath the O gauge track bed. Hoping to get a fair bit done today. Fingers crossed ! 
Hi Guys ,well spent this mornin sortin out the turntable centre. Again its a situation where access for maintenance or repair might be required so I bricked around the hole where the spindle is situated leaving room to get my hands in if required .Then I made a timber cover from two bits of board pinned together with a central notch cut out for the spindle. Its already pressure treated timber, but I gave it a coat of creosote for good measure. Rough and ready joinery work to say the least but easily enough pulled apart if need be for maintenance. Put some dabs of cement at each side.Once this sets it will hold the frame in place. Then I'll fill the turntable well with fine granite chips covering the timber frame as well. Another job almost done ! 
The turntable area is looking great!! Are you going to cover the turntable itself with something or lay the track right on it?
Looking good Davy! I too would like to know what your plan is for the turn table!
Hi Mark and Mike, the bridge of the turntable will be fitted with a timber top,bolted in place thru the 6 holes you can see drilled in the metal bridge. Then the track will be laid on top. I'm hoping to fit some kinda copper brushes or maybe small wheel fittings or somesuch soldered to the rails on the bridge that will make electrical contact with the two on/off roads . I have a couple of ideas but I'll worry about that when the time comes. I've actually got the turntable well half filled with granite chips and am about to head to the builders merchants for another couple of bags as I've run out of them. As I write this a heavy thunderstorm has just broken.First rain we've had here for weeks , Good news is its only here for this evening and then we're back to nice weather again.... fine wi me !!
That should look great!
👍 well done! Davy you should start a YouTube channel.
Hi Guys, just finished filling the turntable well with 6mm granite chips. Thats all I'll have time for today as I'm piping at a wedding this afternoon. Another clammy hot day here ,not used to this muggy weather . Still at least the sun's shinin !! 
Been lurking around your thread lately Davey. Everything is looking great. Love the details you are putting in- which is not easy when working with rock, brick, and concrete. Creosote? Really? That stuff's been banned in the States for decades.
Some how the weather gods have things mixed up. I live in NY and we usually have great weather this time of year but this year its been raining more than sunny. Been feeling more like we are in the UK than the US.
keep up the good work and keep posting lots of photos.
Bob
Nice work Davy! Have fun at the wedding today!
RSJB18 posted:Been lurking around your thread lately Davey. Everything is looking great. Love the details you are putting in- which is not easy when working with rock, brick, and concrete. Creosote? Really? That stuff's been banned in the States for decades.
Some how the weather gods have things mixed up. I live in NY and we usually have great weather this time of year but this year its been raining more than sunny. Been feeling more like we are in the UK than the US.
keep up the good work and keep posting lots of photos.
Bob
Creosote! Yes, when I read Davy's comment I thought I hadn't seen creosote in years! I didn't know it was actually banned, but no surprise. If some folk had their way everything would be banned here!
The turntable pit looks great that way, Davy!
Keep playing those pipes!! Both mine and my wife's folks immigrated here from Scotland generations ago, but we still like hearing the pipes. Maybe it's in the blood!
Davy
The turntable is fascinating to me. I want one badly on my build but just can't get the engineering process clear in my head yet.
Seems fairly simple but yet NOT.
But I'm cutting and pasting every picture you post on yours in a attempt to figure it out.
You build is really looking good over there.
Larry
Larry Sr. posted:Davy
The turntable is fascinating to me. I want one badly on my build but just can't get the engineering process clear in my head yet.
Seems fairly simple but yet NOT.
But I'm cutting and pasting every picture you post on yours in a attempt to figure it out.
You build is really looking good over there.
Larry
Hi Larry, the turntable ain't rocket science. The mechanism is simple enough. If you have a local scrap yard nearby /car/bus breakers yard ,go buy an old water pump mechanism or even a suitable axle end .Get a welder to weld a bridge on it (has to be level and centred of course) , All you need after that is an old rubber washing machine belt and a way to tension it and a handle to turn it.. I now have two turntables in my garden ,one on the G scale line and the one on the O gauge line. I'll dig out some old pics .Are you talkin about for the garden ? or inside ?
Hi Larry ,heres a good picture of a G scale turntable I built a few years ago. Long since demolished . Shows the turning mechanism. Also a couple of pics of an experimental power supply mech. The turntable was a one road on and off .The wires from the on road were soldered onto the rails and bedded into the cement bottom of the well .Then they cam up and were soldered on to the switch mech. When the point lever was switched it pushed the metal blocks + and - onto the turntable's rails .Simple power supply method. Albeit wouldn't be practical for a multi on /off road turntable. (Rebuilt Aristo B&O pacific on the bridge.)
heres another pic Larry, At this time I had 4 G scale track circuits ,a 3 track mainline with an upper level single track line. Was quite impressive but, the place was like a model railway with a garden in it somewhere rather than a garden with a model railway in it ... . This is the area where the new O gauge line is now taking shape. 
Very IMPRESSIVE Davy! I know the rehash is going to be just as impressive if not better!
P.S. Davy your up really late or up really early, isn't it like 2:30 AM?
I agree with Mike! Great looking!!!
come to think of it, I always agree with Mike! LOL
Mark Boyce posted:I agree with Mike! Great looking!!!
come to think of it, I always agree with Mike! LOL
LOL Only if I am not agreeing with you first! LOL
mike g. posted:Mark Boyce posted:I agree with Mike! Great looking!!!
come to think of it, I always agree with Mike! LOL
LOL Only if I am not agreeing with you first! LOL
LOL
Hi Davy
Thanks for the extra information and really would appreciate any other pictures. I can follow that idea of the parts hunt. Even that information helps explain the concept.
It's for my outside garden layout I started last spring. Not as complicated as yours but a lot of fun. Getting back on it currently with buildings.
But the TT project is going to be inside a building but for G scale train outside layout.
I have a additional track plan that goes from this existing area to one of my out buildings and it run the G trains in and out from the building hopefully with the assistance of a TT .
I really like the way you did those TT. Especially cost.
Boy the price for a factory made one over here is astronomical!!!! so I'm going to make one. with some luck
Larry
Larry
Nice Davy
Thanks for the extra pictures and I have a much better idea of a plan. My wife says thats scary lol
Larry
Well Larry, if ask most of the wife's there right in there minds! LOL But then again some of the stuff we do is scary! LOL
Hi Guys, Larry ..If your TT is inside it should should be even easier. Inside in the dry you can do it in timber. I've seen some pretty good home made turntables online. The very first garden turntable I made was in timber . I built everything onto a board (external quality plywood) Mounted the pivot and the turning mechanism (which was an old car steering column with steering wheel) It worked well and was sound in principle but the weather got to it in time. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of it on this PC ,nor do I know if I have any pictures of it at all ? Was back in the days before I had a digital camera.
Larry, found a picture online where the old car steering column TT turner can just be made out behind and just left of the 2 box cars. The steering wheel isn't even on it!. Unfortunately the rest of the turntable can't be seen very well but theres a wee black Aristocraft 0-4-0 sittin on the TT bridge . This was way back many years ago. Incidentally the wee boy at the front,Grant Macnamara ) is now an airline pilot ! This photo will be of absolutely no use to you building your TT but pure nostalgia for me. Have rebuilt the garden umpteen times since then ,but this current re-vamp is most definately the last ! Incidentally the red mess on the tracks wasn't the spilled blood of some terrible rail crash's victims it was an attempt by me to get a rust effect on the rails , however the oxide paint I used turned out oxide and nowhere near rust in appearance...ach well you lives and learns....
PRICELESS PHOTO !!!!!!!!! Davy.
Thanks for sharing your memories Davy! Looks like a fun time was being had by all!
PS check the crow in some of the pics. He/she ? and her partner think they own my garden. My wife feeds them and they've become almost tame. They turn up and land about 6 feet away and look at you as much as say...."OK...so where's the food ? " I;ve even see them fighting with squirrels over food. Last week I saw him take a lump of fur out of a squirrels butt when its back was turned.
WOW Davy, I think you have a great place to relax! I was thinking I would show my wife, but I don't know it could mean a lot more outside work for me and less time for trains! But I do love the way it looks! I could spend hours on hours just sitting there watching trains go around! Great Job!
Absolutely fantastic!
EscapeRocks posted:Absolutely fantastic!
Thanks David !
Your back yard garden is beautiful, Davy.
It is a super backyard and garden.
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