Topic: Erskine Tramway grade extension

[MikeD]

A few missing ties wouldn't hurt anything, but it's really hard to hold the gauge when there are none 

Sir Arthur's ties were cast iron, so steel wouldn't be far "out of line".

This is as far as I will probably get this year....I don't know if the lumber yard will get me any more blocks until Spring.  Maybe you can see where the loading dock switch is lying....above the wheelbarrow.  I was thinking while I was at work, that I could cut a switch into the dock track, and come back towards the corner where the wheelbarrow is.  There would be room for a turntable and even a small roundhouse inside the mainline curve.

If I'm home long enough tomorrow, I'll get the new ties cut.  I think the track will hold up better with ties 

Mike

[Ferd]

Hi Mike
Would be very cool to do steel ties in true extreme narrow gauge style. I noticed they just put down a long stretch of steel ties in the ffestiniog. To me it would be very Decauville in style (very fitting with 15" gauge Heywood operations) Its always fun throwing out ideas, the line does look narrow gauge with the missing ties.

[MikeD]

Hi Ferd:

They do look good when they are finished.  They are the most expensive part of the project.  I didn't buy the blocks all at once, just one or two hundred a month over a couple years, so I can generally get them paid for out of a paycheck    In the process, my wife's got several new flower beds, so I got points for that 

Here's today's work looking North.  I really need to cut some more ties 

Best,

Mike

[Ferd]

Hi Mike
That's reasonable - the retaining blocks we have in the back slope are 10.00 a block and are only 9X6" 9" deep - adds up when you need several hundred.
Still even at 2.00 it adds up as you go through enough of them. It looks great so far, and I still love the 1/2 scale. 
cheers Ferd

[MikeD]

Tom:

A little less than $2.00 a block....so far there are about 1900 of them.

Mike

[tomc]

Mike,  it nice to meet you also.  Ferd was doing a clinic but i missed it so didn't see him.  Just out of curiosity,  what is that wall costing you?  I see a lot of blocks there.

Tom C.

[MikeD]

Hi Tom:

It was nice meeting you at Portland.  Here's where I got to today.

Don't worry about my back, I've got my "Company" issued back brace belt    The heaviest thing I handle is a wheelbarrow of base course.

Mike

[tomc]

Mike

You are making progress.  Don't throw the back out.  Keep us posted on your progress.

Tom C.

[MikeD]

Hi Ferd:

Thanks, the cars are Sir Arthur Heywood's design 

Here's what I got done today....twenty feet of landscape fabric and sub-ballast (base course, we call it around here) and ten feet of track.  I also went to the lumber yard and picked up enough tie material (treated 2x4's) for 30 more feet of track.  When I get one more ten-foot section down, the cars will be able to reach the next section of wall     Ballasting will follow....I can do that when it's cold.

Mike

[Ferd]

Hi Mike
What an extensive project - I am envious. I really like the look of the 1/2 scale wagons you are running. Looking forward to seeing the locomotive.
cheers Ferd yy cd

[MikeD]

Hi Folks:

Here is today's progress on the Erskine's retaining wall.  As the grade rises out of the Shop Terminal at 2%, it rises 4" in the length of 16-1/2 blocks.  So, I use the wall as a reference for my grade surface.  Until I'm sure that I can get a couple more pallets of block this Fall, I'm only putting two courses above the base course, to stretch my wall for the time being so that I can get some more track down.

Mike

[MikeD]

Hi Ferd:

When I get it smoothed out, it's supposed to be 2% up out of the Yard.  After it gets up to the surrounding ground level, I plan to follow the ground contours to make it as level as I can.

Mike

[Ferd]

Hi Mike
Nice - looks like a bit of a grade, or is it camera illusion.
cheers

[MikeD]

Hi Folks:

Last week, we had a landscaper out to do some work my wife wanted.  While he had his machines out here, I managed to get a couple of hours of dirt work done for the Erskine Tramway.

In the first photo, (new grade 1) you can see the present end of track and the rising curve coming up out of the "Shop Terminal" area.  The other photo (new grade 2) is looking uphill from the yard.  The track will go around to the left (West) to a switch, and then split to a loading track and the mainline will turn right (North) to go out into the "North 20" someplace....I haven't decided where yet, but the intention is to go out to the "Butts"

Enjoy,

MikeD