Crossing & Bridges in G-Scale Train Garden Railway Land - 07-25-15

(Blog & Photo Entry by Bob)

SD70 #5575 has left the yard with a selection of cars heading north.  The empty car-carrier makes a banging sound as they move across the level crossing.  The long climb up the grade curves around to a raised line overlooking the town below.  The hopper cars blur past the trees and bushes lining the rails.  Breaking the clearing, the train passes over the sleepy village below. The old iron truss bridge carries the train across the skyline toward the hills before its decent into the valley below and along the river to reach the big city sometime in the evening.

Leaving the yard in G-Scale Garden Railway Land - 07-18-15

(Blog Entry & Photos by Bob)


The day starts early as GP38 #4731 pulls in with a line of tanker
cars.  After disconnecting, the locomotive is taken for re-fueling
and a fresh crew is added for the trip back.  Switcher #7961
connects to the tanker cars moving them to a siding.  There, they
await a hook-up to take them closer to their destination.
On the other side of the yard, Switcher #1812 is breaking apart
another mix of freight of cars.  It hooks onto a gondola of scrap
aluminum and moves it to join with a flatcar of white PVC pipes. 
Later, the line of cars will continue their journey.

Loading Dock in G-Scale Garden Train Railway Land - 07-11-15

(Blog Entry & Photos by Bob)


Switcher #1812 backs the boxcars into the loading dock.  The orange forklift drives into the boxcars to grab the crates and pallets of goods. Across the yard the small crane lifts the pipe loads off of the flatcars into awaiting trucks.

Later, the empty cars will be re-assembled on a siding to await the journey back.  New cars filled with returning good will also be added to the queue.

The old red caboose has been waiting along time to be taken out again.  Maybe an extra large load or a maintenance of way train will need its supervision.  But for now, everything is quiet in the rail-yard.

Roadway Bridge in G-Scale Garden Train Railway Land - 07-04-15

(Blog & Photos by Bob)

Roadway Bridge

With the pond removed and great plans to make a babbling brook that would run the length of the layout we set aside a weekend in May to make it all happen.  We woke up that morning to buy the pump, hoses and rubber pond lining and... we changed our minds at that moment due to lack of funds and time to be able to work on it this summer. 

The hydro dam that divided the layout was the first thing to go.






The road tiles were peeled back, retaining stones and earth were relocated.




A 8-foot long bridge needed to be built that would be strong enough for people to stand on.  I was going to make an aquaduct but I wanted a thin long span modern style highway bridge.

I attached x3 deck boards together with 3" deck screws and 1 1/2 metal 'L' channels for strength.

 

The rubber road tiles were resized and I used smaller deck boards to make the walkway and side walls.






With everything weather sealed and resting on concrete blocks, I am hoping this bridge will hold-up for a long time.