JJ & C RailRoad
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Construction of the JJ & C RailRoad Construction of the layout had been pretty slow... When you get right down to it, work outside didn't really start until early in the summer of 1998. I believe that we have been in the largescale hobby since Novemberish of 1994 and our first layout was a simple circle around the Christmas Tree that stayed out for many months before and after the holiday seasons each year. The next step-up into the hobby came in the form of a base for the circle that went around the tree. It ended up staying out an entire year before we had to move it to see if the carpet was going to survive in the living room. After that, it was test sections of track in the basement and small loops in the front and back yard rock gardens for playing. While the playing was going on we started to amass knowledge on all aspects of the hobby and anything prototypically possible. This was also the time that we bought engines and rolling stock. Now we have an area roughly 28' by 50' in the back yard just for trains and some plants. It is in an "L" shape and right on the inside corner of the "L" is a hand dug "Y" shaped pond that I think is close to 1000 gallons, it measures 11' by 13', is stepped in 18" levels and goes down 4'. There is one fountain in the center and a mountain that's not quite done that will provide the layout with its only waterfall. The mountain is also in the crook of the "L" shape and when you look at it strait on you will see 2 tunnel portals. One on each side of the mountain. On the right is an all wood tunnel with a planking design that is supported entirely by posts and beams. The left side tunnel will be made of stone in a half circle shape (an arch). The back side of the mountain is all open. Each tunnel is only a couple of feet deep but the perspective is one looonnng tunnel all the way through.The plans for the tunnels will be posted in the tech area of this site when they are done. It was the end of February 1999 before we purchased our track for the outdoor installation. It took quite the while to decide on the track to be used. First and most considered was all hand laid brass track on redwood ties, including all the switches. My wife finally talked some sense into me and the idea was given up until our next "new" layout. After that I got track samples from many sources and when it was all said and done Aristo Craft was the winner. For a couple of months the basement was home to 5 cases of 5' long track, 7 wide radius remote switches, 3 standard radius remote switches, a bridge, trestle's, viaduct and plenty of rolling stock. Most of it finally made its way to the yard one section at a time. All the curves are hand bent from strait sections using a homemade Railbender. The tightest turn is no less than an 8' radius and the widest turn is a 9' radius.All of the track is secured together using the Aristo Craft screw down rail joiners along with soldered jumper wires. Split Jaw Rail Clamps are used for all switch joints and any other lift out sections like bridge's and viaducts for ease of removal if repairs are needed. I have had all sorts of problems getting crusher fines to use as my roadbed so I finally threw in the towel and changed plans in early May 1999 to a roadbed made out of a beam and post system. The Roadbed is made of PVC sheeting and polystyrene foam made into sandwiched beams mounted on PVC pipes/post's set in concrete below the frost line (4' here in Michigan) no more than 4' apart. My decision to change plans was not only influenced by the difficulties of getting the crusher fines but also by external elements such as the darn Mole population in my yard and the different percentages of grade that I had. Ok, enough reading for now, I don't want to put you to sleep... Here are the picture pages so far... The Basic Layout Pictures (year 1) |
Questions or problems regarding this web site should be directed to Jon FosterCopyright © 1998, 2008 Jon Foster. All
rights reserved.
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Still under
construction.