Step by step - 2007

Planning of the yard

I chose 15,2 x 3,5m area for 1st stage. The area is on the left side of entry to the garden. The left side will be put through a tunnel with the right side. The track goes back to terminal railway station along the rockery. Into the future I´m planning to continue by arc back to the garden on the right (2nd stage) and extension on the left from shunting loop (3rd stage), too. You can see Panoramic view of the place.

A general view on the building site for the 1st stage. Major part of garden railway will be on the left.
The tunnel will be at the end of pavement. Terminal railway station will be on the right side.

The place for the 1st stage, meanwhile without ground shaping.
I have to cancel and I have to land up sandpit. I must set up edges and height profile, too.

I drew up the outline of a plan at first. I used a tracked template of LGB for detail drawing. All assortment of tracked and switches LGB in 1:10 scale is advantage, but large area for drawing is disadvantage. Yard plan took 6 drawing of tabloids (plotting format A3).
I found a "freeware" Right Track Software version 7.0 on internet later. You can download this software here - the size is cca 5MB. There are a free track libraries, unfortunately scale G (1:22,5) is missing. I used switches in 0 scale library and I made another straight track and curved track. Tracked tool has been in the program. You can set up straight track (you enter the lenght od the track) or you can set up curved track (you enter diameter and gradient). You may work with created track - join, disjoin, rotate or move this track. The layerwork is possible. The programme has extensive help list in English.

The lay-out of yard created in RTS 7.0

Preparatory work

I had to hack down two tries at the first. The first trie was walnut-tree, because his falling nuts could have endangered models and buildings in the yard. The second tree was old apple tree. I will set out new trees and shrubs during railroading.

Tree felling.

Site "without trees"

Completion of one row by the
concrete pavement.

You can see filled sand-pit,
completed earth and marked
altitudinal profile.

For marking of altitudinal profile
I used old lathes - point zero
was original green.

I used garden rolling board for
earth concretion.

Railroading of 1st stage

Site as good as ready for railroading - altitude of main station is flush, will necessary shape the gradient of line behind the main station and gradient of local line, too.

The first ballast laying from stone
quarry Zelesice. The fraction is
8-11.

Initial point - I start lying of right
station gridiron. Check on
gradient by water-level.

The track and switches lying on
ballast 4-8mm.

The right gridiron is almost laid in.

Detail of right gridiron.

I used feeder cable 2x0,75mm
for switch-points machines.
Decoders of switch-points
machines will be placed in
signal tower.

The line is gradient and merge
into curve behind the left
gridiron.

The track for next segment
of line.

Track at shunting loop are laid.

I changed track routing in
comparsion with plan. The line
will be at 0 cm altitude.

Climbing cruise in curve toward
main station.

Modified gradient of climbing
toward main station.

I recommend line gradient 1cm on 1m. Originally I planned 5cm on 1m, but I had to rebuilt hard it. Try test run with your planned longest (heaviest) train of wagons. I tried only single engine and in two days the engine with four fast cars skidded on the same place.

With regard to change of gradients, I had to change plane of yard. Originally subgrade crossing under pavement will be turned into level crossing at the end of the pavement. I changed track routing from shuntig loop, too.

The track routing from shunting
loop - the right track is climbing
towards main station, the left
track is continuing further to
the garden.

Deeping of ballast toward level
crossing.

Future level crossing.

The ballast of level crossing is
lied.

Next two track was
laid in the railway
station.

The right gridiron with the first
diamond-points.

All track are lied in the main
station. Only engine house
and tap line are missing.

Detail of right gridiron at station
"Javornik".

General view on the left part of
1st stage.

General view on the left part of
1st stage.

Start of the work on local line.

Slope stabilization by stones.

I checked practicability, after
previous experience.

Gradient toward trainstop.

View from future trainstop.

View from future trainstop.

Local line overrules main line by
bridges.

Bridge piers will be maintainance,
bridge crossover will be
exchanged.

Temporary crossing of bridge
No. 2.

Detail of bridge No. 2.

The place for planned trainstop
"Vresova".

The hilslope between main and
local line is campshedding by
stones. Some alpine plants prick
out, too.

Outplanting of timber species
round the lines.

Outplanting on trainstop
"Vresova".

Climbing toward the bridge
No. 3.

Campshedding by flat stones.

The hilslope onto main station is
campshedding by stone wall.

Building of the next section. The
track will be let into cutting,
because slope is too large.

The line let into cutting beside
the rockery.

The line is flush on the next
section.

Straight part of track before
station entrance.

The new building
terminal statition
"Orechov".

The trap sidig with bumper at
station "Orechov".

A general view on the terminal
station "Orechov".

Test runs

We tried a test runs before completion of 1st stage. We had to try the proportion of cambers on the track lines. The diesel locomotive V52 (train No. LV7001) went as the first. At the second, the same locomotive went with express wagons (train No. 2204).

The locomotive V52 is ready for
test run at the station "Ore-
chov".

On the straight part
behind the station
"Orechov".

Descending in the cutting beside
the rockery.

Level crossing of pavement.

On-coming to the shunting loop.

Thoroughfare by the shunting
loop "Dolni Kamenice".

Thoroughfare under the bridge
No. 1.

Thoroughfare under the bridge
No. 2.

Arrival to the main station.

The diesel locomotive is coupling
on an express wagons.

Departure of a train No. 2204 to
test run.

Descending toward shunting
loop under the bridge No. 2.

Thoroughfare by the shunting
loop "Dolni Kamenice".

Level crossing of pavement.

Climbing along the rockery.

Thoroughfare by curve along
the rockery.

Arrival to the terminal station
"Orechov".

Test runs of locomotive train No. LV 7001 and special train No. 2204 turned out well. Both trains complete the course without a fail.

Finishing work

Outplanting of a scrubes in
a future woodland.

Building of bridge piers by the
bridge No. 3.

Increase ground and building of
butress wall near the local
terminal station.

I used a palisade for maintenan-
ce altitude in the hedgerow.

Track lying before the local
terninal station.

A curve before arrival gridiron of
the local terminal station.

I´m bringing an earth and I´m
building a stone wall by the local
terminal station.

The entry gridiron of the
terminal station.

A general view on the terminal
station.

The LGB decoders for control
of cross switches and
disconnecting rails.
The cables fill by ballast.

The station building as a shelter
for the decoders.

A general view on the terminal
station "Smrk".

Sinking of wire trench
in the shunting loop.

Tap line from the right gridiron
in the station Javornik.
I´m planning a wood plant on
this place.

A view on the tap line future
wood plant.

Future engine house
(on the left) and tap
line of petroleum
product store.

I used the ballast 0-4mm for top
layer. I must clean the inside of
track, switch blades, frog and
guide-rails.

Detail of switch with conditioned
ballast. All parts, which comming
into wheels, are cleared.

Wiring of switch-points machines
on the left gridiron of railway
station "Javornik".

Cable laying under the ballast.

The cables will conclude in
a signal tower.

A small station originated from trainstop "Vresova" for train crossing.

Problems with a mole

!!!   WARNING   -   FIEND    !!!   WARNING    -    FIEND    !!!   WARNING   -   FIEND    !!!
I saw a tumps in my yard one day. This is not pleasant, because put track in order is very troublesome. This is time-consuming and it often repeat in addition. You can see next pictures.

A tump near bridge pillar before
the railway station Javornik.

Dissected local line before the
railway station Vresova.
The depth of groove is 10 cm.

A tump on the local line before
the station Vresova. An earth is
in ballast, I have to clean it again.

A tump on the tap line of wood
plant Javornik.

Dissected main line before entry
of the shunting loop Dolni
Kamenice.

I had like animated cartoon - small mole in trousers with big pockets, when I was children. But I already tumble to gardener from this cartoon and his: "EXTERMINATE THE MOLE!" Beyond, this is a protected species, but you can make his dollops and minitunels on another place. I will try an equipment for repulsion of moles and I will share by you with my accomplishments or failures ...

Intensity of pest declined during two months, but he didn´t thrust from the yard. I tried fumigate cartridges, cream contrary to moles and lemon tablets - mole doesn´t like lemon smelt. Nothing help me. He concentrates on places outside of yard at this time - sometimes he digs up plant or sapling. When I locate a new tump, I try to pack down the pock and I gravel the pock near track. A mole will move outside of yard, I hope.

Ending of 1st stage

Track laying of 1st stage is at the end. I will continue by building another objects, installing of lighting, completion of figures into yard and the like.
I remake yard a little compared to plan. You can see actual situation on the next drawing:

A sceleton sketch of yard after the completion 1st stage. The basic circle with the main railway station
Javornik, local line to railway station Smrk and line from shunting loop Dolni Kamenice to station Orechov.

A little numbers now. Total lenght of track is approximately 160m. There are 31 cross switches, from that:
16 left cross switches
13 right cross switches
2 diamond-points