3. Stage 4-December 2020 Upper Loop is Now Complete and Operational

The fibre cement baseboards have been installed and the track secured, the Upper Loop can now be classed "operational", a train was test run around the loop a number of times.

This now completes Stage 4 except for adding scenery, so the next step is to begin planning and construction of Stage 5, the Sugar Mill precinct.

The lower half of the climb has had some scenery added, this will be continued on the upper half when time permits.  Details of how it was done are provided in a post under "Scenery Construction".

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2. Stage 4-November 2020 Upper Loop is Now Continuous

Construction of the uphill track run has been completed.

I created a "ramp" and a curved approach to the bridge and then from there onto the upper level using "C" purlins and some timber for the road bed. I utilised the bridge from a previous layout to add some visual impact.  

There are a set of points at the bottom of the "ramp" that will allow me to put in a passing siding, the track for which has been "roughed in" and can be seen in the pictures. 

Points at bottom of the "ramp"

Looking down the "Ramp"

Curved approach to bridge

Looking across bridge

The bridge

Looking toward upper level

Loop looking up from bridge

View of grade from the side

All that is left to do is to put fibre cement base boards over the top of the purlins to a) allow me to add scenery and b) to catch a train if there is a derailment.

For the vertical scenery I am experimenting with using coloured acrylic house render over a shade cloth mesh base.

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1. Stage 4 16 September 2020 Upper Loop Construction Begins

Construction that takes the line that came down via the "High" trestle back up "Uphill" to where it started has commenced.

To save timber I cut a steel C purlin so it formed a "ramp" of sorts that carries the track up to a point where it curves and rises up to a bridge which after it crosses will again curve and rise till it gets back to the Upper Level.

At the moment all track components have been "roughed in".

I had to join 2 pieces of track part way through the curve and to stop a kink at the joint I soldered the joiners in place to give added strength (I have used this method in HO and it worked well).

 

I have some artificial turf offcuts and I have placed a piece against the "ramp" to hide it, I will contemplate using more if I can work it into the scenery.

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6. Stage 3-July 2020 Lower Loop is now Continuous; Stage 3 is complete

The Lower Loop track has been laid and the loop is now continuous.

A set of points have been installed at the bottom of the Upper Loop so that a line can be run into the "Town/Industrial" area.

A pair of points have been added to allow for the trackwork to run onto the proposed peninsula for the sugar mill.

Sugar Mill entry points

A Cross Over has been installed that will allow trains to pass between the loop once both are completed.

Cross Over Trackage

The first train around the loop was run and no problems were encountered.

Measurements were taken of the new Upper Loop incline which revealed that the incline is no steeper than the one along the side fence.

The pictures below are of the train on both inclines for comparison.

Train on new incline

Train on side fence incline

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5. Stage 3-July 2020 Lower Loop Baseboards Finished

The Lower Loop Baseboards are finished, they have been painted and the track for the lower loop can now be laid.

Next step is to lay the Lower Loop track and then it will be on to the upper Loop.

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4. Stage 3-July 2020 Lower Loop Baseboards are Installed

The baseboards for the Lower Loop running through Stage 3 have been installed, this now allows me to lay track to complete the Lower Loop so I can run a train continuously.
Once they are painted track laying can commence.

There is still some more work to be done to fill in the "town area" with more base boards.
The area under where the Upper Loop will run has been left vacant and will be filled in after the upper loop is finished.

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3. Stage 3-July 2020 Framework is Complete

The framework for Stage 3 is now complete; 
I added extra baseboard supports to stop the baseboards sagging, this became evident when they were put down as part of a trial fit. 
Once all the base boards are finally installed and painted I can lay track and complete the lower loop letting me run a train continuously around the loop.
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Looking toward back fence

Looking toward shed first Stage 3 baseboards installed

Looking across Stage 3 in front of Shed

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2. Stage 3-June 2020 Framework Build Started

The framework for Stage 3 build has been started.
The front posts were trimmed down to the lower level height but the rear ones were left longer so that the risers for the loop that will go back up can be mounted to them.
These will be trimmed later.

The white string shows the path the second loop will follow to get back up to where it started all those months ago.

The Helix/Spiral track contemplated earlier is not required because when measurements were taken of the whole track length vs the rise and calculations made, the grade is between 3 and 3.5% which will not be a problem for the locos.

Across front of Shed

Looking from Shed toward Trestle Corner

Looking from Shed toward Stage 2

Looking from Stage 2 toward Shed

Looking toward Shed from Firepit

I will finish the lower loop track laying first so I can run a train continuously while I relax before building the second loop and contemplate where I will put the industry sidings and buildings later.

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1. Stage 3-June 2020 Stage 3 is Commenced

Stage 3 has been started.
The first task was concreting in the posts that will hold the track baseboards for the upper and lower loop tracks.
They have been made longer than usual, so that the planned spiral/helix that will take the loop that "came down" in stage 1 back up to the upper level, can be mounted on them.  They will be trimmed after the spiral/helix is correct; this will be a complex build so extra time will be allocated to its construction.

This area is where the planned "town/industrial will be situated with a few sidings to provide some shunting interest included.

Looking toward back fence

Looking toward Stage 2

Looking toward shed

The proposed "sugar cane railway" will be built with the mill on the Left Hand Side of this picture and the rail running out to about where the dirt pile is.  

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