2. 12-April 2021 Cane Line Landscape Completed

Firstly fixed edging made from treated pine fence palings around the bottom of the posts.

Next I laid down weed control mat.

 

Then I covered it with Decomposed Granite "Deco".

 

This now completes the path around the inside of the mainline and around the cane line so I can now walk around both layouts and access them from both sides.  

Next the gardens under the cane line will be planted out when the cane line base board and the sugar mill are installed.

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4. Stage 4 18- February 2021 Mainline Line Landscape Completed

Around the back of the mainline there was a patch of earth in front of my shed roller doors that kept getting overgrown with weeds.

This was creating unnecessary work so to eliminate that, I laid weed control mat down then covered it with "cracker dust" (a type of crushed rock) then ran a compactor plate over it to compress it.

I then sprinkled dry cement dust over the compressed dust then lightly misted it, this caused the cement to set and hold the dust in place.

This provides me with a walkway around the back of the mainline layout so I can access one of my shed doors and the battery compartment.

 

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1. 05-April 2021 Sugar Mill Construction Begins

 Construction of the sugar mill has begun; 

This is the first part of the mill precinct, that will be the centrepiece of the layout, there are other buildings to be added e.g. a cane unloading facility, a molasses tank and a bulk sugar hopper amongst others to complete the whole scene. 

They will be mounted on a painted fibre cement baseboard, the main mill building sits on a base board 800mm long 600mm wide and is 400mm high.

I am using a couple of buildings that were given to me by a friend as a former for the mill shape they are made of thin timber that would never survive outside in the climate without a treatment of some sort, they were off an indoor layout and as I do not have an indoor section they were going to waste but were perfect for the shape. 

I am covering them with a cladding of galvanised corrugated iron to keep water away from the timber and a "damp course" made from cheap nylon cutting boards to try to prevent any water from wicking up into the timber and I am painting them inside with a water repellent sealer.  .

The corrugated iron was the frame for an above ground children's wading pool, they are now not allowed to be used by law because of safety issues surrounding sharp edges but are a fairly good scale metal cladding for my purpose.

To attach the cladding I am using a product called "Liquid Nails Landscape" which is formulated for outdoor use as the name suggests and will aid in water keeping water out. 

 

Side View

End View

Corrugated Iron Cladding

Molasses Tank

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1. 03 March 2021Cane Line Construction Begins

Construction of the base support has been completed, it consists of a 100mm x 100mm  post in the centre and eight 75 x 100 mm treated pine fence posts around the outside.  These have "joists running between them on which will support the baseboard.

 

Centre Post

Outside Posts and Joists

The next step is to construct the sugar mill which will be on a baseboard seated on the supports over the centre post, from there the rest of the baseboards will be fitted onto which the tracks to will be laid.

I am building from the centre out the idea being that once the buildings are complete there should be no need for them to be accessed unless something untoward happens

Around the bottom of the outside posts treated pine fence palings will be attached to form the boundary of a garden under the mill precinct and also form one side of a pathway around the layout.

A fascia will also attached between each outside post which will further strengthen the whole construction and give a finished look the same as the mainline.

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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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