The second coat of ballast

This page shows the track status as of October 2004. A few weeks ago I took delivery of another 2 tons of gravel. Most of it was used on the ride on scale layout and the lefts overs are reserved for a small gauge one layout wich is currently taking shape . This picture shows the delivery truck dumping the gravel:

The second coat of ballast was needed for two things:

To raise the track on the back side of the house in order to reduce the grades.
To build the ballast up to the level of the bottom of the rails, thus locking the track in place.

The following pictures show the entire track, in a clockwise direction:

In the next picture, you can see the first phase of the G-scale layout already ballasted.

In addition to the layouts, I've been building some brick pathways around much of the house. One area was left out, so it can only be reached by train...

The track in this next picture is not strait because if it were, some riders (you know who you are!) would rub their knees on the fence or the house...

In the next picture, you can see two pipes under the ballast: they enable rain water to flow through the ballast.

More stories coming soon...