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| Posted: Fri Mar 9th, 2012 02:29 am |
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1st Post |
rogerssantafe
| Joined: | Sat Feb 11th, 2012 |
| Location: | Texas USA |
| Posts: | 40 |
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The Post Oak & Otter Lake Railroad began in December ’04 when the citizens of Post Oak want an easy way to travel to the resort Village of Otter Lake. That Christmas temporary tracks were laid to run a Christmas train, The Wonderland Express.
In March of 05, a land grant was obtained and permanent right of way surveying started. Construction began with the first revenue train running on June 5.
The Great Flood of ’07 caused several washouts of trestles and a mud slide that covered a section on track. Intense vegetative growth also slowed recovery.
With the clearing of the right of way and replacement trestles installed, operations resumed on a limited basis. The last official run was Easter ’08.
Track and grade realignment was proposed in the Fall of ‘08. Reconstruction began in ’09. The Golden Spike was driven on August 10.
Some photos have been posted in my POOL RR folder.Last edited on Fri Mar 9th, 2012 02:34 am by rogerssantafe
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Roger
Post Oak & Otter Lake RR
Coyote Ridge RR
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| Posted: Fri Mar 9th, 2012 02:40 am |
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2nd Post |
rogerssantafe
| Joined: | Sat Feb 11th, 2012 |
| Location: | Texas USA |
| Posts: | 40 |
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Now for the real story.
A temporary layout was set up around the Christmas tree in December 2004 using the track supplied with Bachmann’s Wonderland Express.
In March of 2005 a temporary outdoor layout using LGB brass track was placed on the pool deck.
Construction was begun in April on the permanent layout. The filled in swimming pool was ringed with railroad ties. The roadbed was 8” X 8” X 16” concrete blocks. The north end of the layout was left open for fill and for drainage LGB track was laid directly on the concrete blocks. As construction progressed, Aristocraft track was purchased to complete the 14’ X 32’ oval. The track was joined using Aristocraft rail clamps.
Low voltage landscape lighting wire, run through conduit, supplied track power. Five electrical connections were spaced about 15’ apart.
Ten yards of compacting sand was then wheel barrowed in to raise the ground up level with the roadbed and build a mountain for a tunnel and a waterfall for Otter Lake. After the filling was completed, two scratch built trestles and an Eaglewings girder bridge finished the oval.
As health issues developed, I needed to elevate my track. I tried to figure out how to do that, without moving tons of soil. When I came across Dave Fulghum’s Lone Peak & Western Web Site, I knew I found the way. After receiving approval from the CFO [wife], the first procurement of lumber occurred in December 2008. The track was removed and site leveling was done in early January 2009. Construction began using the techniques described on the nctxas.org construction page in late January; on August 10th all of the modules of the 17' X 40' layout have been completed.
The summer of 2011 was excessively hot here and led to curtailment of operations. When the weather improves this spring operations will begin again.
Last edited on Fri Mar 9th, 2012 02:44 am by rogerssantafe
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Roger
Post Oak & Otter Lake RR
Coyote Ridge RR
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| Posted: Fri Mar 9th, 2012 02:42 pm |
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3rd Post |
Herb Kephart
Administrator
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Pictures, Roger, pictures!
And BTW, welcome to FreeRails!
Dwayne, a member in Oklahoma, is doing something similar, except he is building in approximately 1/35 scale--Look at Gopher Light Ry.
And of course there is Woodie Green and his fantastic Mogollon Ry, 1/35 on HO gage track, and outdoors.
Herb 
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I get along very well with other people, as long as they leave me the @#*& alone!
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| Posted: Sun Apr 8th, 2012 04:36 pm |
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4th Post |
| Posted: Mon Apr 9th, 2012 11:17 pm |
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5th Post |
W C Greene
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| Joined: | Fri May 4th, 2007 |
| Location: | Dallas, Texas USA |
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Roger-great photos! I assume that you take the structures inside before rain and snow. Do you cover the layout with anything? It looks like the snow took care of covering things. I remember that 2010 snow, I had to sweep the white stuff off the layout several times fearing the weight would collapse things!
Woodie
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Go ahead, make my day!
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| Posted: Tue Apr 10th, 2012 01:21 am |
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6th Post |
rogerssantafe
| Joined: | Sat Feb 11th, 2012 |
| Location: | Texas USA |
| Posts: | 40 |
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Yes, everything comes in at the end of a run session.
I was concerned about the snow weighing the layout down, but I'm not very steady on the icy pool deck so I didn't venture past the edge of the porch to take the photos.
Roger
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Roger
Post Oak & Otter Lake RR
Coyote Ridge RR
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| Posted: Tue May 1st, 2012 04:39 pm |
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7th Post |
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