I was going to reply with a link to a video, but I couldn't find one, so I'll describe it and plan to make a video when the weather is more conducive to laying track. When I'm laying track on a curve, I might give the rail a slight bend over my knee, but not too much bend. Then I lay one stick of rail around the curve and spike it down. Then I'll go back to the second rail, and using a couple of gauges, I'll spike it down, following the first rail. If it's a wide curve, no bending is necessary. The secret is to plan out the route ahead of time and make the curves as wide as possible.
Hahahaha!!! I had to laugh...when I was a kid, I recall my dad, who was a machinist by both hobby and vocation, judging hardware stores as being worthy of the term by whether or not they carried "10-32 brass screws!"
Great video! I could watch this all day, laying track and ballast. The camera work, especially having it low mounted in front of the ballast hopper while depositing the ballast was especially interesting. Hope to see more of this on both railroads!
Thanks for watching! The only reason we're living the dream is because we decided to stop dreaming and make it happen. I've built most of the MLBK on a very low 5 figure income until I got a mid 5 figure income job. I still dream of the day when I make $60k a year. That's part of the reason I have so many unfinished projects. I don't know what Bill makes a year, but he's a model manufacturer, so he's got a lot of overhead and a business that works on a feast or famine cycle. Living the dream takes a lot of work and dedication, but it's totally worth it. I would encourage you to live the dream also.
@MillBrookRailroad yes, me too! I love watching the expansion projects you have in the works. Really excited for Woodchuck Siding, the expansion, and connecting the turntable to the end by the Sugar Shack.
That battery operated ballast regulator was cool! I wonder if we could make some sort of a cart with that doodad on the end and put some sort of a bucket-lift on it to raise and lower the brush. Do they make insulated rail joints for using electrified blocks of track? I would absolutely love to experiment with railroad signaling on this scale. I've worked on the 12-inch:foot scale, and I dabble with tabletop scales. But ever since that guy in Florida had me build him some signals for a siding, I have always wanted to see if I could put some sort of system in on this scale that would operate like the big guys.
You absolutely can build track circuits in this size railroad. You can cut your own insulated joints out of 1/4 inch ABS sheet. Being that the rails are aluminum, if you find aluminum joint bars, you can use Noalox to prevent corrosion in the joints and maintain electrical continuity, thereby eliminating bond wires. It is my ambition to have something like the old-fashioned GRS Automatic Train Control system on the MLBK.
Bill is using full width 2x4's standing on the long end. I use half width 2x4's, ripped down the middle. Bill's ties are 16 inches long, and mine are 12 inches long. Bill's tie cost is around 80 cents each, and mine are 35 cents each.
is there that much of a difference using a 2x4 on edge, and a 2x2 ? does it help with lateral shifting? nice to see the progress on the laying of the track, and love the dual action hoppers with the inner and outer filling of ballast. thank you for sharing a part of your day!
These rails were made in Ohio by Mill Creek Central Railroad. The tipper cars were made at the Stoddard Hill Farm Railway shop, better known as Banta Modelworks, in Dummerston, Vermont.
This is 7-1/4 inch gauge. The Stoddard Hill Farm Railway has 2-1/2 inch scale equipment, but he also has some 1-1/2 inch scale equipment. As long as the equipment is made for 7-1/4 inch gauge track, the scale doesn't matter.
Top track construction. Due to the brass lugs, the rail joints have a better tracking. Question: If you can sweep this electric broom to the ballast, not also attach a locomotive, then you can sweep the snow with it even in winter. I'll link to a video of a garden railway from Germany........ua-cam.com/video/SZEjxz9C95A/v-deo.html Greetings from Berlin/ Germany. Sven
Nice to see Bill working in the big stuff...I have a few of his kits.
What a difference having all the gadgets and gizmos make in laying new track.😄
I haven't laid any new track since 2020. I'm falling behind.
Now that's the way to build a railroad! Buy once cry once!!!
I don't think you'll do much crying with a railroad this size, unless you run over your foot. In that case, you'd want to get x-rays.
@@MillBrookRailroad who made those ballast hoppers??? I want to buy a few
I really love watching this being done but maybe you might be able to show how you put a curve in the rails and keeping them in gauge? THANKS Ron
I was going to reply with a link to a video, but I couldn't find one, so I'll describe it and plan to make a video when the weather is more conducive to laying track.
When I'm laying track on a curve, I might give the rail a slight bend over my knee, but not too much bend. Then I lay one stick of rail around the curve and spike it down. Then I'll go back to the second rail, and using a couple of gauges, I'll spike it down, following the first rail. If it's a wide curve, no bending is necessary. The secret is to plan out the route ahead of time and make the curves as wide as possible.
@@MillBrookRailroad Thank you for your reply and I’ll look forward to seeing this done, it sounds pretty interesting. Ron
Hahahaha!!! I had to laugh...when I was a kid, I recall my dad, who was a machinist by both hobby and vocation, judging hardware stores as being worthy of the term by whether or not they carried "10-32 brass screws!"
Very interesting video's. I love the mechanics of it....
Yup wheels at the back seems the most logical thing to do, since wheels in the front of the broom would also obstruct the ballast to move forward.
I sit mine on a truck. Works great!
Made for great viewing guys so thanks for posting bro. Safe travels. Ken.
Great video! I could watch this all day, laying track and ballast. The camera work, especially having it low mounted in front of the ballast hopper while depositing the ballast was especially interesting. Hope to see more of this on both railroads!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Merry Christmas, kids... er gentlemen!
I enjoy seeing good engineering. From the tipple to the ballast car designs. Smart is always less work.
Its so cool seeing how its done! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for watching! This is just one way to get it done. Browse around the channel, and you'll see alternative methods.
Keeper on railroading! Thanks for the Clip, greetings from Austria 🎉
The heavy duty ties are impressive. Awesome video, thanks much!
They're not really heavy duty. They're just easy to cut.
You guys are really living the dream. I love these vids 😀
Thanks for watching!
The only reason we're living the dream is because we decided to stop dreaming and make it happen. I've built most of the MLBK on a very low 5 figure income until I got a mid 5 figure income job. I still dream of the day when I make $60k a year. That's part of the reason I have so many unfinished projects.
I don't know what Bill makes a year, but he's a model manufacturer, so he's got a lot of overhead and a business that works on a feast or famine cycle.
Living the dream takes a lot of work and dedication, but it's totally worth it. I would encourage you to live the dream also.
Looks like fun!
It is! Thanks for watching!
Glad to see you guys getting a lot of track installed on the SHFR. Now it's getting close to time to put more down on your expansion of the MLBK.
That won't be until spring. Can't wait.
@MillBrookRailroad yes, me too! I love watching the expansion projects you have in the works. Really excited for Woodchuck Siding, the expansion, and connecting the turntable to the end by the Sugar Shack.
Always enjoy, thanks.
That battery operated ballast regulator was cool! I wonder if we could make some sort of a cart with that doodad on the end and put some sort of a bucket-lift on it to raise and lower the brush.
Do they make insulated rail joints for using electrified blocks of track? I would absolutely love to experiment with railroad signaling on this scale. I've worked on the 12-inch:foot scale, and I dabble with tabletop scales. But ever since that guy in Florida had me build him some signals for a siding, I have always wanted to see if I could put some sort of system in on this scale that would operate like the big guys.
You absolutely can build track circuits in this size railroad. You can cut your own insulated joints out of 1/4 inch ABS sheet. Being that the rails are aluminum, if you find aluminum joint bars, you can use Noalox to prevent corrosion in the joints and maintain electrical continuity, thereby eliminating bond wires.
It is my ambition to have something like the old-fashioned GRS Automatic Train Control system on the MLBK.
@@MillBrookRailroad would you use something simple such as an AC/DC track circuit or go more intricate by using a phase motion detector / predictor?
You´re both incresing track mileage and that remake of transcontinental golden spike ceremony is sure interesting. Sadly it´s snow covered now.
Everything is snow covered now.
Great video thanks for sharing! what size ties is bill using?
Bill is using full width 2x4's standing on the long end. I use half width 2x4's, ripped down the middle. Bill's ties are 16 inches long, and mine are 12 inches long. Bill's tie cost is around 80 cents each, and mine are 35 cents each.
is there that much of a difference using a 2x4 on edge, and a 2x2 ? does it help with lateral shifting?
nice to see the progress on the laying of the track, and love the dual action hoppers with the inner and outer
filling of ballast. thank you for sharing a part of your day!
2x2's are more stable and use up less ballast than 2x4's. 2x2's are also half the price.
...I might be a little biased in this one.
Supposed to make them last longer, which I'm also very sceptical of.
Would Trex artificial boards work for ties? They would last longer.
They do work, but they're not as strong.
Where yall at 😊
Have you considered Numbering your videos, especially the track laying ones, so they can be watched in sequence?
cant you pull some of that crushed stone out of the center before sweeping? seems like youre trying to push too much material.
It could be tamped more. That would take up most of the excess stone.
@@MillBrookRailroad Thanks for the reply. Love the videos. Really interesting how the track is put together
Blz esse trinho e dique material parece alumínio
Where do you get the mini rails and ties?
You can find suppliers at discoverlivesteam.com
I’m curious where rails and railcars are manufactured.
These rails were made in Ohio by Mill Creek Central Railroad. The tipper cars were made at the Stoddard Hill Farm Railway shop, better known as Banta Modelworks, in Dummerston, Vermont.
What material is the rail made of? Is it really rail stock or just angle.
The rail is made of extruded aluminum to roughly the shape of full sized railroad rail.
Haven't seen an update on this in quite awhile. Any updates?
None at the moment.
My last name is Stoddard 😂
I noticed there is no allowance for the rail expansion ?
You don't need more than an eighth inch.
What’s scale or train is this for ?
This is 7-1/4 inch gauge. The Stoddard Hill Farm Railway has 2-1/2 inch scale equipment, but he also has some 1-1/2 inch scale equipment. As long as the equipment is made for 7-1/4 inch gauge track, the scale doesn't matter.
What size is the train?
Top track construction. Due to the brass lugs, the rail joints have a better tracking. Question: If you can sweep this electric broom to the ballast, not also attach a locomotive, then you can sweep the snow with it even in winter. I'll link to a video of a garden railway from Germany........ua-cam.com/video/SZEjxz9C95A/v-deo.html Greetings from Berlin/ Germany. Sven
In a normal year, the snow gets too deep here for a sweeper of that size. The motor would burn out easily. We use wedge plows.
Bello , ma prove fatte il legno lavora e si consuma con grossi problemi di percorso
That's why we do regular maintenance.