I started to plan the layout. RR Track software was a great assistance! I have decided to keep the RR within the confines
of the Praire Grass section of our yard. See the photo below. Somewhere in that tall grass is the start of the new layout!
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Raw prairie grass on the left! And above is the fresh cut. I will have to dig up the sod, place rock in the ditch, etc. Plus I will run power lines ever 20 foot or so in a Star Pattern connecting to a central point. The sod will be difficult to dig up. In doing so - there will be a ditch left which I will fill with gravel for drainage.
This is looking east from one of the current pathways through the prairie grass. The photo to the right is the freshly cut swath into the grass. There will be a lot of prep work needed!
Proposed layout of track. One big loop with a smaller inner "cut off". I may just run two main lines. The size of the initial layout will run 56 feet X 32 feet. There will be a trolly line running somewhere. There will also be switching yards. I was mostly concerned with getting the outer dimensions done...the below is by no means complete nor a finished product. There will be no curves smaller than 20 ft. diameter. I am going to extend the layout east [to the right]. In doing so, I will need to move dirt and have a bridge [the real reason that I want to move east is to have a big bridge].
I had a tough time deciding to cut heavily into the Prairie Grass. It is home to rabbits and some other small creatures but I am only using half of it. The eastern portion slopes away and is also a natural wash. I thought it prudent not to place my RR there as apparently the big Midwest Floods of 1993 made these natural runoffs a regular river! This hasn't occurred since then but why take a chance of a washout.
