I just posted some new pics of my backyard railroad project, beginning with this one:
Next is a pic of our grand-daughters Shilo and Serenity playing with a temporary layout on the patio. This was taken when they came to visit back in June.
The next three pics show the entire In-ko-pah Railroad layout, from east to west. I had to stand on a ladder next to the house to get these shots. The east end is nearly complete except for the lower level and of course the mines and buildings which will be added later. The mid-section features a six-foot long, curved hillside trestle. The upper and lower levels in the mid-section of the layout have not been completed yet. Construction has just begun on the west end, starting with a lower level tunnel.
The next photo is a closeup of the trestles and plate girder bridge spanning the canyon in the east end of the layout. Next is a closeup of the large curved trestle. For now, I'm using the standard sectional track on the trestles, without catwalks, just to get things up and running as quickly as possible. Eventually the trestles will get real wooden ties, handlaid rails and catwalks.
The last two pics show the lower level tunnel on the west end under construction. The walls of the tunnel are made of concrete bricks and blocks. They will be topped with cast, reinforced concrete slabs. The middle of the tunnel will be accessable via removable slabs which also serve as part of the walkway on the upper level.