A Big First Step!

Today our railroad took a big step toward the out-of-doors!

The initial 60 or so feet of mainline will essentially be a shelf layout that runs on the fence, the track mounted on 2x6's that will be supported by sturdy brackets made from 2x4's. All of the trackwork and the brackets are going to be supported by 4x6 timber posts. All wood is pressure treated.

However, because the fence runs right behind a gigantic oak tree whose canopy covers two houses, digging a bunch of holes through the main roots to sink the posts was not an option. Instead I clamped the timbers to the vertical posts of the chain link fence with these cool brackets I found on the Interwebs. To keep the posts out of the way of water and rot, I positioned and leveled a 6" x 9" concrete paver at the base of each chain link fence post to act as foot.

















I was working alone, so I used a nylon ratcheting tie-down to strap the top of the timber post to the metal fence post. This made it easy to get everything level and locked into place, then go around to the neighbor's side of the fence to install the brackets.

















Here are the results - supporting timbers for all the track from Cornelia northward to the outskirts of Demorest - the first stop on the line.













































Now I ache all over.