Garden Railroad Update Aug 22 2022 The tunnel to INSIDE!



Well, it’s happened! We cut the hole in the wall and can now run trains in between the inside and the outside!

It’s been no mean feat! Lots of lost sleep, measuring over and over….Thinking it through, getting the cutting crew… which took over a month. And now much missing benchwork. So much more to do. BUT getting it done!

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43 thoughts on “Garden Railroad Update Aug 22 2022 The tunnel to INSIDE!”

  1. It's SOOO much better to be able to pull the trains in and park them, rather than hauling everything to/from!!!!! When you have a limited amount of time to spend on the RR each day it's amazing how much more you can get done when 1/2 your time isn't spent going to and from, and if a surprise shower comes up, it's quicker to get the trains under cover, too.

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  2. Good stuff. I’m planning on turning the wall to my shop outside into a five-stall engine house, but at least I have the benefit of not having to saw through concrete! You did great in getting the hardest part done. What are you planning on doing for a door? I know, a cat door!

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  3. I would weld up a steel support for the opening in the wall, or at least a header from some angle iron on each side of the block. Before you finish the opening. Great progress, this looks very cool

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  4. This is really going to be nice. One thing for sure, you will never be done. That's the fun of a layout always changing, adding, etc. I wish I had seen this 20 years ago. I have stucco walls all around my back area that would be perfect for this.

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  5. Good choice to have a professional cut the hole in the cinder block. They have had plenty of experience in cutting and the right tools. Just like he knew when he was cutting through the rebar in the wall. Us DIYer's wouldn't have know that and possibly thought something was wrong. Really making a lot of progress. Later on when everything is done you can set out side and run your trains and if some one asks how you were able to connect outside to inside you can show them the video. Be safe and see you on Sunday. 👍🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂

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  6. I am a belt and braces kind of guy.

    i would have cut to the bottom of the top bricks, side cut a bit on each side, and put in a support beam above the hole supported by the bricks on each side.

    Given your current setup, "as is" if you do not do more cutting, then a steel support beam above the cut would be an alternative, but not an ideal, solution.

    Many may say what you did is not a problem. But I have seen similar work "crack" above the cut due do flexing of the structure. So do consider some support above the hole.

    Hope this helps.

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  7. Yes, it is scary cutting a hole in the garage. But I can see all the practicable benefits of being able to simply drive the train outside when you want to while being able to store it inside. Looks like the garden railroad will not only be fun to look at, but it will also be fun to run the trains on. I can see having lots of fun screwing around with the garden railroad once it is completed!

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  8. If I may suggest…..

    Get a Large cat door or small dogy door ( at least one big enough for the train ) one with a removable sliding door and fix it to the inside of the tunnel passage .
    This will help keep the weather out but not completely insulated along with any Critters at night .

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  9. Impressive. You could really surprise people using that bathroom! Will you be adding a 20 minute or better fire door from the garage to the house now that you put a hole in the garage firewall? I hope so. I once issued permits to rebuild a fire damaged new house where a car fire got into the studs of the common wall through screw holes that were not filled and the heat was enough to let the studs smolder. That was an eye opener for me and I'm in the field. You should be able to design and build something simple.

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  10. Dale,
    It's about Time !!! I've been waiting for you guys to punch a hole in that garage to run your "Huge Collection" outside. Can't wait to see what you guys do next and how your going to keep unwanted creatures out of the garage. I too am at that point to run my trains outside, But only have cut holes in the drywall and waiting to see how our Colorado weather going to play into this. (I feel your pain) !! I had a lot of sleepless night on weather to cut a hole in my building outside.

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  11. Well. This is really good and progressive toward the next phase of the Garden Scale railroad. I often wonder if the outside part will have loops for continuous operation and have a suggestion. Recently after watching shows on the progress, I have thought about a tunnel at either side and a small helix to a hidden track with access to a track underneath the outside portion with easy maintenance

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