ThomasI

Well, it's not that bad in Germany right now. But I think there are more variants of the same product in the UK, be it in terms of color or form. Then you realize that individuality in Britain is historically anchored a little longer than on the continent ... 👍😎

I think your design with the aerated concrete blocks always very complacent. Unfortunately, in Germany, such aerated concrete blocks only appear to be white and have much larger pores. All hardware stores in my area have only those, mostly Ytong. Although they can be worked well, but since they are very absorbent, they can hardly be designed with a satisfying result in a different color... When it comes to crafting and DIY, you simply have a broader and better offer in the UK.

ViTrains does 00 too? I'm amazed, you get nothing on the continent at all.

Hello Mick and Tony! According to the German regulations, even a real turnout has to be installed in such a place, the so-called protective switch (Schutzweiche), which directs the train to a stump track in case of danger. The stump track is in such a situation mostly but only a few feet long so there ends the train in the flora or the ballast. The advantage of the British variant, of course, is that it takes up less space and is likely to be less expensive to purchase and maintain. The advantage of the German variant is likely that, if a train is derived in a dangerous situation, the derailment does not take place on the continuous track and therefore no damage to the track, so far in the case of use, the consequential costs are lower. In any case, I also have to install some such protection switches, but I'm still not sure if I actually provide them with a functional drive ... ... at least in the outdoor part of the layout there are just a few good reasons to keep this effort.😎 Regards Thomas

So I need "other eyes": The transition between the left bridge part which is in a slight slope that runs out and the plane running in the right bridge part, is that still acceptable or is it too obvious?

Hello Tony. I German the plant is called "Eibe". A yew can grow up alone to a respectable tree. The yew has dark green foliage which looks like pine needles and it is evergreen. Their "leaves" but especially their small red berries are quite poisonous. From the route parallel to fence for routing parallel to the hedge I get a curve with 3.5 feet. Because this is a bit low for the high speed section, I did not want to go under 7 feet in the visible range, I plan the first 15 ° of the curve with 5 feet, then the next 60 ° in the tunnel with 2.5 feet and then the last 15 ° with 7 feet and transitional arch to the straight, then visible again. Regards Thomas

Hello Tony! At the yew hedge ends my property. Therefore, behind the bush will be a curve and the track will continue along the hedge. The curve may be covered with a tunnel. Since I'm going on vacation for three weeks on Sunday, this will only be tackled afterwards. Best Regards Thomas

The bridge is making progress. It still lacks the bow in the middle. But waiting for the curing of the whole two-component glue takes. For that I have already freed the further route.

The bridge construction takes longer than expected.

Under the bridges only landscape. I leveld the ground board to make it easier with all the pillars. I fix the pillars on that WPC-board and cover that board later with gravel and stones and a few plants so that it will look like a dry river bed.

The foundation for the next bridges. It is later covered with split and planted. The superstructures for the bridge of the high-speed line are already ready for installation. In front of the bridge of the high-speed line comes at a somewhat lower level then another viaduct of the conventional main line.

So, the construction of the next bridge for the high-speed line progresses. The first pictures show the model which I use as a template.

Hello Tony! Yes, lavender is also there, but also something that proliferates too much for me. But since the construction of a railway line anyway at the expense of vegetation, there is still a lot of changes. A classmate painted the "sky on the fence" for me and had it printed on a tarpaulin. Regards Thomas

So, from the switch we are now another 150 inches further. When tomorrow, hopefully, the finished boards of HPL for the Bridge surface come, I can tackle the adjoining next bridge. It will be about 120 inches long and up to 20 inches high.

Hello Tony! I do not (yet) have any australian electrics. But the Australian loading gauge is (at least in parts of Australia) much larger than in Europe or Germany, as is the case in North America. At an overhead line height of 63mm hangs an Amtrak Superdome already badly under the line. And a Chinese electric locomotive comes with lowered pantographs almost on the wire. 73mm is simply a compromise to use all the vehicles in my collection. Regards Thomas