Trackwork

[Graham Powell]

.... pictures of said garden railway on my website.  www.Highbridgelocoworks.com
rgds
Graham Powell

 

[CME & Bottlewasher]

Hi Graham :wave:

Thanks for that

The issue of staggering the rail joints was so as to stop or slow 'creep' etc. It can be done with flexi track using, to advantage, the issue of one rail being longer than the other (on a curve) and triming the chairs etc.. (some rail would, inevitably,  have to be cut eventually).

Any thoughts - anyone - on laying track in the winter months (if we get the chance)?

All the best,

CME :wave:

 

[Graham Powell]

HI, When laid originally it had staggered joints but since its had so much work done it I just reverted to but joints.  I usually put a piece of 1/16 brass across the rail joiners i.e. between sections of track as I lay it as an expansion gap.  You may find it moves about a little bit but at some point it will find a datum point and stop there.  I think sometimes I will build all the locos with compensation then I put one of the rigid ones on , it runs smoothly, never derails and I think I won't bother. Got a feeling I shall go for compensation in future though.
Great fun, though mine is going through winter maintenance at the moment . No more trains till next may :-[
rgds
Graham Powell 8)

 

[Jordan]

Just teasing.

None taken 

If you have staggered rail joints, then you can have regular tie (sleeper) spacing. In the US this is generally much closer than in the UK. In theory you get less of a dip at the rail joints, as both wheels on an axle are not dipping together.

I gather it was also to do with trying to minimise the problems of a broken rail joint; if a joint breaks on 'staggered' track at least there is less stress & less likely for the joint on the other rail to fail as well, something to be considered when your route mileage is in the thousands, not just hundreds of miles... :scratch:
The downside of this method is what happens to poorly maintained track, as discussed here, and evidenced in this You-Tube clip in that thread, from 1:54 onwards...:-

 

[Jordan]

In line with the actual OP, re ballast on Garden lines, I'd just point people in the direction of Phill's line....

No "proper" ballast, but it looks good enough to me...

 

[Graham Powell]

That looks fine and so much easier to maintain. Don't forget the maintenance aspect of a garden railway. It can become quite a chore. My wife has just cut back all the vegetation. Part of her winter clear up but the railway concrete top got damaged last winter so I will have to repair that in the spring. Once its all up and running though it is great fun!.
rgds
Graham Powell ;D :wave:

 

[Phill Dyson]

That looks fine and so much easier to maintain. Don't forget the maintenance aspect of a garden railway. It can become quite a chore. My wife has just cut back all the vegetation. Part of her winter clear up but the railway concrete top got damaged last winter so I will have to repair that in the spring. Once its all up and running though it is great fun!.
rgds
Graham Powell ;D :wave:

It's interesting you should say that Graham, my line was on a concrete track bed originally, but I found a lot  of drawbacks including the maintenance you mention. About 3 or 4 years ago I made the rather drastic decision to lift the whole lot & fix a wooden trackbase to the original concrete one & re-lay the track on this wooden base. I now find that my line is almost maintenance free in comparison, all I need to do now is clean the track, repair the odd failed jumper lead (I will try your tip of using bits of old etch for this  ) & cut back the vegetation from time to time.............I'm not saying that wood is the right way to go & concrete is the wrong way you understand ...........I'm just making observations about my particular line  :scratch:

All the best

Phill

BTW, as a testament as to how tough Peco track is, 99% of the original track was chiselled out of it's concrete ballast & re-used on the new wooden track base   

 

[Phill Dyson]

In line with the actual OP, re ballast on Garden lines, I'd just point people in the direction of Phill's line....

No "proper" ballast, but it looks good enough to me...

Thanks Jordan  ;D , it's very kind of you to say so  .  The track base BTW is mineralised roofing felt weathered to more prototypical colours using  B&Q timber fence stain , it probably doesn't bare close scrutiny but hopefully conveys the overall impression of prototypical permanent way.....................hopefully  ;D 

Phill  :wave:

 

[Simon]

Interesting thread this

I can't claim anything like the experience outdoors of Graham or Phill, but so far I am inclined to a "ballasted" approach to my garden track.

My track bases are pretty strong/robust, so the idea of my track being permanently fixed to them (by ballast) doesn't worry me. I glue my track down, using "Gripfix" rather than Graham's silicone, although I would think the results are pretty similar. Pinning it down presents lots of challenges, as far as I can see, I try not to do it on my indoor models either.

My ballast is "fixed" with SBR which is much more durable than PVA/unibond substances I think, so I do not anticipate any "all falling apart" syndromes.

I do take the point about ease of removal if damaged, if I damage a section of rail I will have a lot of "fun" replacing it with my tracklaying and fixing methods.

On the other hand, being G1 it is mechanically stronger and also being stainless steel and being held substantially in proper chair mouldings it should be much more resistant to damage.

Time will tell, in the meantime here's a shot of ballasted track for all you fans of chippings ;D

 

[28ten]

Im with Jordan on this  I had never noticed that it wasn't ballasted. more noticeable is the sweeping curves with a bit of elevation

 

[CME & Bottlewasher]

In line with the actual OP, re ballast on Garden lines, I'd just point people in the direction of Phill's line....

No "proper" ballast, but it looks good enough to me...

As always +1

 

[CME & Bottlewasher]

Thanks Jordan  ;D , it's very kind of you to say so  .  The track base BTW is mineralised roofing felt weathered to more prototypical colours using  B&Q timber fence stain , it probably doesn't bare close scrutiny but hopefully conveys the overall impression of prototypical permanent way.....................hopefully  ;D 

Phill  :wave:

I Phill,

I wondered what looked different :scratch:

Did you use the timber stain before laying the track - or was the track affected if you didnt?

Cheers,

CME :wave:

 

[CME & Bottlewasher]

Interesting thread this

I can't claim anything like the experience outdoors of Graham or Phill, but so far I am inclined to a "ballasted" approach to my garden track.

My track bases are pretty strong/robust, so the idea of my track being permanently fixed to them (by ballast) doesn't worry me. I glue my track down, using "Gripfix" rather than Graham's silicone, although I would think the results are pretty similar. Pinning it down presents lots of challenges, as far as I can see, I try not to do it on my indoor models either.

My ballast is "fixed" with SBR which is much more durable than PVA/unibond substances I think, so I do not anticipate any "all falling apart" syndromes.

I do take the point about ease of removal if damaged, if I damage a section of rail I will have a lot of "fun" replacing it with my tracklaying and fixing methods.

On the other hand, being G1 it is mechanically stronger and also being stainless steel and being held substantially in proper chair mouldings it should be much more resistant to damage.

Time will tell, in the meantime here's a shot of ballasted track for all you fans of chippings ;D

 

[Phill Dyson]

I Phill,

I wondered what looked different :scratch:

Did you use the timber stain before laying the track - or was the track affected if you didnt?

Cheers,

CME :wave:

No the track was painted too, the stain is water  based & thinned down/mixed, it has quite a nice effect on the sleepers too 

 

[CME & Bottlewasher]

No the track was painted too, the stain is water  based & thinned down/mixed, it has quite a nice effect on the sleepers too 

Hi Phill :wave:

Thanks for that I may follow your lead as it takes the edge off of the newness of the roofing-felt which doesnt appear to be 'weathering' after two years! :scratch:

Cheers,

CME :wave: