Hi All,

Time to report progress on my line.

It will be a ground-level oval (ish) around the perimeter of my garden, with a branch/spur to the train shed.
Extra sidings and passing loops to be added in later phases.
The garden is fairly flat, sloping gently up from left to right and front to back.

The first step was to survey the proposed route and establish levels, so that the ruling gradient and minimum radius could be established.
I got a half-price laser level from Screwfix, and made a rod from a spare length of wood and a tape-measure from an Xmas cracker.
You can just see the red laser spot on the "38" -


I then took the spot heights every 3 metres (10 feet) around the proposed route, and noted them on the sketch below -


The 3 metres between spot heights was measured using one length of Screwfix overflow pipe.
All 10 lengths were to be joined later to mark out bendy parts of the route, having just the right amount of flex as a 30 metre sinuous length.

It seems that the maximum gradient will be 1 in 70 (about 1.4%), and the minimum radius 3 metres (20 foot diameter).

More later,
Hamish

This post has been edited by westcott: Jun 2 2009, 07:06 PM

That sounds frightfully technical, Hamish

I settled for a level line

goopd for u, getting out and getting it started, now the fun begins!!!

Good for you Hamish.
Looks like you will have quite a long run.

This looks something like mine in outline. With the benefit of hindsight, I offer the following notes...

Depending on what trackbed you're using you may find small errors nudge that 1;70 to 1:50 so allow for that and, in particular, get the gradients on straight sections. I've found laden underpowered or manual loco's such as steamies can struggle a little with a combination of curve and gradient.

Consider a more interesting layout from the operational perspective. I like a long single line but do find myself feeling a bit envious of the 'operations' possible on other people's lines.

Consider making the trackbed wide enough for double track. Even if you don't track it yet - it makes good space for lineside bits and pieces.

Just noticed the 'www' link no longer appears here - my website's at http://www.flatlandic.net/flatlandrail/index.html

This post has been edited by cheeseminer: Jun 3 2009, 09:02 AM

Thanks all for the encouragement.
I sometimes often think "Help, what have I taken on?" when I look at the track plan.
The oval (ish) has to be complete before ANY continuous running can happen.

Cheeseminer, thanks for all the tips!
My theme is American main line, so I will be running long trains on wide curves.
Will definitely be taking great care to keep the gradients very even.
Yes, sidings and passing loops will be added later!
Trackbed will be PVC ladder, to be described later.

In the meantime, more progress.
Once a straight-ish part of the route was established with the PVC pipes, I marked down each side of it with Screwfix grass marking spray.
The pipe snake were then moved on to the next section, a much more curvy bit. (fnarf, fnarf)



More soon,
Hamish

to keep your spirts up, get something runng as soon asp... like u said, a curcle off track, loops, sideing can be added after, nothing helps a weary back, more than stoping for a second to watch a train go by...... trust me, im a idiot

Mike,
Thanks, yes I get a fix of running stuff by going to the occasional open day.
There's also an oval of test track in my attic if I get desperate.
I can give it up any time I want to, though...

Back on topic, here is the bendy pipe snake a bit further round the loop, with 2 pieces of ply cut to the minimum curve, and a piece of track to show the scale.
The inner piece of wood is for a 3 metre radius, the outer bit for a 10 foot diameter.


More soon,
Hamish

We can all give it up anytime we like Hamish .......... ......... honest

Looking back down the pipe towards the previous picture.
Building work for the train shed extension can be seen in the top centre.
A branch line will go from the main line just to the right of this pic, across the top and into the extension at worktop height.
SWMBO is all in favour of this, believe it or not.


Still to come -
pictures of the plastic strip for the ladder trackbed (just visible left centre)
first sod cutting ceremony

More soon,
Hamish

This post has been edited by westcott: Jun 3 2009, 05:36 PM

It certainly helps to get SWMBO onside, then the creeping expansion can begin - well come on we all do it

brilliant plan - I wish I'd planned our sunroom with the railway in mind - I can't get a rail into it without a major rebuild

The first sod cutting ceremony has been completed, after an excellent Sunday lunch.

Sorry, wrong picture in previous post!
Actual photo of SWMBO (Jane) posed with spade -


--------------------

Looks like your going to have a super railway, like how its taking place and with wifeys permission, lucky chap.

Ps whilst she's got the spade out you should have got her to go right around, Im sure you could have supervised her.

Hi Nemo,

Any relation of Captain Nemo?
Anyway, she wouldn't need supervising, because whatever she did would be right.
Amazingly enough she has never been wrong in the 35 years we have been together!

Back on topic again, with a brief description of the PVC ladder trackbed.
If it was good enough for Brunel, it's good enough for me.
Overview of ladder track method.
Rather than cut wide planks, I managed to find a source of recycled strips exactly the right size.
5x2.5 cm (2"x1") for the stringers, and 5x5 for the cross pieces where the stringers join.
These strips came from British Recycled Plastics, a great bunch of young lads in Hebden Bridge.
The strips are 3m long, and wouldn't quite fit into my car, so 20 went on the roofrack, and the rest just held the tailgate open a few inches.

Here's a photo of a piece of track resting on two of the strips.
The bricks are spaced 600mm (2') apart, the same distance that the ladder will be supported -


More soon,
Hamish

Hamish

Great news that you've broken ground (or at least SWMBO has...). Looking forward to hearing more as things develop. Can I reserve a slot for my live-steamie at some point. It gets rather puffed out on my set-up for reasons you will readily appreciate!

Cheers

Thanks for the encouragement, everyone!
Slow progress is being maintained.
Whatlep, yes, as many slots as you like, I owe you 2 already, plus brews and cakes.

Here's a jig I made to hold three of the cross pieces in place while I drill through a stringer laid in the top channel.


A pile of cross pieces ready to use -


More soon,
Hamish

And a length of ladder - one side with cross pieces screwed in place.
The other side is clamped to this piece and screwed on when this piece is curved in place, to set the curve.
Joints are to staggered, so the other side will join about half way up this bit, as shown.

Trenching work has started.
The trench is being cut wide enough for double track, although only one will be laid initially.
The tracks will diverge briefly to go either side of the tree.

Interesting track bed Hamish? I'll be watching progress with interest .

The trench has nearly reached the other end of the first phase.
Over half of it has been at a steady rise of 1:70, the rest is flat.
Eight of the ten ladder sides are now prepared - doesn't sound many, but they are each 3 metres long.

A crossover will go just below the bottom of the previous piccy.
Here it is being tested with the newest stock arrival (thanks ShedBoy!).
A pair of nine foot radius code 250 Marcway points plus some Peco track.
Rolls through very sweetly.

More progress!

The photo below shows the ladder being assembled over the trench.
It's supported above the trench on strips of wood.
The left hand bit is the half-ladders that I mass-produced earlier with the jig.
Clamped to it is lengths of 5cm x 2.5cm strip, with a join showing at the nearest clamp.
Amazingly enough the clamps were on special offer from Screwfix.
Clamping allows me to set the curve of the ladder to match the trench underneath.
I then drill the right-hand bits, and screw through them into the spacers.
When the clamped section is fully screwed together, I remove the wooden strips allowing the ladder to rest in the trench, and move on to the next section.



This post has been edited by westcott: Jul 7 2009, 02:13 PM

Here's a view of the ladder in the trench with some anti-weed ballast-retaining sheet underneath.
Also a short piece of test track.
The next step is to level and fix the ladder.

Every third cross-piece is 5x5 cm.
Each of these has a 1/2" inch hole drilled vertically through it.
The wooden strip on the right is to keep the ladder straight (on the straight bits!)
It was also used to keep the gradient even, when digging the trench.