Next step is to hammer a length of concrete reinforcing bar through each hole into the ground, level with the top of the ladder.
The gradient will be fine-tuned by sliding the ladder up or down the rod, and then clamping it with a screw through the side of the cross-piece.

Time to throw in some basic ballast, lay a bit more temporary track, and run a test train.
This ballast was Homebase 10mm, five half-price split bags.
It seems to lock the ladder in place well.
I'll cover it with finer stuff when the permanent track is laid.

One of the construction team acted as End of Line Marking Officer...

More ladder ready to be levelled and pegged.
The rectangle of wood on the right is the width of a single-track trench in one direction, and double-track the other.
Right at the top is where the double track becomes single for the loop through the dark, dark woods.
The other end of double track will be about where SWMBO cut the first sod (several posts back).



This post has been edited by westcott: Jul 7 2009, 03:23 PM

Now you are really putting us all to shame the quality of your build is incredible

<Blush mode on>Thanks Steve!

However, I'm really using this method because it's quick-ish for one person to lay, easy to level, and can be realigned later if needs be.
I don't fancy making shuttering and mixing concrete for all the track I have planned.

Hamish

OMG that's a quality build. Nice one Hamish, keep the piccies coming, we like piccies

That's the sort of clever thing I never seem to think of, I would still be carrying around two bits of wood.

A well known phrase involving short planks comes to mind

Like it, thanks for the photos re the ladder construct, wondered about this but never sure how it worked before. Especially the curves.

Question if I may re the the drill attachment / stand. I have seen similar for the small hobby type drills but not noticed any for the full size drills, could I ask were you got it from (may help me drill at right angles rather than being all over the place )

Thanks Colin

It's a "Wolfcraft 4522 Tec Mobil Drill Stand".
Got it several years ago for exactly the reasons you mention!
I also got a pillar stand for the drill - just as useful.

Hamish

Superb construction method, I wish I’d used something like that when I started. And being plastic and re-bar it’s going to last forever.

One point, your first post with the plan on shows a branch/spur to the train shed. Have you considered running it into/through the shed? I do this as it means I don’t have to carry stock any distance to get it on the tracks and I also built a 2 track traverser so I can build one train while another runs. Just a thought.

Cruzer,
Thanks for the thoughts!
The "shed" in the bottom right of the rough track plan is our summer house.
The "spur" going above it was to be my original route, now superseded by the lower route.
Yes, there will be a long 4 road train shed at worktop height with a spur.
It's at the bottom left of the plan, with its spur (not shown) coming down from half-way round the left-hand U curve.

Traverser - cool!
Any chance of some photos and a write-up?

Hamish.

Looking good Hamish

One very good way of having tight control of gradients

Just one question, what sort of soil is your reinforcing going down into, is it clay?

I only ask, as I doubt that that system would work on my soil, which is very sandy,

I think that if I stood on a bit of re-bar under the track here it would sink in further

Not that I make a habit of walking on my track, unless I can help it,

Also, except the wheel chair crossing that is concrete under

GraniteChops,

It is indeed clay.
The rods do hammer in pretty easily, but seem firm enough.
Must try walking on a test one.

Hamish.

Thanks for the details of the Wolfcraft drill stand will start looking

Regards Colin

The line just oozes quality.

Forgot to take a pic from outside the shed, but I'm sure you can imagine a shed with a hole cut in it
Inside the track is almost at floor level with a workbench above. The traverser is simply 2 sheets of chipboard about 5 feet long with drawer runners screwed between, one near each end and one in the middle.



Alignment is done with a brass bolt at each end. Electrics are all DC , so wiring is also simple. Near rail is wired to fixed rail at one end. Far rail is wired to the bolt at one end, seen top right in the pic below, which has two receiver loops one each wired to the traverser rails, so current is provided to whichever rail the bolt is aligned to. Make sure there is enough spare cable to allow free movement.

There is another trap door the other side of the shed with a similar bolt and loop arrangement except there is no wiring that side. I can make up a (fairly short due the size of the shed) train on one track while the other line is 'live'. It also means I can do it in the dry and without having to carry stock any distance.

Simples. You could extend it to as many tracks as the length of the drawer runners will allow, maybe 4, and as wide as you need. I was restricted by the space I have available but it works great for me. Still need a turntable to turn the beasties on though.

This post has been edited by Cruzer: Jul 14 2009, 08:02 PM

i love simple solutions, like this.
no alignment - no bolt - no current - no accident.

Yes, this is a really great construction technique. I wish I had thought of the reinforced bar, when I did mine.

I had every second crosspiece to be longer, dug the trench out a bit deeper, and then backfilled.

Also every other 'cross piece' was made specially so that I could easily screw on sidepieces to contain the ballast, and provide a natural trench for wires, and compressed air tubes (for points).

I wish I had taken more construction photos at the time.

I didn't put the ballast down until I knew that everything was working.

My first video shows the railway with no ballast.

dam clever ideas here

Cliff,
That looks really neat! I like the worm.
What material and size are the strips?
How did you form the junction just not quite visible in either picture?

Hamish

This post has been edited by westcott: Jul 14 2009, 11:02 PM

Hamish,

What material and size are the strips?

Recycled plastic, the same as yours, mine came from here: http://www.filcris.co.uk/

I used mostly 3m X 30mm * 90mm strips. Some earlier construction used 3m * 24mm X 140mm.

How did you form the junction just not quite visible in either picture?

It is just a question of fitting the base to the fixed points, rather than building the base and then following it with flex track.

See more here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nd_fqV3yRvk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsXxpzzwEA0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6NfZGnycjE

Regards
Cliff

Hello All,

Nico and Cliff have spurred (Eng=sidinged) me into more progress action.

Cliff, what is that red arch footbridge?

First I had to lay some more temporary track to do a bit of testing of the battery RC system.
This is large scale code 332 track, I'll be using code 250 for the permanent way, when I can find a good source.
This railway is strictly modelled on an imaginary US heritage line that runs the unlikeliest combinations of stock and locomotives.

The battery RC in more detail.

Controller is one of Brian Jones' MacFives.
Receiver is a remarkably cheap 2.4GHz set from R2hobbies.

The system works a treat!