Large Scale Central

Fall Puttering '07 on the WV&K

Track and Trestles
#1

Some of you followed my adventures raising my railroad on pressure treated lumber. Well fer the most part, I was successful EXCEPT one section seemed to want to do an impression of a roller coaster as this Summer went by…

“Whut the Frack?” I says…and investigate… Pop the Fascia off, Holy COW!!!

I have never seen a 2x4 warp that direction before…Ok…its gotta be fixed… Loosened all the screws hold the deck down except on the ends…and soaked it with the hose for an hour…then knocked in a couple supports from below…

OK so Now I got the deck going the other way, but its supported and tomorrow I’ll pull the old stick of lumber and replace it with a brand new one…

#2

My goodness!

#3

My biggest problem withPTL is it’s TENDENCY TO MOVE as it dries out… When you pick it up at the lumber yard it’s wet as a newborn baby at 4 am… after 6 to 8 months in the sun its dried out some and it’s probably changed shape about 3 times… better to use white wood and paint and seal it than pay the extra for PTL if it’s not in contact with the ground…

mho…and eveyone’s entitled to it, …but it didn’t cost you a thing so … smile and enjoy the ride…

Mark

#4

Bart,

Next time you buy that “stuff” ask if it was intended for hockey sticks - lots of that variety at the Big-Box - or if it is ordinary lumber. It’s the stuff with NHL ambitions that just won’t conform.

#5

If you want quality, straight lumber stay away from HD or Lowes. Go to a real lumber yard.

#6

Warren I beleive that is EXACTLY the problem…the other sections were built with stuff from my local place…they don’t move a lot of it, so when they get it it does sit outside and dry, for a looong time. I’m thinking that particular stick was SATURATED with water if I read my notes right.

#7

Bart,

You keep notes on the lumber you buy?

#8

Bart, you look like you had quite a span there. I would say that your top should be supported at least every 4’. Also as a note, Richard Smith has commented that if he were to do it over again he would go to 2x6’s. With the weight of ballast and water during a heavy rain that might not be a bad idea.

#9

As Warren put it:
You need more legs. I’d go with 2x6 joists and fascias and 4x4 legs every 3 feet.
You don’t need treated wood for the above ground structure. Redwood will out last treated wood and look a lot better in your backyard.
Build it strong enough to drive on and it will last you a life time.
That’s my motto, anyway.

TOG

#10

Yes…I keep notes in my journal on darn near everything I do…I have two other sections built EXACTLY the same yet this is the only one that has a problem, and its the only one built with a different lumber source. This one is going to retain a post in the middleafter repair to hopefully guard against the same thing happening again…

#11

A couple of comments on this… Note that I use a 2x4 (cut to 2x3+ in some locations) laid flatwise on top of the side sills to both secure the sceening and fabric ends as well as for ballast retention and as a “leaning rail”. This forms a kind of “L” girder that also provides extra strength and may be one reason why I haven’t experienced any noticeable warpage.

Additionally I hand pick all the PT I buy and avoid buying it during rainy periods to avoid overly saturated wood. Whenever possible too I buy the lumber ahead so it can sit in the shop for a few weeks. Those pieces that show warpage are used for shorter cross members, etc., while the side sills are the pick of the litter. I am still supporting the sills every four feet and using 2x4’s for the framing. Where I mentioned 2x6 or 2x8 it was in reference to possibly eliminating the interim legs and/or for locations that must endure snow loads merely as an option for others to consider. You must look at your own particular location and needs and modify as needed. You can’t really overbuild, only underbuild. All construction except for the screening and fabric is screwed together with good quality deck screws.

#12

I’ll second Warren’s suggestion of using 2"x6" PT lumber. They rarely warp unlike 2x4 and any 1x stock.

-Brian

#13

Never let it be said I don’t take good advice from them that know…I popped the hockey stick off and replaced it…hen instaled “leaners” to reinforce the rails in an L girder style! I probably will install some intermediate supports in the near future…Funny…the leaner on the right side there is the Hockey stick with the bent section cut off!

#14

I see that you are making good use of the coffee cup to hold down the warped end! :lol: :stuck_out_tongue: :smiley:

#15

Hehehe actually it was the end closest to the camera that had the offending section…reallly weird too…the rest of the stick was basically straight! and it wasn’t bent across its short dimension at all!

#16

And Now turn around and start working on the staging yard…Gotthe first turnout done…and was well on my way to the 2nd, when HORROR! I ran out of spikes.

I didn’t wear my glasses to the Hardware store on Friday, and as a result got linolium nails instead of eustcheon pins…drat…those big things are real tie splitters… No 7 was able to back into the staging yard for the first time…

And then to try out the other route of the turnout…

#17

“No 7 was able to back into the staging yard for the first time…”

Feels good don’t it?

#18

YEP! Now I gotta knocks up some rolling stock to go with it!!!

#19

Hey Bart,

The switch and holding yard looks good.

It couldn’t be that light brown beverage in the glass mug that helped you forget or get the wrong nails could it?

I assume that you are running battery power. Anyway, I love the hand spiked rail and wooden ties.

Chuck

#20

Without batteries…and all that aluminum rail, he’d have to rename the railroad the WG&NW…Won’t Go and Never Went…:confused: