Large Scale Central

For Steve Featherkile - constructing ladder roadway

Track and Trestles
#1

Steve, Here is a pic of how I assemble my ladder roadbed. The clamp/vice used to hold the blocks is the vice that came with my Craftsman 9in drill press. The blocks were all cut to length using a spacing 2x4 on a miter saw, so each individual block didn’t have to be measured. The material I used was “Everlast”, a pure vinyl product.

Here the second side of the ladder is screwed to the blocks, laying the track on top to get the correct angle. This can either be done remotely [like this one] or on site. I found it easier to assemble, making the second side of the ladder the outside of the curve, rather than the inside of the curve.

Initial layup. Notice the splice area on the right end.

Two ends of curve assembled, waiting for vertical supports and leveling.

Structural supports in place.

Comparason of old and new roadbed. The old roadbed had been named “Widowmaker Curve.”

Elevated section in use. After warm weather returns [if ever] a decorative facade of trestle or viaduct will be put around the ladder for appearance.

Shortly after this picture was taken, we got 3" sleet which solidified and then was covered by an additional 9-12 in snow and drifts up to three feet. By morning, it had turned to solid ice, which lasted three weeks and totally shut down operations. JimC.

#2

Jim,

What’s the dimensions of the “Everlast”? and what spacing do you use on the spacer blocks?

Looks like the same stuff I’ve been experimenting with. Once the snow melts it’ll be interesting to see how all this held up over the winter.

I’ve been setting mine atop a layer of 2A modified with stakes hammered down to hold it in place.

#3

Ken, The sides are 3/4" x 1 1/2". The blocks are 1" x 2". Spacing on the blocks, center to center, is 6". The sides were ripped from a 3/4" x 6" x 12’ piece. The blocks were cut from a 1" x 2" x 12’ piece. My vertical supports are also Everlast, 5/4" x 2" x ?" long, and were hammered into the earth between the ladder sides - then secured. Screws used throughout, were 1 1/4" decking screws. The material used is available in various colors and is the same stuff that my deck and railing were made from. This product is also similiar to decking used in the elevated walking paths at Yellowstone National Park. That is where we first saw it.

Roadbed to the left of the culvert is ladder. Roadbed to the right of the culvert is poured concrete. The track on the outer loop was bent with a Train-Li. The track on the inside loop was sectional track. Ladder roadbed was used [floated?] over the tree roots to avoid cracking/raising problems that would incur with concrete. As a less expensive alternative, Home Depot has some 1" x 2" [actual size 3/4 x 1 1/2] white plastic trim located in the area with other plastic brick mold and garage door trim. I didn’t use it, but I think it would work. I have also used the Everlast as roadbed laying directly on the ground.

JimC.

#4

Thanx for the info, Jim.

I’ve been spacing mine about 9" on straightaways and 6" on curves using the plastic composite railing stuff. It’s about 1 1/2" sq. Just slice’m down on the mitre saw.

The rest sounds about the same as what I’ve been doing.

#5

After seeing Bruc, and now Jim doing it like this, I’m just gonna have to do it. It looks so neat.

#6
Bob McCown said:
After seeing Bruc, and now Jim doing it like this, I'm just gonna have to do it. It looks so neat.
Yea, Bob, I was surprised at how easy it was to build. Once you get the curves to the right diameter on a 8'or 10' section it's just a matter of getting it at the right level on either end. Pound in a few stakes to hold it in place and check your grade, then run some screws through it where the stakes are and Voila!!.......;)

After that I just back fill around it with some 2A modified to hold the smaller ballast in place. The plastic stuff I’ve been using comes in a shiny white finish. Before I set the track down a just spray paint some flat black on the exposed sections and it’s pretty well hidden after that.

#7

I did a slightly different variation on my around the tree loop the process can be seen on My Website just click on trackwork in the upper frame and then on construction. I don’t have the page updated to where the track is now but I’ll try to get that done in the next week.

#8

Jim,

I looked at this yesterday, and today I feel up to making sense. It looks good. The plastic “wood” sure is flexible, isn’t it?

Have you had any problem with the ladder sagging on the tangents? That is what I have observed on friends layouts, as well as the one we built for use at the annual Garden Club Show. Someone else published their work on another site and had a 1/16 to 1/8 inch sag after just 2 weeks. I’d be interested to see if yours holds up better. I wonder how much decks sag, or if it is the 16 inch center support that takes care of that?

I plan to do a hybrid, where part of the layout is on the ground as a “Garden Railroad” and part is elevated so I don’t have to bend over so far. :lol: I have a nice slope into a gully that I will eventually bridge where I can get knee high on one side, and probably chest High on the other side of the benchwork. Pics will be posted after the snow clears. Maybe. :smiley:

Are you the one who is using horse stall mats for city streets? If so, I stole that idea from you. Thank you, that works well. If not, what are you using, your streets look great!

SteveF

#9

Steve,
I’m glad this post helps. I am the one that introduced horse paddoc matting for streets. I also use strips of it, with lateral groves cut across it, and painted with grey Krylon primer for sidewalks. Another use for the matts is for the base under buildings. Just use silicone sealer to hold it on.

As of yet, I don’t detect any sag. My elevated section of ladder has been there since mid October. I supported it about every 18 in. I suspect that having the ties screwed down to the ladder every 18 or so, in., also helps stabilize it. For the material I am using, for it to sag, it is more likely in 100F plus temperatures.

My house deck [since you asked] has a treated frame at 16in centers. It has been there 6 years without problems.

Jim C.