Got some more done today while the weather was warm. Going to have to deal with roots from a big tree which is in the middle of the layout. I hope I can go over them as cutting roots will eventually kill the tree. Thankfully I didn’t have much problem with the cedar on the right in the below pic. I might have to rip out that bush as I need two rows of track to go between it and the wall. I don’t want to run track along the wall as I want to use it as a maintenance path.
Took advantage of the warm weather this week. Almost got the back 50 done. Straight as a handmade arrow.
Looking good, I have found that one length of 1/2" rebar run in the gravel with concrete mix mixed in the gravel and then watered in works well and helps over time the track bricks from moving around. It very little added expense and work, just something else to do and give thought to.
trainman
Hmm, good idea. I did glue all the bricks together with landscape adhesive so they shouldn’t move too much. The problem I had initially, I was measuring from the fence to ensure I didn’t get too close, and well, the wood isn’t straight. lol
Derailed said:
Hmm, good idea. I did glue all the bricks together with landscape adhesive so they shouldn’t move too much. The problem I had initially, I was measuring from the fence to ensure I didn’t get too close, and well, the wood isn’t straight. lol
Good idea on gluing the bricks should help, a straight railroad track is BOARING, it should go up and down gradually and weave somewhat through the county side just like the full size railroad did.
trainman
The wall is there to contain the fill. The track will be free floating on ballast, not running along the top of the wall. I want to keep the wall free so I can walk along it as it abuts the fence and I need a path to get to problems. I would like to have one track run over the other but I just don’t know yet if I have enough distance on the narrow side (by the path) for the incline/decline. I can’t dig much of a cut for the lower line because of the roots. I might have to pull out one of those bushes. At a minimum I will have to create an arbor tunnel through them. I need to lay down the track and see.
Laid down the outside track to get a feel for where to put the 3rd wall.
While I want the back wall to be free of track so I can walk on it, I realized I don’t have that consideration for the near wall. The extra 7" allowed me to make a more gradual turn. It is still an R2 turn but at least it looks better.
Derailed,
You may wish to consider some sort of safety rail on that curve.I have observed anything that can fall off the edge of my raised bed railroad, will. I am glad I deliberately left some stand-off distance to prevent things from plunging the yard below most of the time.
Eric
Consider moving the turnback curve further up, (starting where the wheel barrow is and going around the tree) and bring a spur track into the narrow area for a mine, or sawmill, etc.
Good point on the railing. Not sure how to implement it though since the blocks are glued in place. Any ideas on that would be much appreciated. I have some ideas but they all will look like poo.
There will be a second line which goes under the bridges down by the wheel barrow. I need the distance for the slope. I am shooting for about 1 degree with half that in the curve. I made the bridges so that I should have about 12" of clearance once the rails are ballasted in. It is way more than the inside of the bridges have (about 9") but I want room to play with when I need to re-ballast in the future. I can’t really go any lower underneath without cutting through the big tree’s roots. I definitely don’t want to kill that tree.
In the near corner I plan to have a Teepee village and trees.
Looking good so far. I know this is just temporary to get a feel for how track will lie, but be sure you leave enough room on the outside of the curve near the two walls for cars to clear. Depending on what you run, there can be a lot of overhang on the tighter curves.
Good point. As long as my calculations are correct, the rails will always be above the wall level. If not, then I will have to add more ballast because I used a lot of glue on those bricks.
Derailed,
Regarding a safety railing, were it I, I would landscape in front of the garden blocks to form a small ridge that would simulate a cut. This would form your barrier to keep things from rolling off when the derailment eventually happens at that curve. We have also found landscaping from the raised bed to our yard is visually pleasing, as it helps to transition the eye and mind from the 1:1 world to the 1:24-ish world. In our case, we dug a dry gulch to justify some bridges. I don’t have a good picture of how it looks now, but here it is under construction several years ago to illustrate my point:
I can find or take a new picture if desired. In your case, the process would be reversed, building up from ground level, a project we are considering in our “pinch point” where we need to broaden the curves. If those curves bring the rails too close to the edge, we will build up a cliff from ground level. That will bring the curves as close the corner as we can and provide a base to extend the existing protective “cut.”
If you are handier or more artistic than I, you could also consider a viaduct, building or painting the viaduct onto the retaining wall then building its deck, complete with safety rails, on the top. It would provide the same visual transition from 1:1 to 1:[your scale] and the extra safety margin. We have contemplated a similar idea at another place that could be better served with broader curves. For now, it is a “project too far.”
Eric
Edited so grammar it looks like.
I agree with Chris, move the track back to where there is room for the loop to sit on the ground the entire way with room for any accidents to be contained without that long horrible drop to “parts only”
Pete Lassen said:
I agree with Chris, move the track back to where there is room for the loop to sit on the ground the entire way with room for any accidents to be contained without that long horrible drop to “parts only”
I don’t know. Major wrecks can be just another source of entertainment. Some of you may remember how Coal Dump Curve got it’s name…
That area has come a long way since then. I think this was taken 14 years ago.
Derailed said:
While I want the back wall to be free of track so I can walk on it, I realized I don’t have that consideration for the near wall. The extra 7" allowed me to make a more gradual turn. It is still an R2 turn but at least it looks better.
I would make my turn up by the pine tree and use the area that is too tight for a curve for sidings, freight yard, etc., your layout can start to looked like it was a after thought and that never looks good, especially when you are doing a nice job so far.
trainman
Derailed,
I took a couple happy snaps yesterday to capture the aesthetic of “breaking the fourth wall” and flowing the 1:1 world into the model world. The picture at left is from eye level, which is how most people will view the scene. The picture at right is from a kneeling or squatting position, which is the next most likely view angle. The last one is from earlier this year and taken from yard level. It is the least likely visitor’s viewpoint, but it can be quite dramatic for those who try:
This is the sort of view opportunity you could create if you chose to create a viaduct with guard rails to protect trains close to the edge.
The train is exiting our troublesome hairpin curve, and that is where we would undertake an external cliff face to bring the tracks closer to the edge like you could try on your layout if / when I get a couple more R2 curves (I have a colleague on the Mainland that does occasional supply runs for me) and it brings the curve to close to the edge.
I would note that there are no guardrails on the bridges. They wouldn’t survive. Can you guess where almost all of our major derailments occur?
Eric
Thank you for the pics and ideas.
Okay, I will make the curve tighter.
I agree that function over fashion is usually best and will take your recommendations and only use R2 curves to get the track back inside the wall.
My old layout was on top of the patio retaining wall. It never failed that my train collisions and subsequent derailments almost always occurred at the 4’ drop. So far it has only been cars getting knocked off and no engines.
Have you considered changing the contour of the wall and walkway to get your larger curve and safety area in? I know it would be a lot of work, but may provided you with the best long term results.
