Large Scale Central

New Tracks in the Rico Yard

Track and Trestles
#1

I took advantage of the spring-like weather over the weekend to put down some track in the new Rico yard area on the curved east end of the layout. Here is what the area looked like last year as the PVC roadbed was going in.

Here is the link to the post where I described how I made the PVC roadbed:

http://largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/22218/solid-pvc-spline-roadbed

Didn’t get a chance to take any photos last evening before the clouds moved in, so here is what the roadbed looks like today in the rain.

Here is the switching lead to the planned five-track car storage barn (it goes on the concrete slab where the landscape blocks are stacked.)

I filled-in around the PVC roadbed with decomposed granite and added a top layer of chicken grit granite as ballast. Track is a combination of Llagas Creek plastic and Switchcrafters composite ties. All rail is code 215 aluminum. Rail sections are joined with Split-Jaw aluminum rail clamps. The individual yard tracks going around the curved end of the layout are about fifty feet in length. Tightest curves are approximately thirty foot diameter. All of the curved turnouts are homemade; the standard (non-curved) ones are from Switchcrafters. Here are the links to a few posts where I describe how I make the curved turnouts.

http://largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/22559/new-curved-turnout

http://largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/22096/resin-frog-castings

http://largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/21881/turnout-assembly-jig

More to come later …

Bob

#2

Wow! It is so nice to have so much room!

#3

WOW!

#4

Hey, I was in RICO last week, and they never had a yard as nice as that, nor did they have that much room up there. Who you trying to kid?

Nice work thou!

#5

Dave,

You must have been in Rico, Colorado – this is Rico, Oklahoma!

You don’t believe that, okay, how about this one: It is Rico, Colorado in the early '60s after they replaced all the steam with diseasels and bored the long tunnel under Lizard Head to eliminate the high line.

Okay … even I don’t believe that one. How about this: Rico is Spanish for “rich” and rich is what I would be if I hadn’t spent all my time and money building this darn yard.

Actually, Rico is my division point for the outer loop which will represent the RGS and also the interchange point to/from the inner loop which will represent the Choctaw Coal and Railway Company. I plan on doing a lot of switching here. It may not be prototypical, but I expect it to be pretty busy.

Bob

#6

Very nice Bob,

How are you attaching the track to the PVC road bed. I am a long was away from laying track but I am trying to get ideas on how to do it. I understand the idea of a ladder system as well as the trench/floating system; which are the two methods I am considering. Yours is a little different. I will check out your thread on building your system.

#7

Devon,

The Llagas Creek plastic tie strips are screwed to the PVC with #2 x 1/2" screws. The tie strips have a mounting tab about every four to six ties. The Switchcrafters composite ties are nailed to the PVC using a Grex 23 gauge pin nailer with 3/4" pins, nailed at about every sixth tie with a few extras around the turnout frogs and throwbar ties. I only use the solid spline PVC roadbed at heavy traffic areas, such as this yard area. On the rest of the layout, where there is less chance of accidental step-on, the PVC roadbed is a much simpler PVC lattice (or ladder) configuration.

Bob

#8

Gotcha thanks for the further explanation Bob

#9

Nice work Bob. Don’t those headless pins just allow the track to lift off the roadbed, or is that the idea? I use big ugly (#8 maybe) round head stainless steel screws about every two feet an PVC lattice.

#10

Devon,

Here is how I transition from the solid PVC spline roadbed to PVC ladder roadbed. The center spline (of the five) extends 12 inches past the other four splines. The ladder roadbed is made from two 3/4" x 1 1/2" PVC boards spaced 5/8" apart. Short 2" long pieces of 5/8" thick PVC are located every 12 inches along the ladder to hold it in place. Lengths of 5/8" thick PVC are driven between the two pieces of the ladder into the ground about every two feet.

This is at the other end of the Rico yard. The PVC spline roadbed that curves off to the right (without the track laid) is the branch line to the inner loop. It also transitions to ladder roadbed a bit further out of the photo. Hope this helps explain how the different types of roadbed work together.

Bob

#11

I just love those wide curves. Super cool! (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

#12

Yeah that’s great Bob. I am still a ways away from this part of my RR but it helps in the planning. I am struggling between a ladder system or a floating system. I no there are merits to both. Should I go ladder, the splined method your using could come into play in one area I am planning.