Steve Featherkile said:
Well, lookee that, the snow’s gone. And you said it would be July, before you saw the ground. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-laughing.gif)
It sure felt that way in early March. Starting to look good around here now. Trees are starting to green up.
Since I have lowered my railroad, things have been running much better. The extreme grade coming out of my lower reverse loop is back down to the 2.58% that is the norm on my railroad. Next chore, after fixing the main drain-line of the house, is to figure out how to raise the trestle, so I can get the lower reverse loop back to being dead flat. Before I even try to raise the trestle, I am going to replace all the missing boards on it, and make sure all of the other boards are tight. That way I have a chance to lift it as one solid unit.
My trestle sits of a cement pad that I pored. So, my thought is, if I can lift the trestle, I can put small pavers on the slab for the trestle to sit on. I do not know if the pad sunk, or if the person engineering the pad and replacement trestle (me) messed up on the height of the trestle. In my mind, the second choice is the most likely. I figure about 1.5 to 2 inches would get the lower loop back to dead flat.
Other ideas?
David Maynard said:
Since I have lowered my railroad, things have been running much better. The extreme grade coming out of my lower reverse loop is back down to the 2.58% that is the norm on my railroad. Next chore, after fixing the main drain-line of the house, is to figure out how to raise the trestle, so I can get the lower reverse loop back to being dead flat. Before I even try to raise the trestle, I am going to replace all the missing boards on it, and make sure all of the other boards are tight. That way I have a chance to lift it as one solid unit.
My trestle sits of a cement pad that I pored. So, my thought is, if I can lift the trestle, I can put small pavers on the slab for the trestle to sit on. I do not know if the pad sunk, or if the person engineering the pad and replacement trestle (me) messed up on the height of the trestle. In my mind, the second choice is the most likely. I figure about 1.5 to 2 inches would get the lower loop back to dead flat.
Other ideas?
Well, if the trestle/pad were once at the correct height, and now are two inches too low, I’d say that the pad sank. Why it sank is a story for another day.
David, I would advise this plan for best trestle lifting. First procure two 1:22 scale Chinook Heavy lift helicopters. Attach one to each end of the trestle and have them throttle up! If that doesn’t work out, I’ll offer to come give you a second pair of hands to make things easier. By the way I want to see pics if you choose my option #1. (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)
I don’t have 2 of them helicopters, but I have a large Huey over my workbench, but I think its a larger scale.
Steve, there were several field changes to the railroad over the years. The trestle was replaced one spring, when that area turned to mush and the original trestle started looking a lot like a bad roller-coaster. Another spring the railroad was raised an inch, so that Resignation Bridge could clear Prostitution Rock. I am not sure what event occurred prior to the other. Also, before I built the flood control sidewalk on the other side of the house, my porch flooded at least once every summer, and the trestle is adjacent to the porch. I have a picture somewhere of the trestle standing in a pool of water. So, the slab could have sunk. The trestle could have been built to the original elevation. Or both. Either way, I either need to raise the trestle, or build a truss fame-work on top of the trestle to support the track at the proper height. Or, or, replace the trestle, and that I really do not want to do.
This past weekend I decided it was time to bite the bullet and get the trestle raised. First step was to replace the missing boards, so the thing would act like one solid unit.
And of course clearing out the debris and underbrush was part of the job. Them darn weeds grow like…they grow fast.
Then I freed the trestle from its cement pad. Some of the piles had stuck to the pad, probably because I set the trestle while the pad was still soft. Then I raised the trestle, trying to cause as little damage as possible, and I slid 12 inch square pavers under the trestle. The pavers were thick enough to bring the trestle up darn close to the level I want it at. Again, my goal is to get the lower reverse loop as close to dead flat as possible.
Some of the piles had rotted on the ends, and some didn’t. So, for the ones that didn’t sit on the pavers, for whatever reason, I put pieces of broken slate under them until they were supported. The bent on the end I sacrificed, the rock next to it had shifted, putting stress on that bent and deforming it.
Then I buried the paves in ballast. I had put broken shale under the trestle before, but I didn’t think I had enough of it to completely cover the pavers. Its not quite the look I was going for, but it will work.
Now I just have to build 2 short, deck tress bridges to properly carry the track from the trestle to grade.
While I was doing repairs, I also replaced a missing board on my Warren (not Howe) bridge.
That works! Nice.
Lotta work. Looks good.
So this weekend I built the 2 bridges that carry the track from the trestle to the hillside. One I built out of new ceder, the other I built out of old ceder from the boards that were holding up the track, and the bent that I had to sacrifice.
I put boards on the end, to keep the bridge itself out of the dirt. I will be getting some pavers from Lowe’s to act as proper abutments, but even still, the wood against the pavers will eventually rot. So, the layer of boards are sort of sacrificial. when they rot I can replace them and hopefully still have a solid bridge.
And the view of the lower reverse loop, from my porch.
And the railroad is open for business again as the first train passes over the trestle and new bridges.
Outstanding David! Looks really good. The leed in bridges add some unique character to the trestle. I bet you’re relived a bit now. Seems like it’s been a busy spring for you with all the projects. And you should feel good. At this point I’d say your bridges are in much better shape than a lot of Pittsburgh’s! (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)Good work.
Nice work on filling the gaps…
Nice to see you back up and running. Nice work on getting everything fixed. To me that’s part of the fun. Having to fix or replace things from time to time. Its what keep it interesting At least I think so lol…
David Maynard said:
And the railroad is open for business again as the first train passes over the trestle and new bridges.
Looks great, but how does the gravel not wash out?
Thanks guys.
Randy, now now. You make it sound like a bad thing, that on some of the bridges in Pittsburgh, one can look through holes in the deck at the river. Thats just added scenery for the motorist sitting in traffic because of all the dang blasted road construction.
Vincent, the ballast there at the ends of the hillside does wash out some. I need to get more fill dirt and widen that area a bit. The “to do” list never gets any shorter.
