anchoring track

[idahocookie]

first time with a g scale layout and i am wondering if anyone can tell me if and how you anchor track for outside track.

 

thanks in advance  

[SNOWSHOE]

A lot of it depends on where you live.  For me I dug a 5-6 inch trench and then filled it with crusher fines (also known as stone dust and quarry wast).  This is used as your balast. Like the real RR.  I put this down in the trench and then packed it down real good.  then I wet it to harden it.  It makes it hard enought to support the track but you can break it up easily.  Then I lay the track down and add more stone dust to fill in the gap.  Dont forget to level the track as you go.  You can also add decrative balast as well on top. Go into the Graden Railroad main page.  You will find a wealth of info.  here is a link on balasting.  There are many other ways to support track.  But if you live in a cold climate dont anchor the track down.  http://www.trains.com/grw/default.aspx?c=a&id=55

 

Also there are great people on this forum who will give you great advise.

[two tone]

Hi idahocookie, I live across the pond my layout is on thermo lite blocksI use 4mm chippings for ballast. this is satisfactory over here the one advantage of no fixing the track down is I can change it with out to much hassle. I use LGB track with fish plates, i`ve changed my layput afew times and have had no problems with circuit breaks.

        Thermo blocks are very light and can be cut with a standard saw

                       Hope this helps

[FJ and G]

I anchor my track down using 2 methods (about equally).

 

1. Embed the ties halfway in cement (ensure the cement is 4" thick and reinforced); you can add crusher fines on the cement while it is still wet for "ballast" look

2. Below the ties, nail battons (long strips of wood). These will go below the ballast and allow you to walk on the track without it shifting

 

hope this helps 

[ttrigg]

I use one of the more common techniques. Almost just like the guys in 12 inch to the foot scale. I dig out a trench 3~4 inches deep and about twice as wide as the track. Lay down some weed cloth. Pour in some crusher fines. (The weed cloth will keep the crusher fines from sinking out of the roadbed into the mud.) Bring the rocks to slightly above ground level. Lay the track then ballast the ties with more crusher fines. I get crusher fines with a polymer adhesive mixed in. Helps control the ballast from drifting away. Very easy to break down to relocate a section of track when I need to, yet strong enough to walk on, I even slide 5 gallon buckets full of stone around on the track when reworking the mountain or other places where I (the wife) decides that I need more rock. The polymer makes the crusher fines reusable. Just crumble it up, put it back down and wet it. Cement/concrete like David does is a tad bit harder to change. Although he has started (or at least given directions) on building "sectional foundations/roadbeds."

[mgilger]

Just let it float on top of your Balast like the real guys do. For my layout I have about 1/2 of it on balast layed using the trech method. On the other half, I did not dig the trench and just layed my balast on a weed barrier on top of the ground. I have not seen any difference between the two methods here in Northern Ohio.

 Regards,

Mark

 

[altterrain]

A good reason not to anchor your track to tightly -

http://www.largescalecentral.com/LSCForums/viewtopic.php?id=8801

-Brian