Elevating entire layout up off the ground

[Run the Town]

Hi, I am a retired service member and my back, knees, etc. are not very good.  What is the best recommended manner in elevating the entire layout so one will not have to get down on the ground for maintenace, placing cars on etc.?  4x4 posts or other fencing posts better??  Thanks, Barry

[g. gage]

Welcome aboard. On my own railroad I've built planters using retaining wall blocks, Caswell is what Lowe's call them in Califoria and Nevada. They wiegh 27 pounds each and come in a number of colors. I've also know of railroaders that used 3" or 4" pvc drain pipe for posts, they don't rot. They bolted 2x4 redwood stringers to the pvc pipe used used planting under to look like forest etc. Now days I'd look into Terx, etc. for stringers to reducing rot.

I hope this helps, good luck and have fun.

Rob

[altterrain]

There is no best way but many good ways to go.

Club members helping another with a raised layout -

Work Party at Jack and Mary Mullen's, June

Work Party at Jack and Mary Mullen's, August

Work Party at Jack and Mary Mullen's, September

September Meeting at Jack & Mary Mullen's

 

Some shots of a secondary layout I started using the ladder method with 1"x2" Tufboard (pvc wood) stringers -

Track laying class at Brian Donovan's, April

Raised beds of PT wood timbers or concrete landscape blocks -

July Meeting at Bert & Gene Williams & Paul Towner's

or 10 tons of dry stack stone walls -

May Meeting at Peter & Dominique Drymalski's

-Brian 

[Run the Town]

Thanks for the awesome pics guys.  Thats why I posted the question here because I knew there would be great answers.

 

Now, next question; If I am using AMS 332 flex track, do I need to invest in a track bender?

[ttrigg]

Now, next question; If I am using AMS 332 flex track, do I need to invest in a track bender?

There are only two reasons I can think of to buy/beg/borrow/build a rail bender. 1) If you want to avoid kinks in the rail, get one.  2) If you want to prevent derailments on the curves, get one.  OH! and just one more Have Fun!

[altterrain]

From what I have heard from other's experiences with the AMS 332 is you can belly bend large curves but anything 10 foot diameter or smaller you should use a rail bender.

-Brian 

[Anonymous]

From what I have heard from other's experiences with the AMS 332 is you can belly bend large curves but anything 10 foot diameter or smaller you should use a rail bender.

-Brian 

Alt. Can we get a picture of you "belly bending"

Toad

[g. gage]

Often a GRS will have a rail bender to check out. I'm kind of isolated on the east slope of the Sierra Nevada. I use Aristo sectional track. I like it because it comes in a wide number of curves, it screws together and it's easy to replace when deer get tangled in a section.

I'm not sure of your railroad background, but I offer the following advise. Use the largest dia. curves where ever you can. Don't limit yourself to one standard dia. In my case I wanted a minimum dia. of ten feet. I had to settle for an eight foot curve at one place, however most of my curves are twenty foot dia. I limit my grades to 2.5%, I like long trains, steep grades, 3 and 4%, can limit your operation.

Rob 

[Anonymous]

As for track bender suggestion from me is what I have.

here: http://www.cocry.com/

Used to be a open nice train site to get a rail bender from. Not sure what happen.

Toad

[altterrain]

<<quote user="ToadFrog&WhiteLightn"]

From what I have heard from other's experiences with the AMS 332 is you can belly bend large curves but anything 10 foot diameter or smaller you should use a rail bender.

-Brian 

Alt. Can we get a picture of you "belly bending"

Toad

[/quote>>

Sorry no more belly bending for me since I got a Train-Li bender !

http://train-li-usa.com/store/product_reviews.php?products_id=31

-Brian 

[hoofe116]

Now, next question; If I am using AMS 332 flex track, do I need to invest in a track bender?

There are only two reasons I can think of to buy/beg/borrow/build a rail bender. 1) If you want to avoid kinks in the rail, get one.  2) If you want to prevent derailments on the curves, get one.  OH! and just one more Have Fun!

Honorable Trigg, where existeth plans for such a railbender?

Les

[Capt Bob Johnson]

Les, local bank has wherewithal to enable Train-li to send you a sample of the finest trackbender you will ever need.

Seriously, I wouldn't mess with anything else, it bends both tracks at the same time and keeps them perfectly in gauge while doing it.

[Camaro1967]

Brian, Now that's a beautiful raised layout.  Very nice work. 

I too share the track bender with Capt. Bob.  This thing is a dream. I just put down 180 of 5' straights, bent to fit wherever I wanted the track to go.  It is actually fun, laying track wherever you need it to go on the ground. Very easy with the bender.

Paul 

[Run the Town]

long view of the layout.  It is 300 feet of track so far.

[Run the Town]

shown is the 6 foot steel bridge and view from opposite side as last shot.  Initial elevating and rough laying of track.  I am using 6' sections of 332 AMS flex for most of the layout.

 

[altterrain]

how about the slideshow version -

http://s342.photobucket.com/albums/o431/RunTheTown/?albumview=slideshow

-Brian 

[Run the Town]

Thanks for getting that working for me Brian. Ha!  I am just back inside from out there working on it.  Sweaty and mosquito bitten as it is still around 90 degrees here. 

I would still be out there but my neck is hurting especially after the "micro radio wave ablation" I recieved on Friday.  Man did that ever hurt. Needles all the way to the spine is NEVER fun.  Anyway, thanks again Brian.

 

 

[Run the Town]

Hi to all.  I have finally set the last screw in the initial layout.  I ran my shay on it in reverse, all went well.(remember it binds in forward).  I also ran my little Santa Fe switcher all the way around and took some video of that.  I am uploading it now into photobucket.  Will hopefully get it posted up soon(hint hint to Brian to help. Ha!)  Hope you all had great rail days this weekend.  We have been in 100-105 here.  Barry

[altterrain]

here it is -

http://s342.photobucket.com/albums/o431/RunTheTown/?action=view&current=MOV01278.flv

[Run the Town]

here it is -

http://s342.photobucket.com/albums/o431/RunTheTown/?action=view&current=MOV01278.flv

Thanks Brian.

 

Any comments?

[enginear]

Really nice work. Makes me wonder why I brought in like 100 tons of dirt. I think thats the method I should have done here up north. Maybe if I expand, I'll use that on the next section. I Gotta start on the first section someday!!!

[Run the Town]

Thanks enginear.  Lot harder to start then to actually do it. Ha!  I am still looking at about 300-400 feet of aluminum track in the garage and about another 40 feet of brass flex track.  Since I have the turnouts positioned, now I can start the "inner layout" that will be criss crossing throughout the elevated layout.

I just called the utility companies and had them mark all the lines in my yard and then I knew exactly where I could pound in my PVC pipe.  Barry

[spikejones52002]

I used 3 inch pvc pipe. I used a table saw to cut the pipe in half. It fits the track perfectly. I used to cut off "T"s on top of the supports.

  NowI use a 3 inch hole saw drill in a drill press. I made a jig to hold two unions end to end. I cut out the 3 inch hold in the middle of the two unions.

My layout has been up for 7 years.

One 10ft section of 3 inch PVC pipe is about $3.00 that makes 20 ft run, unions are about $1.00.

I fastened the runners to the support and the track ties to the runners with 5/8 #4 stainless steel screws. I purchased them from "Fastenal" for a very large box for $10.00. I used one of those hand powered push auto screw drivers. I used a dremmel tool to predrill all the holes [I think 3/16].

 Well I just found out something.

You can not delete the photos from "photobuckets".

I just decided to clean out my unwanted photos.

When I pulled this forum up. My photo is missing. 

 

 

I just reposted the photo into Photobuckets 

[Anonymous]

Barry,

What type of wood did you use and how far are the stakes?

Toad

[Run the Town]

Toad I used pvc pipe to elevate the track support at about 4-5 feet apart pounded into the ground 18-24" or so.  The track bedding or support material is actually pvc decking called "Trex" that I bought at Lowe's home improvement stores for like $29 a board.  I ripped them down to about 1/2" wide so it bends side to side but not up and down.  Barry

[Run the Town]

Looks great Spike.  My wife still don't understand why mine is elevated. HAHAHAHAHA  Barry

[sfcgadget]

Check out my new post. It might be just what you need for ideas. I, too, am retired from service with a few body parts that don't work as well as they did when I was 18. Been there, done that with 2 layouts that were on the ground. Way too hard to maintain. I'll be posting as things develope. I hope to be able to run something on the shed and first portions soon. The complete 2 track loop is going to take a while. I'm looking at about 100ft each mainline and a total of around 300ft when done. There are several years of research and planning going into this layout so I hope I did my homework right.

[SoCalJimH]

1- I wish I had the backyard space you have!! (maybe best I don't as I would want more train stuff)

 2- RE: Trex- any issues on Trex sagging in the heat yet?  I've read about it in other postings.  Maybe since your posts/supports are 18" apart you won't see any sagging?

JH

[Run the Town]

1- I wish I had the backyard space you have!! (maybe best I don't as I would want more train stuff)

 2- RE: Trex- any issues on Trex sagging in the heat yet?  I've read about it in other postings.  Maybe since your posts/supports are 18" apart you won't see any sagging?

JH

Hi Jim, no sagging. My supports are 18" HIGH and are spread apart about 5 feet.  Still no sagging.  Right now I have added another 200 feet which branches off the mainline and it is elevated at 9" high.  So far, so good.  We will see how it all weathers the winter.  Barry

[SoCalJimH]

Hi Barry,Using the PVC/Trex idea I am well into a 100 ft., over-and-under double circle layout.  After a little experimentation I decided that PVC supports every 20" was best for me.  I'm using pressure treated wood as spacers.  My highest point is 14".  I plan to add trestles under the higher elevations and dirt/ballast where the stringers are low to the ground.  So far, so good.  Hope to have track down soon.  Jim