clay soil

[Anonymous]

Hi,
I am just designing my first garden railway and I could do with some advice on one topic, please.
My back garden is a very heavy clay soil and is very prone to 'clay heave' in winter, and cracking in summer. I am concerned on the one hand, that a solid masonry contruction will break its back, and on the other, that a post mounted arrangement will twist out of line ( as old fence posts have already done). Does any one have any experience of these problems and advice?
Regards,
Philip

[Capt Bob Johnson]

This is gonna sound crazy, but I'd say your first stop would be the County Ag Agent! I've found them to be very helpful on many things about soil beyond what to plant.

After that, if you still need answers, consult an outfit that does test borings and structural bearing evaluations. They usually can tell you a good economical way to bear the weight you're going to load the soil with and to have it stay the way you built it!

[Anonymous]

Philipy, [#welcome], I would think you could set apost as long as the bottom is below the frostline. Many fences have post only 24 inches deep and they will definately move. Call your local building dept and ask how deep they require footers to be dug and set your post at this depth.
Of course you could always let your track float on a gravel road bed like the 1 to 1 prototypes and let it move with the seasons. This is the method I plan on using.

[Anonymous]

philipy, were do you live? I live in sw pa and its all clay in my back yard great for making bricks but not for anything else. I have not started on a rr yet (still undecided about moving) but when I start the build it will be floating on gravel

[Anonymous]

Contact your local county building inspector's office, ask what the frost heave line is for your area and ask what their recomendations are. What a residental house footing is placed in the ground.


mikadousrp

[Anonymous]

Hi philipy
[#welcome]
You basicaly have two choices after seeking advice from the local experts
that is.
And they are
one to build somthing more like a a fortress wall that is not going to move
or builb something that will flex and move with the clay..
My line flexes and moves with the clay and i live with the yearly ballast and leveling of the track that has to be done befor the years train running can take place you can add gypsum to the soil to help break the clay for gardening purposes but that will not be enough to sort the building problems this brings.
But it is possable to build a garden railway on clay soil I have
regards John

[Anonymous]

Philip,

Ignore the fact I know exactly 0 about garden rail. But I have lived in areas where the clay would bake in the summer and we would loose baseballs down the dang cracks.

You, need to figure a raised (1' or so min) garden of some kind for this.

After you establish what your outside edge is. I'd bring in a load of DG (decomposed granite). Get it into as much of the cracks as I could as a levelling course. Then lay out a couple of layers of visquene (special construction grade plastic sheeting used as a water/moisture barrier under house slabs.) On top of that lay out some french drain. (PVC Pipe with wholes in the underside to allow water to enter and drain away). Then cover with DG. Then if doing actual garden work, layer of top soil. Other wise the DG, would, I expect, make a great base for an Outdoor Model Railroad.

The DG will let the water drain, and the french drain will allow you go pull the water off. The visquene will keep the clay from getting water.

Not a cheep solution, but will work.

[Anonymous]

Where are you located? I live in Texas and have heavy clay soil. I've not heard of 'clay heave'. My soil gets very soggy in the winter during the rainy season and hard as rock after baking in the summer sun.

Something else you need to consider is expansion/contraction. You need to design your railroad to allow for it. Chances are, by doing so, you may also solve your 'clay heave' problem. IMOHO, the best way to allow for expansion/contraction is to have lots of curves and avoid long straight runs.

Jon

[Anonymous]

Hi,
Thanks for all the replies.
I'm in central England for those who asked, near Oxford.

Gravel bed is a possibility for some of the line but most will be ona gradient. Frost is no problem but wet heave in winter and large very deep cracks in summer, are.
I think I might try some kind of timber support posts witha adjustement at the tops.

[cabbage]

Philip,

The solution is to use 'MetPosts' and ba***hem into the ground. Erect the posts and run two stringers between the posts, put a plank on top. Intervals should be about 2 metres. Make sure you use treated timber!

I live with a severe slope 1:7 downhill and 1:5 across it, with1:3 at the bottom.

To help cure some of the effects of the clay your best method is to use 'Lime' either in the form of Calcium Carbonate or Calcium Sulphate. Use this before the winter sets in and then in the spring dig in 'mushroom compost' or 'spent hops'. This will stop the bulk of the cracking. DO NOT DIG IN SAND. Otherwise you will make 'Adobe'...

regards

ralph

[markperr]

I HATE CLAY!!!!! I have the same problem in Michigan. Just digging a dozen post holes with a powered auger was an all day chore. I gave up and threw several inches of topsoil on top of where I wanted to garden. Good luck to you.

Mark

[GP-9_Man11786]

My back yard has clay soil too. My eathod of dealing with it was to build a raised box out of 8' landscape ties and then fill it with top soil and compost. This has minimized frost heave damage and has been extremly conducive to growing plants. If you do choose to use compost, weed-blockin fabric is a must. Hope this helps.