AFTER READING, WATCHING VIDEOS,FORUM RESEARCH. I NOTICED NEARLY ALL ROADBED FOUNDATIONS ARE GRAVEL, OR WOOD. I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY CONCRETE PIERS OR BIEMS.I'VE SEEN SOME BELGIEN BLOCKS AND BRICKS, AND TRESTLES. HAS ANYONE TRIED PRECAST CONCRETE PIERS AND BIEMS? I REALISE IT WOULD REQUIRE SOME TIME AND LAYBOR. BUT IN THE LONG RUN YOU WOULD HAVE A MUCH STRONGER LONGER LASTING,LESS MAINTENANCE RAILROAD AND FOR LESS MONEY. BUY CASTING YOUR OWN PIERS AND BIEMS. AND IT COULD BE REUSEABLE. IN OTHER WORDS YOU COULD CHANGE IT BY JUST MOVING THE PIECES AROUND. TOMTRAINMAN.
There are quite a few folks who like to use concrete roadbed (Marty Cozad comes to mind first). I have also seen many self casted bridge piers and such, just not on this forum. Concrete is great stuff and has it virtues - long lasting, cheap, handles most any weather but it has its down side too - its heavy, fairly permanent, not easy to change, requires a bit of knowledge and skill to use correctly. I do use modular concrete materials quite a bit like pavers and wall block (usually leftover bits from work)
I prefer the use of more modern materials like PVC, composite woods, cement board, foamboard, etc. I also love natural stone. That said I've been know to recycle the leftover hunk of concrete too.
-Brian
There is a gentleman by the name of Marty Cozad who lives in Nebraska who's entire roadbed is poured concrete. I believe he published a how-to article in Garden Railways a couple of years back. It was the same issue that highlighted his layout, the North Table Creek Garden Rail Road (NTCGRR). He swears by it and I know of several people who have used his method and are very happy with it.
Mark
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