Hi new to the site and g scale live in upstate ny and was thinking of putting down 4x4 pressure treated wood 2 inches deep in ground and screw track to the 4x4 .starting out with a 30 ft run and 15radius for now any help or suggestions would be great thanks ,Tom
Depends, where are you located? Do you get frost heave, snow or frozen ground that can cause soil heaving? One possible issue with 4x4s is splitting and twisting of the wood over time.
Have fun with your trains
frost and snow but not much heaving upstate ny about 1hr and 45 minutes north of nyc, was thinking of going down about 3ft or possibly 4 ft in ground with post and then lying the 4x4 on ground attached to the post going below the frost line
Even pressure treated wood does take a beating when in constant contact with the soil, so you might find the PT 4x4s need replacing. And as someone previously posted, unless the wood is very dry before you start, it's likely to warp and split. I like to let PT wood sit a season in the garage to make sure it's straight before using it.
I have used 2x material for road beds and was fairly pleased with it. I used short sections which interlocked to some extent with a simple ship lap joint. this joint can be screwed together and the track can be nailed to the wood. It worked pretty well, long peices tended to warp with changes in moisture, elevation changes can be made by forcing soil under low areas or digging out high areas.
I now float my track in "ballast" of stone dust and find this easier to deal with, not to mention cheaper to build. repairs and re-work are a snap and the track stays put just fine. looks and sounds more realistic too.
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Eric Schade Gen'l Manager
If/When I get a chance to build an outside layout I first plan to join a local Garden Railway club to learn the environmental issues that I would deal with as they have likely learned what works best locally.
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I am using 3.5x7.5 concret bricks and in a few place's 4 x 16 edgeing blocks. I have replaced 2x6's. I am very soon going to raise my track 30" . but the brick has worked very well. cost per foot $0.37 alot cheeper then a 4x4 and more felxable.
Dave
The head is gray, hands don't work , back is weak, legs give out, eyes are gone, money go's and my wife still love's Me.
As a contractor I sugguest not using PT. wood. It has a massive amount of water in it from pressure
treating and dries slowly. Worst of all the 2 inches in the ground will wick up moisture and the top 2 inches will dry out from sun light and wind causing it to warp , hump, or twist.
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