Layout challenges

[markperr]

Okay, I have a question for everyone here. What has been the greatest challenge so far in building your railroad and what did you do to overcome it?

Mine, I think, has been grade changes. I have an almost ten degree grade that is nearly twenty feet long that I have as yet figured out how to reduce. I believe that my only option is going to end up being more bridge work to start the climb earlier. My space limitations don't allow me the luxury of more track.

Mark

[John Busby]

Hi markperr
heavy clay soil that is also subject to gold mine blasting.
solved by using a system of track suport that can move with the clay and blasting
and floating the track in ballast not fixed down
regards John

[CandCRR]

Mine is digging the right of way. I go down an inch and I run into rocks. They vary from dime size to twice the size of your head or more. I use a pry bar as much as a shovel. Hopefully the photo I am trying to attach illistrates what I mean. All these were dug up from the track and flower bed area in the center. Then there are the rocks under the track on the right side (you can not see them) I used so I would use less fill to make things level (I cheated some and used some bricks on the left side). I guess I now know why they call New Hampshire the Granite State.

[CandCRR]

Oops! The photo did not come out (o my last post). You can see it in WebShots. I think the photo is at:

http://community.webshots.com/scripts/editPhotos.fcgi?action=viewall&albumID=167630828

If you can not get there from the web address above search for Garden Rail Road in webshots and look for the user name of Ombasha.

[Tom The Brat]

Budget!

The fact that my software contracting business is still stuck in recession[B)]

[Anonymous]

Mark

I am very interested in your problem and i will do my best to offer what help i can.

Do you mean 10 % or 10 degrees ? I admit neither are very nice and their is no oway you can handle this except :-

a) run a traction or cog railway up ypour 10 deg they will go up to 25 % but are incredibly slow.

b) Divert your track and go through a series of "S" bends as i have had to do in my area 3. but i only had about 5 to 6 % to contend with and i got that down to a maneagable 4 % which even at that, you need powerful locomoties with plenty of traction like a Mallet or a Crocodile. It will kill a Mikado it will hardly be able to pullits own weight. Don't even think about anything else but LGB.

C. Get some machinery in and make your area morer level.

Would you like to send me a surface plan of your situation.


Do you have a water level or laser level to detrmine the correct topography of your situation.


Rgds Ian

[TurboOne]

Rain, flooding, more rain, flooding, more rain, flooding.

The ground is finally starting to dry out, and the weeds are down and gone.

Then possibly a layout cound follow outdoors. In the meantime, I run the G on the patio, and pick up the track so I don't worry about flooding.

Tim

[vsmith]

Area to built it, the Wife, keeping the $$ costs as low as possible, and lately boiling down the layout plan to its best optimal arraingment.

[ghelman]

I think my real challenge came after I had my layout up for the first time and then problems started. As a beginner in the hobby I just wanted to get started. I didn't think so much about the "S" curves that would dreail trains. Or, an elevation problem that would cause engines to slip and wear out gears. It was only after I started having these problems that I looked for help. Oh, I did my research before I bought my first "G" scale train set, but, there are some things you just don't plan on. I can list dozens of things; couplers coming loose, ballast floating away (still does), buidling a tunnel without first measuring the largest car or engine that would fit and the rail sweep that would not make the clearance around a tight turn and hit something. Thanks to WEB sites like this and the people who reply to them that others may not have to suffer all of mine or other trial and error ventures.

[markperr]

Ian;

My biggest problem is that I have a lack of space in the current location that I've built in. My layout is in the front yard alongside the front porch and the length from the edge of the porch to the corner of the house is only 17 ft. I have put a in decorative landscaping wall and extended that "flat" area another 5 ft. If I turn down the side yard, I have an 18 degree grade to contend with. Not worth the effort to go that direction as I would have to bury the side of my house to reduce the grade or would have to literally create what would eventually look like a flat rollercoaster of bridgework. Not an option either. Now originally, my layout was two tracks running side by side in a kidney shaped oval but after the first couple of years, it got kind of boring and I decided that I needed some grade changes. I went to a single track figure eight which exited into an oval that ran around the perimeter of the figure eight. This is where I ended up getting the 10 degree grade. I will most likely, later this summer, start the climb about 10 feet back from where it begins now and that should reduce the grade to a more respectable four degree or less. It's just a lot of work to tear out all those trestle bents and put in new ones.

Mark

percent......NOT degree....... Geesh, sometimes I confuse even myself.

[Anonymous]

This is very hard mate, a cog railway may be your answer. or find somewhere else to build it.

I have an area 7.2 m (32') by 3.2 m ( 10') and I have just got in a double dogbone buyt just and I have 4 % gradients all over.

No a decent sized layout it is not doable in a normal raiway.

I am the eternal optimist and not easily detered


Rgds Ian

[markperr]

Well, for now the grade works. I'm going to be building a bigger set in the backyard. I've already corrected the grade back there and gave it the winter to settle in. I'll be checking it later this spring and making any necessary corrections to keep the grade at three percent or less. As for the front, it still works. I just double head my train. My lead unit, an Aristo U25, has a Phoenix 2K2 sound card in it. It's really pretty cool to listen to it accelerate the throttle as it begins the climb. Just like there's a real engineer in there goosing it along.

Mark

[Anonymous]

Good luck mate, please keep us informed.

Rgds ian