I am getting ready to build a gravel road leading over a railroad grade crossing. I used the GC Laser for the wood crossing across the tracks, but I am trying to figure out how to build up the transition up to the crossing and then down the other side.
I am going to use sheet rock joint compound tinted with some sienna paint and fine WS ballast to give it some texture. Any ideas for the transition would be a big help. Would the gravel road transition up to the wood crossing and then down the other side which means layering it on a gently incline?
Bear "It's all about having fun."
Some gravel roads I have seen the gravel comes right up to the rail as no wheel flanges go outside the rail. Others I have seen had a couple of planks coming up against the outside of the rail before it switched to dirt. If you are doing modern era, many places use these new rubber pieces both between and outside the rail.
Good luck,
Richard
In my opinion, a better choice to build up the road surface would be Durabond patching plaster. It won't crack like drywall compound when applied in thick layers, and, once set, will stand up much better to the usual wet-water/white glue application of dirt and gravel for the roadway surface. It contains a catalyst, and will set-up in roughly the number of minutes equal to the number following the name. I used Durabond 90 for all of my scenic landforms (applied over metal window screen), and also for some finished surfaces on paved roads.This crossing had to rise only high enough to match track atop cork roadbed and was applied, if I recall correctly, atop a field which was already in place. I pre-wet the existing plaster, then used a drywall knife to apply the new road. Once set, I painted it with dilute PollyScale paints.
Another crossing done in a similar manner. All of the "plank" crossings were done with strip styrene.
This one has the plywood subroadbed elevated much more above the surrounding terrain, and the Durabond allowed the road surface to be applied in a single application. I later smoothed-out some of the potholes with an application of drywall compound, but could have just as easily used more Durabond.
Here's the same crossing as seen from the air. The second track is a siding, and is at a lower level than the main (no cork roadbed under the track) . Again, the transition was easily accomplished in one application:
And another view, showing the height disparity even more clearly:
Wayne
To avoid having to put down a thick layer of "paving material" to build up to the rail head level, I usually construct a "ramp" out of styrene, foamboard or whatever to get me up the roadbed and even with the tops of the ties. Then I pave over that. You want a solid ramp so it won't compress later and crack the pavement, but other than that it doesn't matter much what you use, since it won't be seen.
I use Durhams Water Putty for my asphalt roads. In this shot, I've used commercially-made wood grade crossing planks. I did the white lines with a gel pen.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Eh? That can be a problem. Highway grades have rules just like RR ROWs. And of course these rules have changed since things began, so you have to know about the era that you are modeling.
Recently there was a highway collision with a tractor trailer when the trailer got stuck on the tracks because the grades would not clear the belly of the trailer. There even was a sigh prohibiting trucks on that crossing.
And new rules seems to require trailers to have wind guards under the trailer body which has a further impact on what sorts of crossings they can clear.
On the other side of the equation is that modelers must compress things to get more model in less space. You have the advantage that your really are not going to really have road traffic on your crossings, and so it is ok to fudge the grades.
Bottom line... do what looks good to you.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
A major reason for grade crossings being humped above the regular road surface is that the track gets reballasted and re-leveled, but the road doesn't. If it's a private road, the road owner may dump a few yards of fresh fill on each side to ease the speed bump. Publicly-owned roads may or may not have more significant efforts made to smooth them out.
A gravel (or gravelized dirt) grade crossing without flange protection, where the gravel comes right up to the rails, was probably put in by the adjacent landowner, usually without consulting with or even informing the railroad. Then, one fine day, the road users come along and discover that the grade crossing isn't there - removed by the railroad as an improper hazard to rail operations.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)