Sandstone and Termite

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FWLR
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Re: Sandstone and Termite

Post by FWLR » Sun Oct 04, 2020 9:58 am

Great job Greg. :thumbright: :thumbright:

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Re: Sandstone and Termite

Post by gregh » Mon Oct 05, 2020 2:04 am

ge_rik wrote: ↑Sun Oct 04, 2020 9:40 am That point at the entrance to the reverse loop looks interesting, Greg. Scratchbuilt?

Rik
Thanks Rod and Rik.


Yes that was my first scratchbuilt turnout. I could only buy some "O" gauge rail at the time, so used the 'old' copper clad board method from HO days. (all the old track power wiring is still in place!)
DSCN1938.JPG
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You may be alluding to the 'funny' guard rails at the entrance to the turnout. They were the solution to the fact I didn't allow enough clearance as is this pic. I could have resoldered the moving rail, but chose this simpler method. (It's a recurring problem even with turnouts I make these days - some people never learn!)
DSCN1939 c.jpg
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Greg from downunder.
The Sandstone & Termite's website: https://members.optusnet.com.au/satr/satr.htm

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Re: Sandstone and Termite

Post by FWLR » Mon Oct 05, 2020 8:07 am

Your'e not the only one Greg....I seem to make mistakes all the time..... :roll: :roll:
:lol: :lol: :lol:

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Re: Sandstone and Termite

Post by ge_rik » Mon Oct 05, 2020 8:39 am

Nifty!

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Re: Sandstone and Termite

Post by gregh » Tue Oct 20, 2020 2:56 am

and now the next exciting episode of my maintenance.
How come that for every job I do, I find another two????

While leveling the 4 parallel tracks at Sandstone, I noticed that the left end of the platform had sunk (I sometimes step on it, and it's just a piece of 2" thick Hebel.)
And the track had buckled up due to expansion. The result was a platform almost at ground level.
DSCN1937.JPG
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The main problem is that in front of the building the track must be level, but at the left end the track height is fixed by the big sandstone ledge. So that 2' length of platform has to be on a grade.
So I reduced the rail lengths by 3mm to allow expansion, did some 'horrible' vertical bending of the track to accommodate the two grade changes. Then dug up the platform and raised it. And repainted it all with oxides mixed with water. I also repaired and painted the fences. Here's the result
DSCN1940.JPG
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and the overall view.
DSCN1948.JPG
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Then while running a test train for the platform, I had a derailment on one of my concrete path crossings. I have 6 crossings. The earlier ones (c. 1995) are my aluminium bar rails in slotted wooden sleepers, covered in concrete.
But now I notice that the concrete over the sleepers has broken and the sleepers rotted so the track is under gauge. I'm not going to rip them up!!!
So as a start, on the worst crossing, I made some aluminium 45mm spacers to temporarily hold the rails at gauge, then used pure cement (no sand) to fill between the rails up to 3mm below rail tops.
You can see here..

before   and after comp.jpg
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I only did half the crossing and will wait for summer weather to test the conc strength before I do the other crossings.

And if you look at the top of the left pic you can see the timber crib wall. And guess what? It's rotten and falling apart, so watch for the next installment on repairing it.
Greg from downunder.
The Sandstone & Termite's website: https://members.optusnet.com.au/satr/satr.htm

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Re: Sandstone and Termite

Post by FWLR » Tue Oct 20, 2020 8:07 am

Really nice job on the platform Greg. Love the colour of the stone....

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Re: Sandstone and Termite

Post by gregh » Tue Oct 20, 2020 9:09 am

FWLR wrote: ↑Tue Oct 20, 2020 8:07 am Really nice job on the platform Greg. Love the colour of the stone....
Would you believe the official name of the colour I use is "Sandstone" !!
Greg from downunder.
The Sandstone & Termite's website: https://members.optusnet.com.au/satr/satr.htm

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Re: Sandstone and Termite

Post by ge_rik » Tue Oct 20, 2020 10:22 am

Very smart, Greg. Something which rarely seems to be covered in posts is general maintenance, but it's something we all have to engage in constantly. Maybe you've started a trend?

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Re: Sandstone and Termite

Post by FWLR » Wed Oct 21, 2020 10:25 am

gregh wrote: ↑Tue Oct 20, 2020 9:09 am
FWLR wrote: ↑Tue Oct 20, 2020 8:07 am Really nice job on the platform Greg. Love the colour of the stone....
Would you believe the official name of the colour I use is "Sandstone" !!
:lol: :lol:

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Re: Sandstone and Termite

Post by gregh » Wed Oct 21, 2020 11:15 pm

ge_rik wrote: ↑Tue Oct 20, 2020 10:22 am Very smart, Greg. Something which rarely seems to be covered in posts is general maintenance, but it's something we all have to engage in constantly. Maybe you've started a trend?

Rik
I don't know if it will start a trend. We all seem to enjoy reading about new builds. BUT since I am not building anything new, all I can offer is the maintenance work.
Greg from downunder.
The Sandstone & Termite's website: https://members.optusnet.com.au/satr/satr.htm

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Re: Sandstone and Termite

Post by Old Man Aaron » Thu Oct 22, 2020 11:03 am

Certainly interesting, nevertheless. I'm looking forward to seeing more, as and when it happens. It's a bit like seeing those videos on Youtube, wherein some old object, tool or machine is fully restored - we get to see the repairs and improvements, without the chore and drudgery of actually doing the work! :roll:
Regards,
Aaron - Scum Class Works

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Re: Sandstone and Termite

Post by gregh » Mon Nov 02, 2020 1:01 am

As mentioned in my last post, the crib wall along Maple Jn is made from treated pine 2"x1"x1/4", the same wood I use for my sleepers.
I built it in 2006 but now it is starting to rot. Virtually impossible to replace individual 'slats' as they are nailed together, one above the other.

This shows the problem.
before1.JPG
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I decided to just fill in between all the slats with concrete, hoping that will extend its life by 10 years or so.
I lifted the track in front (coal loader siding) to allow easier access. I coloured the concrete with brown oxide and left the slats sticking out by 1/2" or so to keep the crib look.
Here's a closeup
partdone1.JPG
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The siding also had many rotten sleepers, so I replaced a few - just enough to hold in gauge. I will then concrete the whole track in. As it is an 'industrial' siding I figure covering all the sleepers almost up to rail top will look prototypical enough. This has not been done yet due to bad weather.
finished2.JPG
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Greg from downunder.
The Sandstone & Termite's website: https://members.optusnet.com.au/satr/satr.htm

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Re: Sandstone and Termite

Post by ge_rik » Mon Nov 02, 2020 8:15 am

Sounds and looks like a really effective repair, Greg. Fingers crossed for the next ten years.

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Re: Sandstone and Termite

Post by gregh » Sun Nov 08, 2020 10:49 pm

This next job wasn't even on the list of things to do, but many derailments forced me into it.
The first bit of track I laid back in 1994 was to get through the wall of my train room and across the concrete ramp just outside. The ramp is on a 1:5 grade!
I was using 3x12mm aluminium bar rail in timber sleepers . I covered the whole track across the path with concrete.
This is the 'now' picture. The concrete has cracked and exposed the sleepers which have rotted away. You can see some unsuccessful attempts to repair the track gauge with silicone and Builders Bog.
before1.JPG
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And this is the piece of track from the path to the wall on a steel channel. You notice I put many electrical wire in the path crossing as I was using track power and I allowed plenty for future needs.
before3.JPG
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So it was out with the hammer and chisel and rip it up!
I also had to replace about 3' of track adjacent to the concrete where I had used old Aristo plastic sleepers-they had disintegrated in the sun!
aristo track.JPG
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So the 4' path crossing finished up needing about 12' of track replaced.
For the concrete buried track I used copper-clad PCB board soldered under the brass rails at about 6" spacing and timber sleepers/steel nails for the rest.
This pic shows the track in place before concreting.
before conc1 capt.jpg
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Now to wait for a few fine days to do the concreting.
Greg from downunder.
The Sandstone & Termite's website: https://members.optusnet.com.au/satr/satr.htm

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Re: Sandstone and Termite

Post by FWLR » Mon Nov 09, 2020 9:52 am

The amount of track maintenance can get out of hand it seems Greg. I must admit I haven't given it much thought on how much work would be needed to repair track. Then the heat from the sun is considerably hotter and a lot more fierce I would imagine in Aus. But that's not to say we Northern Hemisphere people have our own problems also with weather.

Thank you Greg on another interesting thread ...

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Re: Sandstone and Termite

Post by gregh » Fri Nov 13, 2020 2:55 am

I concreted the path crossing and had a big test with some mates over to run their trains too.
finished1.JPG
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finished5.JPG
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Greg from downunder.
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Re: Sandstone and Termite

Post by ge_rik » Fri Nov 13, 2020 7:01 am

That looks really smart, Greg. The rain must have eased for long enough for it to set.

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Re: Sandstone and Termite

Post by FWLR » Fri Nov 13, 2020 8:01 am

I like the way it snakes smoothly, it must look brilliant running a rake of carriages or your coal wagons, even better.

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Re: Sandstone and Termite

Post by gregh » Sat Nov 14, 2020 7:58 am

FWLR wrote: ↑Fri Nov 13, 2020 8:01 am I like the way it snakes smoothly, it must look brilliant running a rake of carriages or your coal wagons, even better.
Thanks Rod.
I must admit that I have never taken pics or even looked along that view before. It has the ugly background of the entry to the train room. Might try some heavily cropped pics. With some camouflage netting?
The pic above with the carriages show a nice background that I have never photographed either, so will have to try some videos from that view and see if I can focus without the path appearing too ugly.
Greg from downunder.
The Sandstone & Termite's website: https://members.optusnet.com.au/satr/satr.htm

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Re: Sandstone and Termite

Post by FWLR » Sat Nov 14, 2020 8:14 am

I wouldn't worry to much about the background Greg. If the subject is interesting, as your's are, the background is not a big problem. But I am sure you will sort it to your satisfaction...

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