I've put the fishplates on the sections of track I have, and plan to start surveying soon.
I am going to redo the plan again, to make things far more simpler.
Peaslake & Grayswood Light Railway Construction Diary
-
SillyBilly
- Retired Director
- Posts: 3536
- Joined: Sat Aug 18, 2007 11:00 pm
NO! If you are going to use flexitrack than only use 3 foot radius as an absolute last resort. I have done my upper loop reconstruction because I used a 3 foot radius curve when building it but couldn't get the joints done well. I'd say try to keep to a 4 foot min radius if possible (unless you use the set track which is curved to a constant radius with no kinks)
"What the hell is that?"
"It's a model icebreaker sir."
"It's a bit big isn't it?"
"It's a full scale model sir....."
"It's a model icebreaker sir."
"It's a bit big isn't it?"
"It's a full scale model sir....."
Just a word of advice Si, but I'd put a triangle in from the loop to the branch line, as per your previous plans. As you will know if you're following the thread on MRW I'm planning to (eventually) have the circuit-triangle-branch line formula on my "garden" railway. It allows a rather nice degree of operational freedom - with triangle you can run end to end from station A to station B over two different routes, or trundle from A back to A via B and the balloon loop, or of course leave the puffer trundling round the circuit when you just want to recline on a nice summers day with a cool drink in hand, watching the train go round...
Flexitrack should be fine on 3ft curves as long as you lay it well; as long as the track is secured firmly in place you won't get movement and kinking at the fishplates. Laying sleepers under the joints can help alleviate kinking, but I never had sleepers under joints and had no problems whatsoever with kinking on my 3 (defunct) 32mm gauge railways.
Flexitrack should be fine on 3ft curves as long as you lay it well; as long as the track is secured firmly in place you won't get movement and kinking at the fishplates. Laying sleepers under the joints can help alleviate kinking, but I never had sleepers under joints and had no problems whatsoever with kinking on my 3 (defunct) 32mm gauge railways.
As you have undoubtedly noticed, I have changed the name of the railway (again). Amberside didn't have a very nice ring to it in my opinion, however I feel the new one is much nicer 
I have just been out into the garden to grab some pics so you can get a better idea of size and where the line is going to be. These are currently uploading to Photobucket, watch this space!
I have just been out into the garden to grab some pics so you can get a better idea of size and where the line is going to be. These are currently uploading to Photobucket, watch this space!
Firstly, I apologise for all the rubbish in the garden. For example, the tubs with rather dead plants in them...
Secondly, I should have waited until there wasn't anything on the washing line
The strip of soil between the ridged concrete strip and the fence will be the main station for the branch line.
The pile of concrete slabs will become a tunnel.
The line will curve to the right from the tunnel to go around the washing line (which will be removed during running sessions, of course ). As this part of the garden is on a hill I plan to use boards on stilts for a little while then replace it with a concrete viaduct ala S&KLR, this will be for the curve around the washing line.
The line will then go into a long straight from the washing line to border the path alongside the house.
I am not sure whether to set the track in the patio or remove the patio where it juts out from the path (the strip of slabs which the tubs are on). I'll have to seek permission from the powers that be...
In the foreground will be the triangle junction. The circuit will run round the edge of this part of the garden. Again, I may remove the patio in this area to give more room for the curves.
The station on the circuit will be to the right, where the red flowers are on the extreme right hand side of the picture. I was thinking of an island platform for the station...
The line runs down this part of the garden as part of the circuit, before swinging to the right in front of the conifer tree.
Again, the site of the circuit station. The line curves to run alongside the lawn edge from the station at either end.
This overgrown area will become either an open steaming bay or a storage shed. There is a greenhouse in there somewhere!!!
The line will curve just in front of the conifer.
The triangle junction will be just in front of the patio.
I hope this has helped you visualise the garden line.
I plan to start from the branch line station and work my way from there
Secondly, I should have waited until there wasn't anything on the washing line
The strip of soil between the ridged concrete strip and the fence will be the main station for the branch line.
The pile of concrete slabs will become a tunnel.
The line will curve to the right from the tunnel to go around the washing line (which will be removed during running sessions, of course
). As this part of the garden is on a hill I plan to use boards on stilts for a little while then replace it with a concrete viaduct ala S&KLR, this will be for the curve around the washing line.The line will then go into a long straight from the washing line to border the path alongside the house.
I am not sure whether to set the track in the patio or remove the patio where it juts out from the path (the strip of slabs which the tubs are on). I'll have to seek permission from the powers that be...
In the foreground will be the triangle junction. The circuit will run round the edge of this part of the garden. Again, I may remove the patio in this area to give more room for the curves.
The station on the circuit will be to the right, where the red flowers are on the extreme right hand side of the picture. I was thinking of an island platform for the station...
The line runs down this part of the garden as part of the circuit, before swinging to the right in front of the conifer tree.
Again, the site of the circuit station. The line curves to run alongside the lawn edge from the station at either end.
This overgrown area will become either an open steaming bay or a storage shed. There is a greenhouse in there somewhere!!!
The line will curve just in front of the conifer.
The triangle junction will be just in front of the patio.
I hope this has helped you visualise the garden line.
I plan to start from the branch line station and work my way from there
-
made-in-england
- Trainee Driver
- Posts: 826
- Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 4:22 pm
Looks like a great plan! With garden railways it's always good to keep things simple to begin with, sort out the problems with the track, and get the gradients as small as possible. You can always add to the railway when time and funds allow too.
Keep the radiuses as large as possible, with a long heavy train, they'll still start to tighten up a bit on 3ft 6 radius's. Try to go for the flexitrack and use wide natural bends as often as possible, trains look much better sweeping around the curves rather than jerking around set track bends.
Keep the radiuses as large as possible, with a long heavy train, they'll still start to tighten up a bit on 3ft 6 radius's. Try to go for the flexitrack and use wide natural bends as often as possible, trains look much better sweeping around the curves rather than jerking around set track bends.
For Custom CNC Engraved Nameplates and Worksplates
http://www.loco-plates.co.uk
http://www.loco-plates.co.uk
The greenhouse has been weathered very nicely! I think I will take it down, as we don't use it...mhlr wrote:Cool, good luck with it, sure will be a great line...
By the way, that greenhouse is excellent, I'm sure the plants can photosynthesise nicely... :lol: :lol:
Right, first questions folks. What is the ideal base for the track?
As I stated earlier, I'm starting here:
and am I right in saying that first off I have to de-weed it (obviously), dig it out then lay weedkiller, hardcore, teram/polythene sheet, ballast then the track?
-
made-in-england
- Trainee Driver
- Posts: 826
- Joined: Tue May 13, 2008 4:22 pm
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests