TVT - First Turnout and Infrastructure

[LNR]

Stage 1 running by Easter,

I'll remember that!!
Grant.

[GTB]

Something has started sprouting in the backyard (besides weeds) ..........

The pic shows the first 2m of track support that was installed this week as a test piece. The design was easy enough to assemble and is strong enough for the job, so the test has been signed off and work is now proceeding on extending the track support around the raised area of the backyard.

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The material needed to build the supports for the first stage was delivered Friday and this pic shows them stacked on the garage workshop floor. The car that normally occupies that area will be parked in the drive for some time I think.

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The actual support posts are star pickets hammered into the ground at 1m intervals, with just enough sticking up for the T-support to slide over the star picket and sit at the right height. The T-support is a piece of 50mm x 50mm galv angle bolted to a piece of 40mm square galv RHS tube. The longitudinal supports are 30mm x 30mm galv angle glued to the cross piece of the T-support. The star pickets have a black bituminous coating to provide some rust protection and the above ground steelwork is galvanised for the same reason. The deck will be made from Weathertex cladding boards, which are stacked on the left of the above pic. This is basically a heavy weatherproof version of Masonite, designed for external cladding of buildings and to resist the Aust. climate.

When I started designing a track support structure, it turned out that using galvanised steel for the support frame was the same price locally as building it in timber, so the choice was a no-brainer. The steel has to be bought through a steel distributor though, as the same stuff from hardware stores is twice the price. The corrosion life of the galvanised steel will outlast me as it isn't buried in the ground, plus it doesn't warp and the termites can't eat it. Same goes for the star pickets. Although it is made from Aust hardwoods, Weathertex is termite resistant and is also well above the ground, so harder for them to reach.

Building the test length suggested I can erect about 3m in an afternoon without killing myself. The first production length was successfully laid today, so the installed length is now 6m. I may make the completion target yet if the weather co-operates, but I'm still not saying 'which' Easter it will be finished.........

The next pic shows progress at close of play today. There won't be any progress next week as the forecast is for rain for the first three days and then I'll be packing the car ready for the Great Southern Steamup at Gembrook next weekend.

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Regards,
Graeme

[LNR]

Been trying various bits of steel tube as a fit on star pickets, was looking like the order of 1 7/8ths ID. Did think of square tube but didn't have any big enough. Glad you got it sorted though, a circle by this Easter surely.
See you Friday.
Grant.
PS 30 X 30 angle glued! glued! glued! what's this glued, a mechanical fastening to come later perhaps?

[FWLR]

Thats really fantastic Graeme. What a brilliant idea using galvanised steel. It would be possible to carry some weight I bet, without it creaking and moving over time. Plus there will be hardly any maintenance after, if any.

Waiting to see a small run on it, if that will be possible…. :thumb right:

[GTB]

Been trying various bits of steel tube as a fit on star pickets, was looking like the order of 1 7/8ths ID. Did think of square tube but didn't have any big enough.
See you Friday.
Grant.
PS 30 X 30 angle glued! glued! glued! what's this glued, a mechanical fastening to come later perhaps?

48mm id pipe would have worked, but there's no galv steel pipe/tube anywhere near that. Star pickets aren't a precision rolled section and neither is 40mm SHS tubing, so some posts fit and some don't, but nothing that can't be adjusted with an angle grinder.

If modern adhesives can glue a jet fighter together, they are strong enough for this job. If it doesn't work, the fallback might be the electric glue gun.......

Yes, I'll see you Friday.......

Graeme

[tom_tom_go]

What 'glue' have you used?

[Tropic Blunder]

Looks like a good solid structure Graeme! Shouldn't have any issues supporting the weight of the garratt on that.

[GTB]

In between rain events, hot spells and real life, progress is slowly continuing..........

Support posts are now installed past the big curve at the south end and are heading back towards the north along the retaining wall, so about halfway there.

The pic shows progress yesterday and a few more posts went in today. With the weather the way it is (not a cloud between here and Adelaide when the photo was taken), I can put in three posts in the morning while it is still fairly cool, then retire to the workshop to make the three posts for the next day. The yellow gizmo on the partially driven star picket is a post level so the picket can be kept vertical as it is driven in. A 4lb club hammer isn't ideal for driving them, but the posts are too short to use the normal type of star picket driver.

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The original plan was to use a flexible adhesive to join the longitudinals to the cross pieces, but that idea hasn't worked out. I trialled Fix All which the maker claims works on zinc coated steels, but the galv steel also has a lacquer coating and the adhesive bond wasn't strong enough, as the joint easily broke when twisted by hand pressure. I've now dug out the old mains powered hand drill and it's drill stand, so the longitudinals can be drilled in place and will be bolted as well as glued. When the nuts and bolts get here.........

Regards,
Graeme

[tom_tom_go]

Out of interest Graeme why have you chosen not to use your tree bark covered raised beds for the trackwork?

It would look nice having the track running around the bushes you have in my mind.

[FWLR]

I need one of those kneelers Graeme…..

[GTB]

Out of interest Graeme why have you chosen not to use your tree bark covered raised beds for the trackwork?

It would look nice having the track running around the bushes you have in my mind.

A couple of reasons......

The main one is because I'm a builder, not an operator, and the track will be used as a test track. So a simple track with no scenery or structures is all I need.

The bushes you see now are actually young Pittosporum trees, planted last year to screen the back of the block off from the house behind. They grow at least 1m a year and will end up as a solid mass of foliage 6m or so high and from fence to fence within the next 3 or 4 years. They make a good backdrop, but running through them would be like building a track inside a hedge.

Regards,
Graeme

[GTB]

Progress progresses......

It's officially summer hereabouts and the forecast is for 35C tomorrow, but it was 17C and raining the other day. Luckily I've finished banging in posts and have started on the longitudinal supports, but the heat will still slow progress.

This is the track last week looking south towards the big curve, which is 9' radius.

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Next is looking north the next day, just after the last post went in. This shows the area where the wye junction and the bridge will be installed.

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The last pic was taken a couple of days ago and shows the longitudinal supports in place on the wye. About 1/3 of all the posts used on the track and about half the work required to fit longitudinal supports to all of it. It is easier working on plain track, so a day later and I'm around the curve to the right and starting on the long straight toward the south end.

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The curves on the wye are 7'3'' radius, which is dictated by the position of the access steps. This scales out at 2.2 chains in 1:20.3 which is just over the scale minimum curve on the VR narrow gauge lines. It's also just large enough for G1 locos if my interests move in that direction, as I'm running out of ng models to make.


Most garden railway modellers would probably fill this space with plants, hillocks, rocks, buildings etc. and lay a lot of track at ground level, but that's not what I'm looking for. I can't stand gardening for a start. This is more in the style of a typical G1 track, where I have somewhere to run a train when I get the urge and which has easy access for manual running as I get older.

Regards,
Graeme

[FWLR]

Graeme, That is some build mate and if your happy with it that's all that matters....Wish I had a nice large area you have mate.

[LNR]

You are getting on with it. All looks very good. Sure looks a bit different to a year or so ago.
Grant.

[GTB]

In between storms and running out of 30mm angle, progress stopped for a couple of days, but the support structure is now complete and the bridge is in place as well.

This pic shows the bridge being tested for fit yesterday afternoon, between rain showers. After a bit more work this morning (before the storms moved in again) and it now fits correctly, with a space left for expansion as it gets hotter around here. The track level as it crosses the steps is 4' and although the bridge will be removable, there is enough clearance underneath to duck under it for access to the gravelled area, without having to remove it each time.

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Next step is to start fitting the Weathertex deck, which won't take long on the straight bits, but will be slow on the curved sections. Current plan is to have it in place in the New Year, but that depends on what weather we get between now and then.......

Regards,
Graeme

[philipy]

Most impressive. How is the bridge located to line the track up each time?
Personally, although I would do it too, a couple of times, I'd be worried about ducking under the bridge. Especially with the steps in close proximity, it's almost guaranteed that sooner or later, with your mind half on other things, you'll come up under it and wreck it, or yourself, or both!

[GTB]

Most impressive. How is the bridge located to line the track up each time?

The bridge is now located longitudinally, as it sits on transverse angles on the supports, but I haven't decided yet on how it will be located laterally. Possibly just a couple of small brass barrel bolts fitted once the track is in place.

I'd be worried about ducking under the bridge.

I know what you mean. I fitted a hinged lifting section on the HO layout a few years ago when the 'duck under' turned into a 'crawl under'.

Not obvious from the photo, but the bottom step is actually some distance behind the bridge and the retaining wall is conveniently located to act as a handrail, but I wouldn't want to try it while carrying something. I started fitting the deck boards today and have removed the bridge for access while that's going on.

Regards,
Graeme

[Andrew]

That's all looking beautifully engineered and very impressive - should make for great trouble-free running. I'm looking forward to further progress - and first train pics!

All the best,

Andrew.

[GTB]

I'm looking forward to further progress - and first train pics!

You and me both.....

Graeme

[tom_tom_go]

Well executed Graeme, looks very methodical.

The bridge should make for a good photo taking spot.