Garden Railway Forum

It looks very good and realistic, and could use similar in my cane wagons, I assume though it will need replacing every year.

Jimmyb wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 7:58 am It looks very good and realistic, and could use similar in my cane wagons, I assume though it will need replacing every year.

No it should not need replacing if it is kept dry and with no contact with soils, I have had sugar cane mulch last for over 3 years lying on the ground.
For SWMBO's rose garden it is replaced on a yearly basis when they are pruned in winter, what I do is throw pelletised chook manure over the old stuff and refresh over the top with the new. The old stuff just rots into the ground hence the claim of it being a "soil improver".
I used raffia for my "whole stick" wagons.

GAP wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 10:35 am

Jimmyb wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 7:58 am It looks very good and realistic, and could use similar in my cane wagons, I assume though it will need replacing every year.

No it should not need replacing if it is kept dry and with no contact with soils, I have had sugar cane mulch last for over 3 years lying on the ground.
For SWMBO's rose garden it is replaced on a yearly basis when they are pruned in winter, what I do is throw pelletised chook manure over the old stuff and refresh over the top with the new. The old stuff just rots into the ground hence the claim of it being a "soil improver".
I used raffia for my "whole stick" wagons.

Graham some good info thanks

The problem being, I would guess Sugar Cane Mulch, will not be that common in British Garden Centres?

Phil.P

Phil.P wrote: ↑Wed May 05, 2021 7:58 pm The problem being, I would guess Sugar Cane Mulch, will not be that common in British Garden Centres?

Phil.P

You could use pea straw or any other straw that is available, just may have to shred it a bit with scissors.

Progress has been made on the sugar mill which will be the centre piece of the "Cane Line".
The original track plan looks like it is heading out the window with regards to the interchange, I am now thinking of a couple of short sidings off the main line where an Ethanol tanker and some molasses tankers can be set out for collection for onforwarding.
Basically 2 sets of points facing in opposite directions so that there is a siding on either side of the main line into which the tankers can be shunted for collection by a shunting loco then taken into the mill precinct.
Upside is only one bridge is requires instead of 2 and I now have a task for a loco that was looking for a job.
Because of coupling method differences between the mainline and the cane line I am planning on using a "dolly" which is basically a bogie with a link and pin (cane line) on one end and a hook and loop on the other (mainline). I have pinched the idea from road trains where they are used to connect semi trailer together.

Bit of progress has been made on the line out to the farms (Geino's farm).
Posts have been concreted in (more to do).
The line will be supported using 225mm cable tray as a roadbed, a layer of weed mat or shaded mesh will be laid down and the track will be cable tied to the tray.
Either side of the track will be artificial turf with between the sleeper having 7mm metal gravel to simulate ballast.
I have some ballast on trial since April and it has stood up well to the climate.

Entry to the mill framework Looking along the hedge toward mill entry The farms area Tray, track, turf trial Ballast trial piece

Looking good Graeme. I wonder how long it will be before there is more railway than garden?

Rik

ge_rik wrote: ↑Sat Oct 02, 2021 12:22 pm Looking good Graeme. I wonder how long it will be before there is more railway than garden?

Rik

This will about the limit, SWMBO has set a boundary over which I dare not cross.
Plus I have run out of material (steel from old layout and timber from dismantled house deck) and have had to resort to spending money

Some more progress made all the posts are in and its time to lay the cable tray.

Coming together well.

Bit more work this morning, the cable tray forming the "farm" loop has been installed.

The cable tray has now been laid and the cut ends primed (2 coats).
Next up is to lay the weed mat the will stop the ballast from falling through the holes but allow water to pass. I'll give the whole thing a light spray with some grey primer first.
Then it will be onto laying the track, I am using AMS code 250 track and the sleeper mounts are very dubious as they have deteriorated in the sun.
The sleepers will be held in place by cable ties through the mat and looped around the tray.
I will have to spray paint the sleepers to protect them from further damage.
I am using "Split Jaw" rail clamps with a few slide on joiners to allow for movement due to temp fluctuations.

Wow! That's some extension! The head of (galvanised) steel is continuing to advance

Rik

ge_rik wrote: ↑Mon Oct 11, 2021 10:56 am Wow! That's some extension! The head of (galvanised) steel is continuing to advance

Rik

All this is because I built a sugar mill then found I had no room to put it on the existing layout, my solution build another layout with the mill as the centrepiece.
Any thing to add a bit more trackage, actually I had the track (Code 250) but did not how to integrate it into the existing layout (Code 332).

An interesting way of making raised trackbed. At least it is immune to wood boring creatures!

In fact I am amazed that no one else has thought of using cable tray like this - or at least I haven't come across it before.

Trevor

Trevor Thompson wrote: ↑Tue Oct 12, 2021 10:45 am An interesting way of making raised trackbed. At least it is immune to wood boring creatures!

In fact I am amazed that no one else has thought of using cable tray like this - or at least I haven't come across it before.

Trevor

A bloke in the UK used cable tray for his railway but he turned it the opposite way.
Railway is called "The Orchard Line"

GAP wrote: ↑Tue Oct 12, 2021 9:56 pm

Trevor Thompson wrote: ↑Tue Oct 12, 2021 10:45 am An interesting way of making raised trackbed. At least it is immune to wood boring creatures!

In fact I am amazed that no one else has thought of using cable tray like this - or at least I haven't come across it before.

Trevor

A bloke in the UK used cable tray for his railway but he turned it the opposite way.
Railway is called "The Orchard Line"
407614_20210122_170045.jpg

I will look for that!

Trevor

While ignoring the 3D printer in the naughty corner I worked on the cane line, track has been laid and tested.
At the end of the "Farms" loop an LGB R1 point with loose blades has been installed, at the "Mill" loop end an Aristocraft point that has lost its throw mechanism will be used. Testing revealed that the locos that run on this line will push through the R1 points and set them with no issue, testing for the Aristcraft will follow. This configuration forces the trains to go around the loops in one direction on the first run and in the opposite direction on the second run. The track has been laid on shade cloth which will allow water drainage and prevent the ballast from falling through the holes in the cable tray. Work will continue on the Mill Loop once this has stopped producing tomatoes (one plant that grew out of the compost put under the mill area support). In the picture above the passionfruit vine from next door has taken over the upper loop, my biggest problem seems to be keeping the garden out of the garden railway.

I used mesh cable tray for the non scenic side of the layout
The sides of the tray help in derailments
The lighter framework is arguably less intrusive