Advice on how to make a precise gradient and curve...

[CoggesRailway]

Hello,

My garden is finally my own!

Where the line leaves the garage it needs to cross a patio and go through 90 degrees at R5 and continue along the edge of the patio. During the bend it needs to lose about a centremetre. It also needs to be able to deal with human traffic. And this configuartion is essentail to maintain my loop.

At the moment I am considering finding a bendable wood or other material and cutting the gradient presicely into it and then bending it into paralell R5ish and screwing it to the patio and then mortating a bed between that... not ideal. Any thoughts please?

Ian

 

[Gizzy]

Rather than wood, have you thought about fixing the track to concrete blocks instead?

Then you could use a mortar mix up to rail head level.

Between the rails, my thoughts are brass strip glued against the chairs, or you could use plain brass Code 332 rail before filling with mortar?

Or try using uPVC plastic strip cut to the curve as appropriate.
I believe I posted a picture of my straight crossing to you once Ian, but holler if you want me to post the photo again....

 

[duncan1_9_8_4]

i would go with the mortar too, i have a few level crossings which need to support human weight, and they are just fine......

 

[Rhinochugger]

Spike's done something similar somewhere :wave:

 

[Gizzy]

Reading your first post again Ian, maybe you could lay your track where you want it to cross your patio (maybe using an R5 Curve), then mark with chalk both sides of the sleepers.

Take the track away and cut along the lines with an angle grinder. You can get a curved/dished cutting wheel for this?

Remove the 'waste' slab pieces, and lay a mortar mix in the bottom.

Relay your track on the mortar, so it is level with the top of the slab and 'top up' the mortar to rail head level, either side of the running rails.

For between the rails, glue some brass strip or rail against the chairs and fill will mortar as I suggested earlier....

 

[jacobsgrandad]

I did something similar. Cut across the concrete laid in the track and mortered up to track level. Takes all foot an garden wheeled traffic

 

[KeithT]

I simply cut the concrete path with an angle grinder chiselled the surface of the channel level and laid the track in it without any fixings. It has been down over 3yrs and survives the almost daily depredations of 3 grandchildren with and without bikes or prams.

 

[Gizzy]

One thing I would try to avoid, is having any joiners/fishplates in your concrete, as these might cause issues later.

Is it possible to lay most of your curve with the longest lengths of flexitrack available?

An R5 curve turning through 90 degrees is quite a long run, so if you have to join track, consider some form of track bonding, maybe by braising some jumpers across the joints.

You may also need to allow for expansion and contraction....