Building a garden railway

[Rhinochugger]

So I have been building the engine shed and turntable area. I found the ground was difficult to keep level and the turntable would not rotate freely. I can’t put concrete down at this point. So I bought a large acrylic sheet 2x1m and 5mm thick. This laid on the roughly level ground, and the items fixed on to it. I have drille dholes for drainage, cables, and plants. I know this is slightly unusual, but it is going well so far.PaulView attachment 355944View attachment 355945

That's a fairly cool concept - even if things move/settle a bit, and even if the acrylic flexes a bit, the connections to the turntable will stay in the right place

As to making the turntable operate, and the darker side of DCC, don't ask me

 

[Yoxford Railway]

I can see that your track is laid with gravel. Did you lay the gravel directly on the ground (soil)?

No. There is membrane under the gravel. The plastic sheet is on the membrane. The gravel is really the garden covering and although the track is currently on that gravel, there will be finer material under the track. The plastic sheet will have that finer material around the turntable and tracks.

 

[Madman]

So I have been building the engine shed and turntable area. I found the ground was difficult to keep level and the turntable would not rotate freely. I can’t put concrete down at this point. So I bought a large acrylic sheet 2x1m and 5mm thick. This laid on the roughly level ground, and the items fixed on to it. I have drille dholes for drainage, cables, and plants. I know this is slightly unusual, but it is going well so far.PaulView attachment 355944View attachment 355945

I have seen some garden railways with pea gravel as the base material to lay track on. How stable is it under the track ?

 

[Yoxford Railway]

I have seen some garden railways with pea gravel as the base material to lay track on. How stable is it under the track ?

It’s ok, but I am adding some finer material under the tracks as I go. I wanted to get some trains running anyway

 

[maxi-model]

I would reccomend you do not lay track on gravel. It will move around and create all sorts of issues. Especially as you seem to be creating some complex track formations. You really need a shallow trench under the regular track. Line this trench with the permeable weed membrane you are already using. Ideally place in the trench a continuous line of regular flat faced bricks to support the track for its full length. Now backfill with fine granite chippings or potting grit. Whatever is easiest to obtain and brush level to the height of the sleepers. This type of ballasting will "lock" in place, unlike gravel, and help hold track and formations level and in place. Some add PVA glue to the grit to minimiise loss and maintainance. You should "pin" the track every yard or so with 4"-6" nails directly into the ground, between the gaps in those bricks. This will stop the track from shifting out of place due to the "hammer blow" effects of your trains, especially as there enter curves and points. To further help stabilistation of track formations use track clamps rather than simple rail joiners. They will also help with long term electrical conductivity of track, as will sealing the these track joints with a smear of "Coppergrease". I also place breeze blocks under points formations to help keep them level. Max

 

[Yoxford Railway]

I would reccomend you do not lay track on gravel. It will move around and create all sorts of issues. Especially as you seem to be creating some complex track formations. You really need a shallow trench under the regular track. Line this trench with the permeable weed membrane you are already using. Ideally place in the trench a continuous line of regular flat faced bricks to support the track for its full length. Now backfill with fine granite chippings or potting grit. Whatever is easiest to obtain and brush level to the height of the sleepers. This type of ballasting will "lock" in place, unlike gravel, and help hold track and formations level and in place. Some add PVA glue to the grit to minimiise loss and maintainance. You should "pin" the track every yard or so with 4"-6" nails directly into the ground, between the gaps in those bricks. This will stop the track from shifting out of place due to the "hammer blow" effects of your trains, especially as there enter curves and points. To further help stabilistation of track formations use track clamps rather than simple rail joiners. They will also help with long term electrical conductivity of track, as will sealing the these track joints with a smear of "Coppergrease". I also place breeze blocks under points formations to help keep them level. Max

Thank you. I am going to put potting grit or similar under the track but things are still moving around a bit and so it is directly on the pea gravel for now, and I can tell that’s not going to work for long. I was thinking of putting some bricks under some particularly complex point I have which I agree needs to be more stable, so glad you mentioned that. I have been thinking about some PVC, but wasn’t sure if it would work, but as you mentioned it, I’ll experiment.
I’m 100% rail clamps and copper grease already and I am pleased to say conductivity is not one of my problems!

 

[Rhinochugger]

Thank you. I am going to put potting grit or similar under the track but things are still moving around a bit and so it is directly on the pea gravel for now, and I can tell that’s not going to work for long. I was thinking of putting some bricks under some particularly complex point I have which I agree needs to be more stable, so glad you mentioned that. I have been thinking about some PVC, but wasn’t sure if it would work, but as you mentioned it, I’ll experiment.
I’m 100% rail clamps and copper grease already and I am pleased to say conductivity is not one of my problems!

Let it move - especially with rail clamps. There are some of us who only have very lightly, as in occasionally, fixed track.

Angular gravel/grit is better than rounded - the track settles into it a bit better.

 

[PhilP]

Your freshly laid gravel, will move and settle, no matter how much you tamped it..

You will be tweaking twist and levels, for several months, but things will settle down.

As has been said, angular aggregate 'locks' together better than rounded stuff.

PhilP.

 

[Paul M]

If you use bricks, try and use the type they use for driveways, they're more frist proof, and heavier to minimise any movement

 

[Gerard]

I used a simple method to fix my track horizontally, using a thin copper strip.
See description below chapter 2.6.2 of our book.
I used it in conjunction with flat concrete slabs on the ground , but i quess it will also work in soils and/or gravel.
I hope this will be of any help to you.

 

[Paul M]

I have Gérard and Bart's boik, and can say it is a very useful supplement to my small library of railway modelling books. Full of practical knowledge and ideas. Well worth a read even if you're an old hand, as it were

 

[pugwash]

I have locked this thread as it is no longer a new member thread.