Building the San Juan Central RR

[lone ranger]

Plan of the San Juan Central RR

Ok just a few pictures of were the San Juan Central RR is going.

And looking the other way

Unfortunately the walnut tree has to come down

its a shame when a tree gets diseased away now its gone

Right so on with the railway building, first this is the pile of plastic wood from Filcris Ltd

First job was to split the planks up into three parts each approx 43 mm wide, to do this I bought a cheap combined table/mitre saw.

Well here's the pile of cut timber

Next job was to cut the spacers. These are cut from 50x50x3000 mm timber cut down to 50x50x43mm using the chop/mitre saw

As you can see the spacer's have a bit of flash/burr when they are cut

A few more to follow

 

[lone ranger]

Next job is to clean them up using a sharp knife

Right now we have to make one side of the ladders

Well here's some more done

Next mark out the garden (I lay the track on the grass then pin the ladders over the track)

 

[lone ranger]

As you see I hold the ladder's in place with short length's of re-bar tapped into the ground next to the track, and then clamp and screw the plain side (with no spacer's attached) to the ladder's.

Once both side's of the ladder are screwed together it all becomes firm and you can remove the re-bars.

Well that's it for now If I've not bored you all to death, I'll put more pics on as work progresses.

 

[beavercreek]

Bl***y hell Gerry you have been a busy boy....can't wait until it is in situ, it is going to be a stonker!!!

 

[nicebutdim]

Wow, what a layout you're building. Can't wait either.

 

[lone ranger]

Thanks gents, next load of wood arrived last week, but it looks like the weather is going to beat me at the momment!!

 

[JRinTawa]

Great start, looks like you'll have a sturdy base.

 

[vsmith]

Interesting take on the ladder system, most times I've seen place theposts first then warp half the ladder to the posts then add the second leg of the ladder to fix it in place. But I like this. I assume you will drive the post, raise the ladder to hieghen cut the excess post off?

 

[PaulRhB]

How far off the ground will it be? Looking very impressive.

 

[lone ranger]

Interesting take on the ladder system, most times I've seen place theposts first then warp half the ladder to the posts then add the second leg of the ladder to fix it in place. But I like this. I assume you will drive the post, raise the ladder to hieghen cut the excess post off?

Hi yes I did it this way because I'm using fixed track sections on the curves (4.5 & 5 Ft radius ) to make sure that I can fit every thing in. the junction station will be 2ft above ground level with the other lines climbing at about 3.5% up and back down. Area's inside the loops to be filled with mountains using granddad gnomes method. I must admit it would be a bit easier on the knees to build the way you mentioned

 

[lone ranger]

How far off the ground will it be? Looking very impressive.

The junction will be 2ft off the ground the highest point will be the centre of the loop at the top right hand side of the plan which will be about 4ft above the ground. The branch station about 2.5 to 3ft depending on the slope and how much I height I need in the shed.

 

[garrymartin]

Thats an excellent track plan track plan

 

[Madman]

Quite an ambitious project there. I like the way you are building your ladder system.
In all of the years that I been in construction, I have never seen a combination table/mitre saw.

 

[lone ranger]

Quite an ambitious project there. I like the way you are building your ladder system.
In all of the years that I been in construction, I have never seen a combination table/mitre saw.

That's because everything has to be smaller in the UK than the USA, we don.t have the space to have a table saw and a mitre saw
Thanks for the complement re the ladder track, I must admit it would be a lot easier on the knees if the ladder was built freehand and screwed directly to post pre hammered in the ground. The trouble with that would be following the fixed radius curves.

 

[Mousey]

Very impressive start Jerry. Great construction method.

 

[Gizzy]

Look forward to seeing this completed Jerry!

Most impressive....

 

[Cliff George]

Very good Jerry,

I'm looking forward to more construction pics and the open day.

 

[lone ranger]

Thank you John, Gizzy and Cliff. I'm just hoping the weather improves as Beaver Creek (mike) is coming over Thursday to give me a hand.

 

[beavercreek]

Looks like I will be wearing me sou'wester and waders then Gerry. At least the ground will be softer to drive in any posts!!

 

[lone ranger]

Looks like I will be wearing me sou'wester and waders then Gerry. At least the ground will be softer to drive in any posts!!

I've just been in the garden with the mole catcher, the nice heavy clay we have is still bone dry despite all the rain we had last night!!!!!!! Mind you the grass is soaking