Filcris..any long term users?

[rusty spike]

Several years ago I had a live steam layout which was fully integrated into the garden using about 3 tons of concrete and blocks rocks etc.
I’m venturing back outside, this time a great deal older with R/C DCC controlled locos.
I was intending to use the Filcris recycled plastic system. I thought it a tad expensive but convenient, especially with the pre-cut R5 track base. Due to the coronavirus restrictions, I’m not sure when delivery can take place, presumably not in the very near future.
I have read reports of the components having quite a large expansion/contraction rate and wanted some honest feedback from anyone who has had long term use of the product. It isn’t cheap and I can’t afford to change to a wood based system if this is not stable. My garden gets full sun from 10.00am- sunset, ok it’s in the UK but still gets pretty warm!
Thanks in advance.

 

[Rhinochugger]

I have a length of Filcris - probably about 25 ft.

It does do a very slight 'S' curve - well a little jiggle in one direction, then a sharp 8ft radius curve at the end.

So, with the curves, it's difficult to know whether, or how much it expands - it certainly doesn't stop me running, and it gets full sun from sunrise to about 4 o'clock in the summer.

The only, very minor criticism I had was that they supply stainless steel screws - very good - but the don't necessarily cut a hole quite the same way as pozidrive screws do.

Mine's been up about four years

 

[dunnyrail]

I helped my mate build his 0 gauge layout using exclusively Filcris, we had curves specially cut from 8x4 sheets and decking for the straights. We had to go this route as he wanted a ground level line and wood probably may have lasted 3-5 years. I have to say for 0 gauge I would not recommend it, in G it ought to be fine. I would screw a piece of Hips or Plastic Coated Foam board inside the sleepers about 2 every metre or so. The pieces to allow movement in all directions to stop any issues with too much movement and all track should be clamped as well.

Another plastic option is ECO Board, this is made from tiny varying bits of plastic, comes in 8x4 sheets thus needs to be cut for curves but not too tricky and plan for economy before you cut. It is a grey colour so does not suffer as badly as Filcris does which tends to be black.

 

[Rhinochugger]

I helped my mate build his 0 gauge layout using exclusively Filcris, we had curves specially cut from 8x4 sheets and decking for the straights. We had to go this route as he wanted a ground level line and wood probably may have lasted 3-5 years. I have to say for 0 gauge I would not recommend it, in G it ought to be fine. I would screw a piece of Hips or Plastic Coated Foam board inside the sleepers about 2 every metre or so. The pieces to allow movement in all directions to stop any issues with too much movement and all track should be clamped as well.

Another plastic option is ECO Board, this is made from tiny varying bits of plastic, comes in 8x4 sheets thus needs to be cut for curves but not too tricky and plan for economy before you cut. It is a grey colour so does not suffer as badly as Filcris does which tends to be black.

No need to worry - the Filcris system provides you with the correctly sized spacer blocks to enable construction of a ladder frame.

In the pictures, you can see the screw heads - obviously some of them are into the uprights, but the others are into the spacer blocks. They will supply spacer blocks for 32mm or 45mm gauge.

I reckon it's a pretty good system. OK, it's not the cheapest, but it has longevity, which is why they supply stainless steel screws.

I'm not a real fan of high level garden railways - end of; but I needed a solution to run between the station area which was built up on a couple of sleepers, and the fruit cage sleepers and, to my eyes, it's a bit like the Carson Colorado over the dried up river bed in the Owens valley

 

[rusty spike]

Thanks for your feedback chaps
Rhinochugger, thanks for the photos, my line will be a max of 12” from the ground at one end, and so as to keep the track as low as possible, I will be digging a 6” cutting at the top of the garden. I want to keep the whole layout level and although I’m not a lover of cuttings ( or dead leaf collection bins) I think it is preferable to having the track too high. Here’s the lie of the land. Also a photo of the original line with station buildings etc removed. Spiral on right.

 

[LGB-Sid]

Thanks for your feedback chaps
Rhinochugger, thanks for the photos, my line will be a max of 12” from the ground at one end, and so as to keep the track as low as possible, I will be digging a 6” cutting at the top of the garden. I want to keep the whole layout level and although I’m not a lover of cuttings ( or dead leaf collection bins) I think it is preferable to having the track too high. Here’s the lie of the land. Also a photo of the original line with station buildings etc removed. Spiral on right.View attachment 265438View attachment 265437

Is that what you call a ladder system to support train tracks I wanted to try some of this stuff as I am making changes to my layout but they arn't working at the moment so couldn't order anything.

 

[PhilP]

Digging a cutting is hard work..

Also, what are your ground conditions like? - I am thinking drainage could be a problem??

Rhino does not have a roadbed on top of the 'ladder', and it is this that can be a problem.
The perceived wisdom is to either use short 'planks' of Filcris across the ladder, or cut the long radius sections into shorter pieces, with a small
gap between each piece..

It also depends how / if you are going to finish the track, and how often you fasten it down?
If you are going to make a shallow trough, add ballast, and then track: The track can 'float' on / in the ballast, as in the prototype. Fixing of the track then only takes place where the alignment is critical. - Approach to a bridge, or tunnel, for example. Track sections are clamped, or rail-joiners screwed-through, to provide continuity, and hold the formation together.


As for the mock-up.. I think the gauge is wrong, and I don't think it would be any good for track-power!

 

[Rhinochugger]

Thanks for your feedback chaps
Rhinochugger, thanks for the photos, my line will be a max of 12” from the ground at one end, and so as to keep the track as low as possible, I will be digging a 6” cutting at the top of the garden. I want to keep the whole layout level and although I’m not a lover of cuttings ( or dead leaf collection bins) I think it is preferable to having the track too high. Here’s the lie of the land. Also a photo of the original line with station buildings etc removed. Spiral on right.View attachment 265438View attachment 265437

There's no real harm in a shallow cutting. My previous line had a short (ish) cutting about 4-5 ins deep to keep the track level.

The secret is to use ballast no smaller than 12mm, and then you can use the standard Flymo garden hoover to clear the leaves and the ballast doesn't get sucked up. the track settles into it after a period of time OK.

Off to search for a picture of the Wild West Sussex Railroad .....................

 

[Rhinochugger]

Rhino does not have a roadbed on top of the 'ladder', and it is this that can be a problem.

If you buy one of the Filcris 'system' packages, with the spacer blocks, the Filcris runners are designed to match the length of the sleepers and thus the rail, and therefore the weight, is all on the Filcris runner (longitudinal member)

They've thought it out, but...........................

If you just buy Filcris materials, as you say, you've got to work it out for yourself.

By nature, I am a resident of Eidleberg, so I am an Eidlebergur

 

[PhilP]

By nature, I am a resident of Eidleberg, so I am an Eidlebergur

Me too, but I have some bad-habits..


So I think that makes me an Edelweisser!

 

[Paul M]

I've used filer is for my ground level line, it seems to work fine. For the curves I've cut the planks into 2" bits and left an expansion gap covering the whole lot with roofing felt

 

[rusty spike]

Digging a cutting is hard work..

Also, what are your ground conditions like? - I am thinking drainage could be a problem??

Rhino does not have a roadbed on top of the 'ladder', and it is this that can be a problem.
The perceived wisdom is to either use short 'planks' of Filcris across the ladder, or cut the long radius sections into shorter pieces, with a small
gap between each piece..

It also depends how / if you are going to finish the track, and how often you fasten it down?
If you are going to make a shallow trough, add ballast, and then track: The track can 'float' on / in the ballast, as in the prototype. Fixing of the track then only takes place where the alignment is critical. - Approach to a bridge, or tunnel, for example. Track sections are clamped, or rail-joiners screwed-through, to provide continuity, and hold the formation together.


As for the mock-up.. I think the gauge is wrong, and I don't think it would be any good for track-power!

The soil is poor quality thrown down by the builders of the house on top of chalk, so no probs with drainage or digging the cutting.
I included a spiral to gain height on my previous layout and most of the track base was concrete and or Thermalite blocks. The track radius on my original layout was too tight to take my Tolhurst VoR coal fired loco, so if memory serves me, the new radius was 6’.
I’m too old to go into massive earth works now, hence the Filcris option sounding an easier way forward.
Here’s a couple of photos of the previous re-build and the spiral once complete. The full description was in Garden Rail magazine many years ago.

 

[PhilP]

If you require to accommodate live-steam, then you really need a waist-level steam-up area..

If you are (like many of us) in later life, then despite it not looking quite so nice, do please consider your knees, and having the railway raised. - It won't get any easier.

 

[rusty spike]

If you require to accommodate live-steam, then you really need a waist-level steam-up area..

If you are (like many of us) in later life, then despite it not looking quite so nice, do please consider your knees, and having the railway raised. - It won't get any easier.

Hi Philip,
My live steam days are well gone!
However, my locos are still very heavy, so I’m incorporating a spur on to the patio which will be about 3’ high to place the locos on the track. It’s not so much the weight that’s the issue at present, but getting to the electrical connectors between the tender and loco!

 

[Rhinochugger]

Aha - the next trick.

I bought some wooden train carrier / cartridge type thingies from GE Rik, cut them in half and widened them to accommodate my Fn3 locos, laid an aluminium strip at 45mm guage, fixed 'em back together with spacers, and SWMBO made some calico dust covers - I don't generally fiddle with tender connectors apart from one loco which is comparatively easy to access.

Found the piccy - you can see the manual jump wires at the back, just clip 'em onto the main rails while you drive the loco out

 

[rusty spike]

Aha - the next trick.

I bought some wooden train carrier / cartridge type thingies from GE Rik, cut them in half and widened them to accommodate my Fn3 locos, laid an aluminium strip at 45mm guage, fixed 'em back together with spacers, and SWMBO made some calico dust covers - I don't generally fiddle with tender connectors apart from one loco which is comparatively easy to access.

Found the piccy - you can see the manual jump wires at the back, just clip 'em onto the main rails while you drive the loco out

View attachment 265494View attachment 265494

Excellent!! Looks like a nice weekend project. All mylocos are battery R/C DCC, so no worries with electrical continuity. The only loco which is a pain to connect up is the Bachmann C19.

 

[Rhos Helyg Loco Works]

I used Filcris planks for my bridge decking. They were supplied ready cut and ready to use. The main support is steel I-beams laid on their side. 2" x 4" pressure treated timber was then bolted to the webs, and the Filcris screwed down to the timber, and the track screwed on to the Filcris. The planks are about 5 feet long (bridge is 38 feet) and I left a 1/4 inch gap between each. These close up completely during the summer. The Filcris has been there for seven years now.

 

[Rhinochugger]

Excellent!! Looks like a nice weekend project. All mylocos are battery R/C DCC, so no worries with electrical continuity. The only loco which is a pain to connect up is the Bachmann C19.

Yes, I have a C-19 and two Connies in those loco carriers

The Annie is easier, having the connectors coming out of the rear of the loco, and I have added an extra one below the footplate for electrical pickups from the tender