'Filcris' products - any recommendations or advice?

[scanman]

Good evening -
I am a volunteer with the Didcot Railway Centre. Some of the members may be aware that several years ago a 'G' Scale layout was set up adjacent to the Eucation Centre. The volunteers who built it did it in their own time and expense - but the system is now showing its age with regard to the original trackbed (marine ply laid directly on the ground).

The current Head of the Education Centre has asked me to take charge of it's renewal - on the premise that I am a model-maker (in 2- 4- and 7mm!). We are also looking at using the 'Filcris' system - again laying the trackbed directly at ground level.
Whilst the outlay is considerable, if it works it will save a lot of work in the long-term. However before we make the final decision, I'd value advice from forum members - particularly with regard to using the stakes available to secure the trackbed as is done with wood-based systems.
Any advice gratefully received - and I doubt this will be the last time on the forum asking questions!
Kindest Regards
Ian Barefoot

 

[Zerogee]

Welcome to the forum, Ian!

You need to read through Jerry's long thread here:
http://www.gscalecentral.net/Building-the-San-Juan-Central-RR-m237114 < Link To http://www.forum.gscalece...entral-RR-m237114
He's been using Filcris by the truckload!

Jon.

 

[maxi-model]

Hello Ian and wellcome to the forum. You'll get plenty of advise here.

Filcris have been showing at the 16 mm NGM society's annual show for a while so you may find a lot of user experience with their members. One or two heritage railway associated "garden railways" are members there as well as the G Scale Society. You might find membership of the 16 mm and G Scale groups useful if you are not already.

If cost is a major concideration is there a reason you would not look to having your ground level track on a simple trough/brick/granite chipping balasted trackbed ? It is a very common practice in the "garden railway" scales due to its "prototypical" appearance, simple construction and low cost. Filcris supported layouts, as promoted, seem to be raised height in nature rather than laid to the ground.

I've had a good look at the Filcris "system" as a means of correcting and incline, 1 in 20, in my garden. It looks impressive, being robust and durable and fairly straightforward to assemble to what you want. It is probably what I will use when I get round to dealing with the issue.

Max

 

[dunnyrail]

I have built an 0 Gauge Layout for a friend using Filcris Decking Planks and the Ladder to make an inverted U shaped trough as he wanted his line at Ground Level. This has worked extremely well with one exception, as his line is in full sun the expansion during the day and contraction during the night caused considerable track flexing. I cured the problem with a flexible fishplate idea using wire tube soldered to the rail and bits of wire to limit the movement to that of the maximum permitted by the fishplate length. I also soldered one and of the fishplate to one end of each section of Rail thus limiting the flexibility somewhat. Track fixings were also limited to one for each Yard Length.

Now in G Scale this may or may not work, what I would do is to use Rail Clamps to joint all the track up. Then not fix the Track so positively to the board so that it effectively can move about. As your complete Railway will now be flexible you do need something to keep that movement within limited limits. To this end I would suggest small squares of black Plastic say 50% of the inside gap between Sleepers and the Sleeper width. Set these in the Centre of the track at say 2 yard intervals and the track will move around but stay within limited range of your base.

In the scheme of things when you take the cost of subbase and materials for a solid track base, I think that you will find Filcris very competitive. I can recommend their roducts highly. Certainly in terms of effort it is a breeze to build. But use Decking Planks as I have outlined above. I feel that the Ladder integrated into a Ground Level Line will give more problems in terms of weed grow through than you need.

Please give my regards to Doug, one of your Operators.
JonD

 

[dunnyrail]

Further to my previous post.
Here are a couple of Pictures to show the state of Track.
First shows the way that the Rail Buckled with normal Fishplate use and the Track secured around 5-6 places per yard.

The picture below shows the fix that I implemented as outlined in my previous post. Rail is Soldered at one end of the Fishplate. The length of movement is restricted by the bent wire between the Tube, the tube is soldered onto two lengths of Rail in one piece then cut with a Carburundum Disk in a Mini Drill to ensure that it is Level. Fixing is just one per yard length of Track in the MIDDLE of the yard Length. This solotion has cured all the problems.

Note that this is Peco 0 Gauge Flexitrack.
JonD

 

[Cliff George]

Filcris supported layouts, as promoted, seem to be raised height in nature rather than laid to the ground.

It is possible to use the recycled plastic in different ways.

My ground level line uses the recycled plastic. I used the ladder method, dug a trench, and kept the ladder in place with shortish plastic stakes, and then backfilled. It has been down now for over eight years with no issues.

Expansion is an issue, but the opposite of what you might expect. The plastic expands more than the brass in the track, so in hot weather the track tends to get pulled apart, in colder it can tend to buckle. I used rail clamps throughout, almost exclusively flex track with joints staggered to the maximum extent, and only screwed the track down every half meter or so, especially on curves. With this solution the expansion and contraction has not been an issue for me.

If I can help in any way do let me know.

See what it looks like via my videos.

 

[andyspencer]

Further to my previous post.
Here are a couple of Pictures to show the state of Track.
First shows the way that the Rail Buckled with normal Fishplate use and the Track secured around 5-6 places per yard.

The picture below shows the fix that I implemented as outlined in my previous post. Rail is Soldered at one end of the Fishplate. The length of movement is restricted by the bent wire between the Tube, the tube is soldered onto two lengths of Rail in one piece then cut with a Carburundum Disk in a Mini Drill to ensure that it is Level. Fixing is just one per yard length of Track in the MIDDLE of the yard Length. This solotion has cured all the problems.

Note that this is Peco 0 Gauge Flexitrack.
JonD

So I've just purchased 12 sheets of their 8x4 sheets ready to replace our club track. Really hope it doesn't expand like that...

 

[dunnyrail]

What I did was to get the sheets cut to the Tack Radius (by Filcris) with a bit more overhang rather than cut it myself. Not sure how full 8x4 will work but they will expand and contract as said as Cliff said it does not expand in the way you might expect. Well it does, it is just that the expansion is more than the Track which as said the contraction at night made the buckling as I showed in my Pic. Would need to see what you have planned, but if your track is allowed to float with Track Clamps as I suggested in an earlier post you will be OK.
JOnD

 

[scanman]

Dear All

Many thanks for all the advice offered. Jon, your method certainly lookes 'do-able' for what we have in mind - although we are using LGB track (as I found to my cost on the first work-weekend in April when I naively purchased 3 lengths of 'Peco'!). We will be mindful of the various coefficients of expansion!

Regards

Ian

 

[dunnyrail]

Further thought. If you still plan to get 8x4 sheets from Filcris, make sure that you have some help around to move it. It is very heavy. If you go down the route of planks, it is easy to use the Filcris Ladder effectively around 2"x1" to make the inverted U. What I did was to stager the 2"x1" by around a foot at each joint so that 1 side was over length the other under length at each end of the plank. This can then be used to join the planks securely. The 2"x1" is also easily curved so that neat U's can be made. I think that I put in screws at around 12 inch intervals with around 4 inch intervals at joints. The planks were supported on Bricks at around 2 ft intervals with just a bit of compacting done with a sledge hammer. All very simple stuff.
JonD

 

[Tim Brien]

For those that may not be aware, marine ply is not rotproof. The enemy of marine ply is 'fresh' water. Marine ply is intended to be overcoated when used externally and most certainly must be sealed against the ingress of water/moisture.

I have an elevated (24 inch high) railway with the base cut from marine ply overlapped to give 38 mm thickness (double thickness boards glued and screwed together). The boards were then treated with a very noxious rot preventative mixture and then overpainted with a fencing paint. This has now stood up to nearly ten years external usage with no problems encountered.

For an 'exhibition' type railway I would be tempted to lay a concrete trench with reinforcing mesh. This will ensure a permanent fix to any ground upheaval problems. It may require more initial groundwork but would be worth the effort longterm.