Gauge 1 layout on Hadrian's Wall

[PhilP]

By having a trailing vehicle, you can do the minimum to the loco's, which will mean they should hold their value. - There value may (or may not) affect your decision to weather them?

A trailing vehicle also means you can experiment with the number of cells you require, for the top-speed you want to run at.
At a later date, you may wish to move batteries and receiver/controller into the loco?

A trailing vehicle, can also be shared between the two loco's you have, which would help keep your initial costs down.

PhilP.

 

[Ben Knibbs]

By having a trailing vehicle, you can do the minimum to the loco's, which will mean they should hold their value. - There value may (or may not) affect your decision to weather them?

A trailing vehicle also means you can experiment with the number of cells you require, for the top-speed you want to run at.
At a later date, you may wish to move batteries and receiver/controller into the loco?

A trailing vehicle, can also be shared between the two loco's you have, which would help keep your initial costs down.

PhilP.

Thank you Phil, great advice. I really appreciate help, being all new to me!

 

[Paul M]

I'm wondering if anyone has any good advice about the best thing to use under the sleepers, to lay between the ground and the track? I guess I should probably ask this on a different thread, or have a look for examples already on the site.

That is another subject open to discussion. Different types of ground need different approaches. Also depends whether you want ground level, just above ground level or baseboard sort of height really! All have their pros & cons.

 

[Ben Knibbs]

That is another subject open to discussion. Different types of ground need different approaches. Also depends whether you want ground level, just above ground level or baseboard sort of height really! All have their pros & cons.

I'm imagining the track at ground level. The ground is fairly well drained and dark earth, with a lot of fine roots, mostly. So far my thoughts are: cut a very shallow channel (about a couple of inches deep and 8 inches wide?) and fill that with small gravel, for good drainage. Then a narrow exterior plywood road - thought I'd cut outsides at 45 degrees, to simulate a bank, cover that with DPC - or I wondered about painting top, bottom and sides with bituminous paint - then pin track to wood. Cliff Barker suggests this for the finish: "use casting resin (available from boat building suppliers), which is especially effective on ABS track. Mix resin with about 10% Acetone to give a fairly thin mixture, add the activator, shake & pour around the sleepers using a plastic dispensing bottle, allow to soak under the sleepers for a few seconds and immediately sprinkle from a height the dried ballast to the required level. Repeat if required and then before the resin soaks too far, blow along the sleepers in both directions to move excess ballast off the sleeper tops and to level out. Use minimal amounts near turnouts and use extra resin."
I've ordered my track to make a start - 80 yards. I'm feeling rather awed at the work ahead

 

[Rhinochugger]

I'm imagining the track at ground level. The ground is fairly well drained and dark earth, with a lot of fine roots, mostly. So far my thoughts are: cut a very shallow channel (about a couple of inches deep and 8 inches wide?) and fill that with small gravel, for good drainage. Then a narrow exterior plywood road - thought I'd cut outsides at 45 degrees, to simulate a bank, cover that with DPC - or I wondered about painting top, bottom and sides with bituminous paint - then pin track to wood. Cliff Barker suggests this for the finish: "use casting resin (available from boat building suppliers), which is especially effective on ABS track. Mix resin with about 10% Acetone to give a fairly thin mixture, add the activator, shake & pour around the sleepers using a plastic dispensing bottle, allow to soak under the sleepers for a few seconds and immediately sprinkle from a height the dried ballast to the required level. Repeat if required and then before the resin soaks too far, blow along the sleepers in both directions to move excess ballast off the sleeper tops and to level out. Use minimal amounts near turnouts and use extra resin."
I've ordered my track to make a start - 80 yards. I'm feeling rather awed at the work ahead

This is one of the main areas where there are 100 ways to kill a cat. Everyone has their own preference.

I have to admit, I don't have experience of the hand made track that you're proposing, although I have seen it, and assume that it will need fixing down at fairly frequent intervals. Wood rots - obviously. So you can take steps to retard its eventual demise. The alternative of marine ply is ridiculously expensive. Exterior (WBP) ply only has better glues - the wood itself is not much better, birch in some cases.

Otherwise, you could use a recycled material - it'll be dearer but much more permanent. Treated softwood will probably only last ten years max. Treated hardwood may go a good deal longer.

 

[playmofire]

Another factor is how long your back will last and you can no longer reach down to it or if you do you can no longer get up from it.

 

[HobbitFertang]

It'll keep you fit anyway