Groovy Track 3 years in the making...

[dewintondave]

Dear All,

We have finally got our running loop finished. We started the groovy track project in 2007 and wrote about it on the previous G-Scale Mad forum.

We laid the golden sleeper on Sunday. We've got 19 metres of LGB type brass track and 39 metres of home made aluminium groovy track. The treated pine sleepers have held up well since 2007 with only a bit of greening in areas that don't get much direct sunlight.

Curves do need securing as they will de-curve over time. I've been going over the whole track leveling some of the sections, it's surprising what a difference taking 25mm off the height of a post 2 metres apart makes for a train on a curve. I've also been adding some smooth transitions into the rail joins on the curved sections.

The track is ground level in a few places, mainly level, except for the long straight 1:80 incline so that we can have a nice decline for the tight 180 degree curve at the end.


Close up of joined rails on curve to get smooth transition.

Aerial shot of same

A large section of our layout

Yellow nearing the end of the 8 metre 1:80 Rosebank

Rosebank ending in the 1 metre radius 1:32 decline of Curve minore - slipping into the yards.

Yellow approaching the woodland curves

http://bouser.fileave.com/DSC07164.JPG < Link To

Almost cleared them, approaching rose curve

Yellow back on Rosebank

All the best,
Dave.http://www.gscalecentral.net/originalAttribute= < Link To

 

[tram47]

 

[Steve]

looks Brilliant Dave the real wood sleepers make an incredible diffrence.

 

[Madman]

Nice job! One thing I want to know is, how do you guys measure in millimeters? I know that its any easier mathmatical system than the inch, but those lines all blend into one.

 

[korm kormsen]

Nice job! One thing I want to know is, how do you guys measure in millimeters? I know that its any easier mathmatical system than the inch, but those lines all blend into one.

one has to start young, while able to see without glasses.

 

[gregh]

Dear All,
We've got 19 metres of LGB type brass track and 39 metres of home made aluminium groovy track. The treated pine sleepers have held up well since 2007 with only a bit of greening in areas that don't get much direct sunlight.

Curves do need securing as they will de-curve over time.

Nice work Dave. I've been using a similar system for 15 years, although I'm converting my mainlines to brass rail on timber now. Your track looks really good. I am surprised about the comment on curves needing securing. I found the track to be super rigid once all the sleepers are on.
I do have problems with loose sleepers over time - looks like you have laid yours on solid roadbed, so should be OK.
Now the big question - how did you cut the slots in the sleepers? I did all mine with 3 hacksaw blades taped together. Reckon I've cut 3000 over the years.
Are you using track power?

 

[dewintondave]

Now the big question - how did you cut the slots in the sleepers? I did all mine with 3 hacksaw blades taped together. Reckon I've cut 3000 over the years.
Are you using track power?

Hi Greg,

I milled them with an endmill in a drillpress with a fence set and square pusher piece. They were from 19 mm square fencing beading, cut in half after milling. Each had to be cut to 100 mm on the table saw to get the 45 mm gauge bang on as the sleeper blank is turned around to mill the other slot.

This was the original set-up.

We've shoe-horned batteries into the yellow LGB loco, and are running it manual with a speed controller built in to it. The other loco's are live steam without insulated wheels.

Dave.

 

[oldoak]

Gregh

I have had a look at your site, its very informative. You said you are using LGB brass rail, do you know how much it is in A$ at present & have you ever tried stainless steel. I think it may be cheeper but more importantly it should have less expansion under the Oz sun. Anybody used it in Oz or the UK.