help!!! brand new to G scale, need advice

[beavercreek]

Welcome Anthony!
Excellent replies, especially James, just be careful with clearance on curves if the boards are against the fence. Although Thomas rolling stock is pretty short and does not hang out much at all when going around a curve, you may progress to longer wagons etc and that might give the clearance issue.
Best thing is to have brackets which keep the decking boards about 5 cm away from the fence...just in case in the future

 

[anthony jordan]

ah--- I understand, like a lorry turning a corner. thank you

 

[Cranford]

Hi been following your thread, for a sensible priced shuttle unit try this guy, have had anumber of items from him and he will dicuss things with you if neede.

http://www.mrrails.com/html/auto_shuttle_pricing.html < Link To http://www.mrrails.com/ht...o_shuttle_pricing.html

 

[Phil]

Welcome to the forum..
we like decking..
decking boards cut to shape and length, posts on ground on broken slabs or drilled through into wall beneath..

 

[jimmielx]

Hi Anthony,

Glad to be helpful! Here are the brackets I have used. These are ok for me as you'd have to be very small to see them - at 3' up though maybe you'd want something prettier? Certainly I wouldn't want to use these for any more than a single track run.

I'm embarrassed to note that I haven't actually treated the underside of the boards here - that's not recommended! Guess I'll add that to the jobs list...

Agreed about the clearance on corners - I had to shave the fence a bit to allow larger stock round this one!

The only other tip I can think of is when picking the boards check that each one is straight - some really leave a lot to be desired. Very happy to help if you have any more questions!

 

[KeithT]

I hate to fly in the face of some earlier advice in respect of h/w decking v s/w decking.
However, this is my experience. I have had B&Q s/w decking on the ground for around 5yrs - so far so good. I have a sitting out decking area in B&Q 'best quality' h/w for 6yrs and it has warped MEGA. I have had to use an electric plane to shave off the cocked-up edges and it is now covered with artificial grass because it looked such a mess. In addition there are signs of rot inplaces.
The trouble with much h/w nowadays is that comes from trees which are of poor quality and so far as I am aware, h/w does not get treated/tanalised.
Personally, I would opt for decent quality 'broad' tanalised softwood decking, it is also MUCH cheaper.

 

[alec dawe]

Depending where you are in the country, (I'm in Norfolk) have a check with your local builders merchants o see if you might get a trade account. Ridgeons gave me one when I was doing decking, and I was getting 35 to 40% off timber, and more off decking screws etcetc.

 

[Wobbleboxer]

I opted for gravel boards rather than decking when I built my raised line. Gravel boards are the ones that run horizontal at ground level below your fence panels. They are made from the same stuff as deck boards but no grooves and much cheaper, possible a bit wider. Mine had been out for 4 years or so and I had trouble pulling some of them up when I started redeveloping the line a few weeks ago, no rot anywhere. I had considered covering them in roofing felt after I started the construction but couldn't be bothered to go back and lift all the track and relay it. Needn't have been too concerned judging by the condition it is in. I may end up re-using it depending on how and when the line gets rebuilt.

 

[Gavin Sowry]

Seriously, at 3 feet above the ground, I would be thinking of a 'fence' to catch your valuable loco and rolling stock in the event of derailment or sudden wind gusts. I get the occasional wagon blown off at ground level, and my railway is fairly sheltered.

 

[Trainman]

Hi Anthony,

I have had my layout off the ground for almost 7 years and never had anything blown off. A mate shunted some wagons off the end because he wasn't watching but that is all. I have used two methods;

1. track spline using trellis timber and
2. 20mm ply that is tanalised and painted with bitumen paint. I used the paint to further protect the wood from separating later on in the time. I attached the timber to 2 x 2 tree posts and also with Bowmac brackets to the fence. See the attached photos.