As most of you are aware by now i like to experiment a lot before execution.
The experiment with vermiculite mixed with cement was a pretty good success, but also a failure.
When it was getting wet and the temperatures were getting below 0C it crumbles to dust, add some strong wind and it is everywhere except on the layout.
To solve this i thought it is going to be a good idea to use paint (coloured latex outside grade/use) as a binder and make it "semi" water proof.
Or go with the fine grain plaster that they put on buildings.
Or some 2 to 3mm gravel, that will bring there own problems.
Btw i dont use wooden sleepers anymore, all ABS.
The several buckets of wooden sleepers that i still have will be used for strait pieces, where there will be a steam engine stationary/warming up/cooling down or thrown away.
Brings me to my next "problem":
I use(d) sections of complete track in length of 1 meter 20 with aluminium strip 2mmx10mm,
When i secure the tracks with screws at the ends of a track, the track can not expand thus in the middle it is rising up, debris will find his way under the sleepers.
So now i am experimenting to only fixating them in the middle or one screw at the end, with of course give reliability problems due to false connections, that can occur over time.
Add solid ballast and the room for expansion is completely gone.
I think that fixating the tracks is not really needed and on long strait pieces (10m +)it is clever to mimic the real life tracks and put a small "s" into it so it can shift more?
1 meter of alu can shrink or expand 0.5mm in a 30C scale.(messing is 5% less btw)
ABS 6x more.
What are your experiences with fixating your tracks, or not fixed tracks?
Any idea's about ballast?
Thanks in advance, best.
The experiment with vermiculite mixed with cement was a pretty good success, but also a failure.
When it was getting wet and the temperatures were getting below 0C it crumbles to dust, add some strong wind and it is everywhere except on the layout.
To solve this i thought it is going to be a good idea to use paint (coloured latex outside grade/use) as a binder and make it "semi" water proof.
Or go with the fine grain plaster that they put on buildings.
Or some 2 to 3mm gravel, that will bring there own problems.
Btw i dont use wooden sleepers anymore, all ABS.
The several buckets of wooden sleepers that i still have will be used for strait pieces, where there will be a steam engine stationary/warming up/cooling down or thrown away.
Brings me to my next "problem":
I use(d) sections of complete track in length of 1 meter 20 with aluminium strip 2mmx10mm,
When i secure the tracks with screws at the ends of a track, the track can not expand thus in the middle it is rising up, debris will find his way under the sleepers.
So now i am experimenting to only fixating them in the middle or one screw at the end, with of course give reliability problems due to false connections, that can occur over time.
Add solid ballast and the room for expansion is completely gone.
I think that fixating the tracks is not really needed and on long strait pieces (10m +)it is clever to mimic the real life tracks and put a small "s" into it so it can shift more?
1 meter of alu can shrink or expand 0.5mm in a 30C scale.(messing is 5% less btw)
ABS 6x more.
What are your experiences with fixating your tracks, or not fixed tracks?
Any idea's about ballast?
Thanks in advance, best.