My fledgling railroad
- Thread starter 5H17
- Start date
5H17
Railways and Diesel preservation, American cars
Id love to build a trestle Shawn. Wouldnt know where to start though to be honest, but I do think those long straights along the fenceline are crying out for one 
Anyone got any plans for a trestle so I can give it a whirl?
At the moment im undecided whether to keep it all at its current level and landscape it where it is, or raise the whole thing by a couple of inches. Once ive made that decision, I can start landscaping it.
Just finished work, and I think todays task will be to put power to it and crawl around to find all the loose joints...of which I already know there are several. I also forgot to order any Aristo track screws, so I can also see myself robbing them out of all the R1 curves I have left over
Anyone got any plans for a trestle so I can give it a whirl?
At the moment im undecided whether to keep it all at its current level and landscape it where it is, or raise the whole thing by a couple of inches. Once ive made that decision, I can start landscaping it.
Just finished work, and I think todays task will be to put power to it and crawl around to find all the loose joints...of which I already know there are several. I also forgot to order any Aristo track screws, so I can also see myself robbing them out of all the R1 curves I have left over
5H17
Railways and Diesel preservation, American cars
Well I hope you guys will shout up if you spot any newbie errors that I'm about to make!
In other news, there be trains in this 'ere yard
Put power to it this afternoon (after remembering to disconnect the reverse loop!), put one extra bridge feed in, and got power all the way around!
Half an hour or so giving the track a bit of a spoodle, and off it went...all the way around. Dont want to try and run anything too heavy as yet (theres still bits of it where the track support is...erm....'heath robinson' at best shall we say, but the Critter has been happily plodding around for a couple of hours.
Happy bunny here!
In other news, there be trains in this 'ere yard
Put power to it this afternoon (after remembering to disconnect the reverse loop!), put one extra bridge feed in, and got power all the way around!
Half an hour or so giving the track a bit of a spoodle, and off it went...all the way around. Dont want to try and run anything too heavy as yet (theres still bits of it where the track support is...erm....'heath robinson' at best shall we say, but the Critter has been happily plodding around for a couple of hours.
Happy bunny here!
5H17
Railways and Diesel preservation, American cars
A little bit of video for you
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QmCvSgFyQI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QmCvSgFyQI
Shawn
Hiking, cross country skiing, snowshoeing
Nice video Dave. Trestles are very easy to build especially once you build a jig. Here is a great introduction on building trestles. http://members.cox.net/sn3nut/trestles part 1.htm
It is well worth the effort. Another option is to build wood colums like this: (quick fix until I built the trestles)
The colums were replaced with the trestles
It is well worth the effort. Another option is to build wood colums like this: (quick fix until I built the trestles)
The colums were replaced with the trestles
robsmorgan
Registered
That's a doddle then Shawn!
I assume you are using pine - if not..... what timber and/or preservative do you use that will withstand our UK weather??
Thanks in advance
Rob
Shawn
Hiking, cross country skiing, snowshoeing
robsmorgan said:
That's a doddle then Shawn!
I assume you are using pine - if not..... what timber and/or preservative do you use that will withstand our UK weather??
Thanks in advance
Rob
I used cedar for my trestles and once they weather nice (gray color) I will put thompson water seal. You can use any hard wood just throw a sealer on it every few years. I have used some poor quailty wood that has lasted outoors. Stain or water sealer really makes the difference.
5H17
Railways and Diesel preservation, American cars
Ace weekend. Got a bit more done, edged part of the line with logs I salvaged from the trees we cut down, laid membrane, got gravel down, and settled down to some intensive 'testing'.
Tested the whole line with DCC for the first time. Alco came out on a ballast train.
Annie came out to play. Its very temperamental with the uneven track at the moment, so I spent a few hours lifting and packing little sections. Its all progress.
Dug out the other alco. First time ive run this in anger. Needs lubrication and the pickups cleaning, but other than that its ok
Finally...did some night photo. First time ive tried that.
Really must put a couple of resistors in that cab light!
Productive times!
Tested the whole line with DCC for the first time. Alco came out on a ballast train.
Annie came out to play. Its very temperamental with the uneven track at the moment, so I spent a few hours lifting and packing little sections. Its all progress.
Dug out the other alco. First time ive run this in anger. Needs lubrication and the pickups cleaning, but other than that its ok
Finally...did some night photo. First time ive tried that.
Really must put a couple of resistors in that cab light!
Productive times!
5H17
Railways and Diesel preservation, American cars
Thanks for the comments guys.
Its getting there bit by bit. Ive just discovered 'plank warping' (yeah yeah...i shoulda listened to what some of you guys said about decking...i know i KNOW!), dremels (ace tool!), and that leaving lumps of slate too close to the track is not a good idea.
Im also having a bit of a rethink on phase 2, which *was* going to be a mirror image of phase one, on the opposite side of the garden. Im now thinking that will just take up TOO much space, so I may go for a simple reverse loop (a biggun!) on the other side, OR i might mirror phase one in smaller radius curves for the little stuff, with a big reverse loop round the outside for the bigger stuff, if that makes sense.
It makes no sense at all does it. Shuddup Dave!
Its getting there bit by bit. Ive just discovered 'plank warping' (yeah yeah...i shoulda listened to what some of you guys said about decking...i know i KNOW!), dremels (ace tool!), and that leaving lumps of slate too close to the track is not a good idea.
Im also having a bit of a rethink on phase 2, which *was* going to be a mirror image of phase one, on the opposite side of the garden. Im now thinking that will just take up TOO much space, so I may go for a simple reverse loop (a biggun!) on the other side, OR i might mirror phase one in smaller radius curves for the little stuff, with a big reverse loop round the outside for the bigger stuff, if that makes sense.
It makes no sense at all does it. Shuddup Dave!
Dave
I like what your doing and i can see simularities in both our railways but if your anything like me you will have started off with an idea and change it a dozen times and still not be happy. im over due an update of mine on here as much has changed in the 6 weeks since i started laying track.
I keep finding operational problems im not happy with or something doent look right. and then just as i think the basic design is finished i run a different loco or a longer train and find another design fault and ripe most of it up
And then you get the problem of building it to use up all the track you have with out buying more and some daft bugger decides to sell you a pile more that you cant refuse and you have to start over until you end up with the railway version of a tangled pile of string that you cant even fine somewhere to fit a signal box in the middle.
Watch this space and cant wait to see one of them finished Race yer but i bet you win
Tony
I like what your doing and i can see simularities in both our railways but if your anything like me you will have started off with an idea and change it a dozen times and still not be happy. im over due an update of mine on here as much has changed in the 6 weeks since i started laying track.
I keep finding operational problems im not happy with or something doent look right. and then just as i think the basic design is finished i run a different loco or a longer train and find another design fault and ripe most of it up
And then you get the problem of building it to use up all the track you have with out buying more and some daft bugger decides to sell you a pile more that you cant refuse and you have to start over until you end up with the railway version of a tangled pile of string that you cant even fine somewhere to fit a signal box in the middle.
Watch this space and cant wait to see one of them finished Race yer but i bet you win
Tony
steven large
USA G SCALES OF 30 TO 50S THEMES.ASLO KIT BASHING
5H17 said:Id love to build a trestle Shawn. Wouldnt know where to start though to be honest, but I do think those long straights along the fenceline are crying out for one
Anyone got any plans for a trestle so I can give it a whirl?
At the moment im undecided whether to keep it all at its current level and landscape it where it is, or raise the whole thing by a couple of inches. Once ive made that decision, I can start landscaping it.
Just finished work, and I think todays task will be to put power to it and crawl around to find all the loose joints...of which I already know there are several. I also forgot to order any Aristo track screws, so I can also see myself robbing them out of all the R1 curves I have left over
hi matey..
i have fews paperworks with pictures and plans for u if u r interesting,,,free!!! up to u....for trestles