New line progress thread and pictures.

[duncan1_9_8_4]

Should be starting my new line next week, and the inclines that come with it. Just a quick questin first. I am going with the shuttering and cement idea as discussed previousley. What mortar mix is suitable for the inclines? (not been a expert at building etc).

 

[spike]

One with sand and cement in it....

Actually I always use Wickes premixed mortar and concrete.
It's got all the right ingredients just add water......for inclines just don't make it to wet.
Add water a little at a time until you get it it smooth but not runny, basically it should stand up on it's own.
Don't let it dryout to quick, the slower the better.

 

[beavercreek]

It's got all the right ingredients just add water......for inclines just don't make it to wet.
Add water a little at a time until you get it it smooth but not runny, basically it should stand up on it's own.
Don't let it dryout to quick, the slower the better.

Totally agree with Spike. Although I did not use concrete for my layout or the inclines, I have used it for other applications where the top surface was on a slope. You could put a metal reinforcing spikes (sorry mike) into the ground that would stick up almost level with the top of the concrete mix but in this case as the height of the finished level maybe not too great the spikes might be a little too much 'over-engineering'.

By the way Spike...two more scores for you.......

 

[MAYBACH]

It is far more economical to use separate concrete mix and cement in bags, mixing it yourself!
Get a 1 ton "dumpy bag" of 3/4 to dust, this is concrete mix without the cement in and then order some bags of cement powder. I always mix my concrete at 4 to 1 cement. Unless you are making a tiny railway with the trackbed about an inch thick you will be amazed at just how much concrete you will get through and if you do it in the ready made little bags it will cost you a fortune. Another way is get all your shuttering ready and get a concrete firm to drop the required amount ready mixed, just barrow it and lay it, all done.
Just ring around for some idea on prices and you will be surprised.
Cheers
Rob

 

[ge_rik]

I've always mixed my own - a lot cheaper. I buy bulk bags of sand and gravel - again the cheapest way and means I always have some to hand for when the weather is kind (remember those days?). For foundations I use a 1/2/3 mix of cement/sand/gravel.

I do have a post on mixing concrete on my blog (scroll down to the botton of the page), if that's any use -

http://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2007/04/how-did-i-make-platforms.html

but there's plenty of other websites (some with videos) on how to mix concrete. I do enjoy mixing concrete - I think it's a throwback to making mudpies when I was a kid!

Rik

 

[Rob s]

Hi

This is a good site for all types of building tips

http://www.pavingexpert.com/mortars.htm#conc

Much cheaper if you buy from a good builders merchant than the diy chains
most sell the sand/gravel pre-mixed in 25kg or one tonne bags for easy handling
around here and on most sites i have worked on its called 'balast'

The basic mix would be four/five 25kg bags of balast to 1 bag of cement just go for
the cheapest cement they have.

A 25kg bag of balast should be about £1.15p - 1.25p and a 25kg bag of cement £3.50-£4-50

If you are mixing by hand, mix small quantities at a time to make sure you mix it well,
if you can borrow/hire a mixer its 2-2.5 bags of balast to 1/2 bag of cement.
Mix it together dry before you add your water (a little at a time) untill it looks a consistent colour and just slides of the shovel.

DONT make it too wet - it leaves the mix weak and puts a lot of strain on any shuttering you have and tend to leach out every where.

Fill it in to your shuttering in about 3-4 inch layers and tamp down with a 2" square timber
about 4foot long end on, as you go to give good strength and knocks out any air pockets, this also gives a nice smooth finish, when you strike the shuttering. (leave the shutering in place for 48hours before you strike it) and cover over the top with the empty blastic bags if it looks like it will rain.

If you want to use the shuttering more than once, and/or want a really smoth finish, paint the wood with a thin layer of oil first (i use shuttering oil cause i can get it free, but cheap engine oil is just as good)

And just remember this stuff is heavy to move around and mix especially by hand, so watch your back, its also a chemical which can burn badly, so wear gloves at all times.
Don't breath in the cement dust and keep it out of your eyes at all costs (don't ask how i know that, boy does it sting)

GOOD LUCK hope you get dry weather.

 

[duncan1_9_8_4]

so you would not use any sand in the mix, just ballast?????????????? and cement of course. and in simple term, for a idiot like me, how would the mix be in shovel fulls?

3 ballast one cement?

 

[Rob s]

so you would not use any sand in the mix, just ballast?????????????? and cement of course. and in simple term, for a idiot like me, how would the mix be in shovel fulls?

3 ballast one cement?

Hi Duncan

The balast comes as a pre mix the sand and gravel have already been mixed at the right proportions for you, just add the cement and water.

If you want to do it by the shovel, mix your first batch using a small childs type bucket or similar, try four/five balast to one cement by volume and mix dry.

When you have mixed this, it will give you an eye for the rest just from the colour. keep that little mix on the side as a guide for the rest of your mixes

Use about 4 shovel fulls of balast to one one cement, i use a seperate shovel for the cement and keep it dry it makes life a lot easier, but remember that you tend to get more balast on a shovel than you will cement, mix this dry, if it looks diferent from your sample add balast 1/2 shovel to darken the colour of the mix or cement 1/4 shovel to lighten the colour.
Then just mix all the rest using the same amounts.
You will quickly get a feel for it after the first couple of mixes it tends to just come naturally

Always check when you ask for balast that it is Sand/Gravel mix for concrete, i ordered 10tonnes of balast from a builders merchant down south once and they litterally sent railway balast ???

Have a quick read of JJ Mc Cormacks site (link in my prev post) it really is a good guide

Oh and get a good muscle relaxant for when you finish, 2-3 pints of amber necter tends to be about right for the average builder at the end of the day

 

[KentKeith]

I'm with Spike on this one..... Although mix-it-yourself is certainly cheaper, based on my experience, it's a hassle. I started mixing it myself but, know it sounds stupid, but kept on forgetting how many buckets of sand or ballast had gone in the mixer. Even went to the trouble of getting four grey buckets for the sand/ballast and one white one for the cement but still found it a hassle. Then there was always the trouble of opened bags of cement......

Now I get the bags from Wickes - no problems now, stuff comes out the same everytime, easy peasy

Just started on my next project today so all was ready for the start of work....

 

[minimans]

Over 'ere I use premixed fence post concrete it's very strong and uses gravel as the core not rocks so is easier to lay and smooth if it's more than 4in's thick you will need some sort of reinforcment either wire or bar. all my railroad is laid on concrete foundation roads so I can use the track as a walkway when weeding and general maintainance. Fence post mix is generally cheaper than other forms of premix being about $2.00 a 50Ib bag so it doesn't seem worth the bother of buying it in bulk??

After ballesting and a couple of years!!