New project started for this year

[collectors]

Shall we say i broke ground with the start of this venture. & got my 1st 6 of 80 supports in today. I am building this layout with scaffold & composite decking as it seemed robust & cost effective for the size. We are looking at around 80met of twin track with RC battery trains & wi-fi controlling the rest. I will update this post as i proceed. The photos are the plan, start of the poles & the garden. "Up to the oak on the right" The poles will be a lot shorter.

 

[Paul M]

A good start

 

[FatherMcD]

Are the vertical posts set directly in the concrete or are they in a sleeve that is set in the concrete? The last photo looks like there is a sleeve or a larger diameter piece welded on? Or is it just concrete coating the pipe?

 

[collectors]

Are the vertical posts set directly in the concrete or are they in a sleeve that is set in the concrete? The last photo looks like there is a sleeve or a larger diameter piece welded on? Or is it just concrete coating the pipe?

Hi, the s c a f f o l d pole is 48.3mm OD & 50mm waste pipe is internal size. So i cut 24" of waste pipe & slid it over the tube & gaffer taped it on the tube wile i set it in the ground. This way it can be removed easily if needed at a later date.. You can imagine trying to get them out at a later date & the mess without a sleeve. So far they feel really solid. The postcrete i am using is perfect for the job, but be warned & be prepared as you only get 5 minutes to work with postcrete before it becomes unworkable & its solid in ten. But a great product to use & not have to mix it. Saves your back.
The other reason for the sleeve is that i am using a laser level & want to install the posts & then mark the height with the laser & then take them out to cut them to a dead level hight all around the garden.

 

[dunnyrail]

Hi, the s c a f f o l d pole is 48.3mm OD & 50mm waste pipe is internal size. So i cut 24" of waste pipe & slid it over the tube & gaffer taped it on the tube wile i set it in the ground. This way it can be removed easily if needed at a later date.. You can imagine trying to get them out at a later date & the mess without a sleeve. So far they feel really solid. The postcrete i am using is perfect for the job, but be warned & be prepared as you only get 5 minutes to work with postcrete before it becomes unworkable & its solid in ten. But a great product to use & not have to mix it. Saves your back.
The other reason for the sleeve is that i am using a laser level & want to install the posts & then mark the height with the laser & then take them out to cut them to a dead level hight all around the garden.

View attachment 309766

Are the posts coming out of the sleeve ok? Might be worth a bit of grease or oil on the bottom just in case any of the Post Crete gets onto/into the bottom of them.

 

[collectors]

Are the posts coming out of the sleeve ok? Might be worth a bit of grease or oil on the bottom just in case any of the Post Crete gets onto/into the bottom of them.

Yep, they are coming out fine. But, i have now oiled as advised & re-gaffered them to stop grit.

 

[collectors]

Just a photo of what I'm aiming for.

 

[Madman]

Your method deserves some commendations. Talk about bullet proof.....

 

[PhilP]

Are you allowing for linear expansion in your composite decking boards?

PhilP

 

[collectors]

Your method deserves some commendations. Talk about bullet proof.....

Not sure how built proof i am, lol. Have done 39 holes with the hand held 6" auger 24" deep, just 41 to go. The weather in the UK is really sunny & mild for the time of year & i look at it as some winter exercise.

 

[collectors]

Are you allowing for linear expansion in your composite decking boards?

PhilP

Hi Phil, i have a chart some ware & it gives a curtain mm gap per 3 meters depending on ambient temperature on the day of laying. Would have to look again, but around 4mm if laying on a cool day to allow for a hot day. The boards i am using have 4 oblong slots & plan to use some plastic/nylon 4" lengths slotted into these holes to join the boards & glue just one side. I have found cheap plastic kitchen chopping boards great for this type of thing.

 

[Gizzy]

Shall we say i broke ground with the start of this venture. & got my 1st 6 of 80 supports in today. I am building this layout with scaffold & composite decking as it seemed robust & cost effective for the size. We are looking at around 80met of twin track with RC battery trains & wi-fi controlling the rest. I will update this post as i proceed. The photos are the plan, start of the poles & the garden. "Up to the oak on the right" The poles will be a lot shorter.
View attachment 309756

Hullo Chris,

I was wondering if you might need a reversing loop to get trains back into the terminus station?

Or do you intend to shunt trains back into it....

 

[collectors]

Hullo Chris,

I was wondering if you might need a reversing loop to get trains back into the terminus station?

Or do you intend to shunt trains back into it....

Hi, was looking at a revers loop where i have the R5 loop if a single track. The only other place is in the middle of the two circles on the right of the plan. There would be room to put a reverse loop with a station or goods yard at this stage. Any ware beyond the station is a no as there is a 2 foot drop & the back of the house. But still up for ideas as i only have 30 post fitted for the two circles at the moment & heading up to the R5 loop over the next week, weather permitting. But any ideas welcome. The one below would enable a 4-5met station IE>

 

[Gerard]

Hi Chris,
Nice layout you are building there! Which part is high above the ground? I guess not in front of the three steps
Did you do some strength test with the plastic base material loaded with locs to determine a max alowable distnce between the poles?
I myself build a similar train layout and used a thin plate of TRESPA on top of a stiff up to 3 m (!) long thin U-shaped steel frames, which I also mounted on top of grey tubes in drilled holes in the ground.
I like your system since it is also fast and very flexible.
Wish you luck and hope to hear more from youre project in the near future!
Gerard

 

[collectors]

Hi Chris,
Nice layout you are building there! Which part is high above the ground? I guess not in front of the three steps
Did you do some strength test with the plastic base material loaded with locs to determine a max alowable distnce between the poles?
I myself build a similar train layout and used a thin plate of TRESPA on top of a stiff up to 3 m (!) long thin U-shaped steel frames, which I also mounted on top of grey tubes in drilled holes in the ground.
I like your system since it is also fast and very flexible.
Wish you luck and hope to hear more from youre project in the near future!
Gerard

Hi Gerard,
its not a very scaled drawing & when you get to the top of the steps you can turn right & walk all the way around. The pole's i have spaced at 1 metre apart & 600mm high & works out really well for me to sit in a plastic garden chair & work on things. I have laid the composite decking cross tubes & sat on it in the middle with no problem. The poles are all 600mm in the ground as well. I hope they all stay firm as there will be at least 80 of them.

 

[dunnyrail]

Hi Gerard,
its not a very scaled drawing & when you get to the top of the steps you can turn right & walk all the way around. The pole's i have spaced at 1 metre apart & 600mm high & works out really well for me to sit in a plastic garden chair & work on things. I have laid the composite decking cross tubes & sat on it in the middle with no problem. The poles are all 600mm in the ground as well. I hope they all stay firm as there will be at least 80 of them.

View attachment 310145

My line uses Metposts similar to how you have done the Scafold posts. However to help stop sinking I placed a piece of broken paving slab, a brick would do under the point of the post to give more security to discourage sinking. Looking at the pile of earth I would imagine you are using a bag of postcrete per post. This will work fine but I managed to get away with somewhat less than a full bag on some of my holes. Just depends how clean you can make the holes depending on soil conditions.

 

[Gerard]

Hi Chris,

I was wondering what the best connection would be between two long sections of your plastic basement planks. Some extra plank below them or a few inserts in the holes at the end?
Next question is where to plan this connection: on top of a pole or in the middle?
I guess the max bending moment will be on top of the pole so the connection should be in the middle?
What is your plan?
So far you only showed us straight sections. What shape of sections are you planning to use in the bends?
I used circular shaped sections spanning a bend of 45degrees (see photos) as to look like the modern concrete/steel viaducts.
However it prooved to be exremely laborous to cut the circular shapes, so next project i will use a bit wider but straight sections each 22.5 degrees .
Moreover I found out that the old stone viaducts, like the "Landwasser Viaduct", are also based on straight sections between the stands. (See photos)

 

[collectors]

Hi Chris,

I was wondering what the best connection would be between two long sections of your plastic basement planks. Some extra plank below them or a few inserts in the holes at the end?
Next question is where to plan this connection: on top of a pole or in the middle?
I guess the max bending moment will be on top of the pole so the connection should be in the middle?
What is your plan?
So far you only showed us straight sections. What shape of sections are you planning to use in the bends?
I used circular shaped sections spanning a bend of 45degrees (see photos) as to look like the modern concrete/steel viaducts.
However it prooved to be exremely laborous to cut the circular shapes, so next project i will use a bit wider but straight sections each 22.5 degrees .
Moreover I found out that the old stone viaducts, like the "Landwasser Viaduct", are also based on straight sections between the stands. (See photos)

Hi,
i made up a couple of bends today that seem to work ok with each section having a 11.5deg cut on each side. Would need 16 for a complete circle . I think it will be strong enough with 4 bits of hard wood up the boards hollow areas. i found a 600mm bit of hardwood in each hollow needs to be hammered in with no glue works great. I also have to leave a 3-4mm gap for expansion of the boards every 3 metres. But will just do this on the straights.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

On Gerards question about connecting the ends:

This composite wood (and there are variations) tends to move and bend and expand more than real wood, and the ends can sort of curl up.

Rather that concentrating the "connection pressure" on smallish spaces, I would use a larger "splice plate" underneath.

Also based on the color shown, you WILL have significant expansion and contraction of the pieces, so a little ability to let it expand on straights and curves should keep issues down, think of it similar to "sun kink" but in the vertical dimension.

You could give some "slop" in the connection splice plates for a little movement to accommodate expansion/contraction

Greg

 

[Gerard]

Hi Chris,
Forrgive me my bad understanding of English language, but i do not yet understand well how you connected two straight sections with each 11,5 degree end cut.
You write that you put in 4 pieces of 600mm long hard wood in the hollow rooms, but those hollow rooms are not in de same straight line?
Or do you mean that you made special hard wood connectors with a 23 degree bend out of 600mm hardwood?
I'm very curious how you solved the connection in the bends.
Gerard