So my dad has had this great idea of going out the shed in to the garden... with OO... First thoughts are T posts to support the track which will mainly be an out and back loop but with a spur which decends to the lower fiddle yard in the shed. We’re looking as mounting on drain pipe downpipes... as wont rot... Any thoughts?
Wont rot but can get brittle with age (at least in OZ) and depending on how high you are going to make it, then not all that stable. You would be much happier in the long term by using pressure rated PVC. Far stronger and has a greater range of both screwed and glued fittings. That said, treated structural grade pine would be far more versatile, aesthetically more pleasing and easier to use, just saw it and screw it! Good luck with it. Sounds like a bit of fun. No my Dargan layout will remain indoors! Cheers and happy modelling Richard
The best would be concrete fence posts You could cast your own by filling a drain pipe and drop a rebar down the middle If wood is cast in concrete and coated with bitumen it will last 20 years Metal will last for 30 years but ain't cheap! Or adapt something cheap like ebay 1 ebay 2
Its more down to keeping costs down, but trying new ideas. we have not finalised what we will use for the top boards yet. I will take your comments back to dad, but I have a feeling he has settled already on the drain pipe.
A long time ago my father in law and I were considering a garden layout and one of the things we looked at was the posts, now at the time I had read of the drain pipe method and thought if they were filled with concrete/postcrete, and a length of threaded bar 10 or 12mm cast into the pipe the track bed could be fixed solidly and the pipe and filling would be solid for years. Cheer's, Pete.
Hmm... all food go thought. We’re looking at having a marine ply top deck (and covered so we can run in all weathers. But lift off-able) What I didn’t say was that there will be three tracks, a single and the double which loops back in to the shed. The single line will also loop but decend as this will head back in to the shed below the exit point to go to a lower fiddle yard. It’s going out 18ft so plenty of time to lower it. One “line” either side of the post.
Sounds like the making of another great layout there Andy, can you not persuade your dad to do it in O Gauge ?
How about pressure treated fence posts with either an ashphalt boot upto approx 150mm above ground level, or coating the bottom of the post with bitumous paint for protection. For areas that don't drain well try both bitumen and the boot. Paul
I like the thinking, but too much OO that belongs to me, Dad and My son Alex to start again. This is Alex’s Railway, so it’s almost a train set extension! I don’t think the shed would be large enough for O gauge... Or my dads bank balance!
I am in Aust and I am planning a raised G scale out and back loop very similar to what you have planned. I will probably end up using either treated landscape timbers (H4 in Aust) or steel for my posts (leaning is this direction because termites are a huge problem around here), both will be embedded in concrete to a depth of 600mm for stability. The horizontals will most likely Galv steel C Purlins as I have a large number of these used on a previous railway. For the deck I will use fibre cement sheet the same as what is used to line shower recesses mainly because it will not rot and is water/weatherproof, it is easily cut with a cutting blade in an angle grinder and can be drilled and screwed to the metal horizontals. I spoke to a builder and he recommended it over marine ply.
Ages ago I was thinking of a garden railway and did loads of research and one thing I read and thought was a good idea was to use 4inch plastic drain pipe filled with concrete at a height as required plus enough for burying in the ground with a length of threaded rod cast in the top for fastening down the track bed. Nothing came of it but I have never forgotten it as I planned on using the same idea for supporting some garden decking. Cheer's, Pete.
Well what a difference a week makes we had a builder come over and give a quote for replacing the 10Metre x 4 Metre front deck of the house and have decided to replace it, I now have a large supply of hardwood timber planks about 90mm wide the builder has told me it will be fine to use outdoors for years so I am going with that. I have started mocking up the indoor part of the layout an area of 20ft x 12ft plus laying out track for the 15 Metre out and back double track. Construction is planned to start within a week or two depending on the tasking from SWMBO and her "Honey Do" list. Andy I will watching your progress closely.
I’m already envious of the space you have.. Dads off on his summer break, probably get the decking done post August bank holiday..
I will now start a thread showing my progress so as not to hijack yours (not sure about websites and blogs).