george356 Posted July 31, 2012 Author Share Posted July 31, 2012 Thanks Chris, I thought I would photograph every stage just in case it DID work. It was as much a surprise to me too that it did! Thanks Ian, though it is only really 2 days old, let's see how good it is after a good old northern winter has done it's worst. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 Just my thoughts on the strength and durability of your viaduct. I really don't think there's anything to worry about. It looks strong enough to me without it looking greatly over-scale and while you might experience the odd crack appearing I wouldn't think it's ever going to collapse or topple over. Perhaps once it's fully dried out a coat of something like Thompsons Water Seal would prove beneficial or maybe even thinned down exterior varnish to try keep out the worst of the weather and help protect it from frosts? I think it's excellent and I really do like the rough (used in the nicest possible way) concrete finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanR Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 I built a windmill in the garden years ago (yes Griff, a windmill). I cast the tower from concrete and then applied a very fine cement screed which was available ready bagged from 'Sandtex'. It doesn't appear to be available anymore but the windmill and the screed is still intact almost twenty years later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traingeekboy Posted August 1, 2012 Share Posted August 1, 2012 I built a windmill in the garden years ago (yes Griff, a windmill). I cast the tower from concrete and then applied a very fine cement screed which was available ready bagged from 'Sandtex'. It doesn't appear to be available anymore but the windmill and the screed is still intact almost twenty years later. Well yes, garden layouts always appear where one finds windmills. So now the question is which came first the layout or the windmill? In my case the windmill has yet to appear, i'm really slacking this summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george356 Posted August 2, 2012 Author Share Posted August 2, 2012 Just a quick update. I have started the tedious job of soldering droppers to each length of track so that as soon as I have the felt laid I can lay track. My plan is to have a pair of red and black wires running on the outside of the lines, one colour each side. Then I can solder the droppers to them, thus doing away with the bonding of the rail joints. This means that there will be only one soldered joint per rail length, not two. Looking at the prototype operation it is amazing just what does run along the track bed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 I think that's a good way of connecting the wiring George. I'm considering doing the same myself as I find the bonding bit quite fiddly. Wires soldered to the centre of each rail before the track is taken outside would be so much easier for me. Perhaps the only drawback is that the wires may be more prominent but we'll have to see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traingeekboy Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 Just a quick update. I have started the tedious job of soldering droppers to each length of track so that as soon as I have the felt laid I can lay track. My plan is to have a pair of red and black wires running on the outside of the lines, one colour each side. Then I can solder the droppers to them, thus doing away with the bonding of the rail joints. This means that there will be only one soldered joint per rail length, not two. Looking at the prototype operation it is amazing just what does run along the track bed. Am stealing this idea for my layout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 I don't want to dampen anyone's enthusiasm, but the droppers will still need to be connected to the bus. And in my experience the best way of making that connection is, wait for it, soldering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george356 Posted August 2, 2012 Author Share Posted August 2, 2012 Yes! of course! But it is recommended practise to use a bus anyway, and if you are using a bus there is no point in bonding sections of rail together as each 3 ft length will be wired to the bus. My plan is to use solid core cable for the bus, and solder the droppers to that, with the solder joints to the bus protected by hot melt glue. The bus will be fastened to the track bed by either small staples or hot melt glue, not decided yet. If hot melt glue is used it could be camoflaged before it cools by sprinkling some of the roofing felt grit over it. Likewise the length of dropper from rail to bus could be hidden. After a few weeks in the open air it should all blend in anyway. The plastic covering on the bus cables will gradually fade. When you look at prototype tracksides it is amazing just how much clutter there is! http://www.amplicon.com/img/groups/rail/trackside.jpg' alt='URL>'> In fact, there are even prototype droppers!! http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6075/6124575438_2dd2729e08_z_d.jpg' alt='URL>'> http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6084/6124575180_6406ef72ff_z_d.jpg' alt='URL>'> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick Posted August 2, 2012 Share Posted August 2, 2012 When it comes to garden railways, certainly in OO gauge, I'm not sure there's a recommended practice for anything. The majority of garden railways I've seen, in OO and in larger scales, have used wire bonds across the rail joins for electrical continuity and having used that system on my previous layout without experiencing any problems I admit that it does work. However, even with wire bonds across every rail join I would feel better with additional power feeds at certain points around the track. Now the problem with me is that I find soldering wires to the sides of the rails fiddly, especially outdoors where you're usually working at ground level. Indoors I'm okay because I can work at a more convenient height. I really don't fancy the idea of soldering bonds across every rail join this time. If I can solder a dropper indoors before taking the track outside and soldering the dropper to a bus wire then that's a whole lot easier - at least it is for me. George, it sounds like you've thought this through pretty well and you've put forward some good ideas that will make me think carefully before I start soldering anything. I'm going to give the bus wire idea a try on Worsley Dale and I've got a previously unused hot melt glue gun that might just come in handy. I'm not saying any method is better than the other - like everything else in this absorbing hobby it comes down to personal choice and (certainly in my case) ability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george356 Posted August 2, 2012 Author Share Posted August 2, 2012 Thanks for that endorsement Mick Like I said in an earlier post, I plan and plan, think things through, weigh up the pro's and con's, then make the usual mistakes ROFL One advantage of using a bus with droppers every section rather than bonding each section is that if at a later date you want to go to DC block operation it is a simple matter of sliding back the rail joiners and clipping the bus and inserting wires and detection equipment to the freshly cut ends. Like you say Mick, there is no absolute right way, just different ways, of achieving the same effect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george356 Posted August 5, 2012 Author Share Posted August 5, 2012 Well, this morning started out fine and hot. It was a typical summer's day, so I decided to soften the curves and to install the transitions at the sleepers. http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l616/george356/Garden%20Railway/DSC_7778.jpg' alt='URL>'> http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l616/george356/Garden%20Railway/DSC_7779.jpg' alt='URL>'> http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l616/george356/Garden%20Railway/DSC_7780.jpg' alt='URL>'> http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l616/george356/Garden%20Railway/DSC_7781.jpg' alt='URL>'> http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l616/george356/Garden%20Railway/DSC_7782.jpg' alt='URL>'> All the joints are reinforced with biscuits, then glued with waterproof glue. I think that what I have done so far will be enough to make the curves a wider radius, I have given myself a lot more trackside real estate. I had planned on starting with the roofing felt this afternoon, but while having lunch we had a clap of thunder and a burst of rain. The sky now looks very thundery, like I said at the beginning, a typical Summer's day Crossing fingers now that it stops raining soon and dries out so that we can make a start. I say 'we' as my wife is going to apply the adhesive while I handle the felt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traingeekboy Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 Looks really good so far. My suggestion would be to take a piece of flex and see how your curves will look. or even take a cardboard box and cut a 1/4 turn at a good radius, so you can set it on the layout and be sure your curves won't kink. On my layout I have some really nice broad curves, but due to me being lazy and just eyeballing my curves rather than making center lines, I think a couple of my curves may have small sections that are around 18" radius. it's very easy to put small radius kinks into a flex track curve if you aren't careful. I only mention this because the far right corner has a spot that looks like it will produce a tight curve and it looks a lot like the angle on my overly tight spot. it's not like you need to be exact about this, but little testing never hurts. Fantastic progress by the way. ---------------- afterthought: Or... if you have some set track curves laying around, see how they look on the boards just as an idea of how the track will go in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george356 Posted August 5, 2012 Author Share Posted August 5, 2012 Griff, thanks for the tips, all good ideas, and I DO have some old settrack from old layouts. I will give it a try once the rain stops (again) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traingeekboy Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 ... and I DO have some old settrack from old layouts. Don't we all. he he Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george356 Posted August 8, 2012 Author Share Posted August 8, 2012 I have spent most of yesterday afternoon and today putting down the felt for the trackbed. No matter how well you get dressed up in the protection (gloves, overalls) the adhesive finds its way onto bare flesh. I have scrubbed up 3 times this morning already (toilet breaks and cuppas), I was too dirty to handle the camera, so when I have finished I will take some shots. Now all I have to do is lay track!! I think I am on target for trains running this weekend, weather permitting. That is not bad for around a month's work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traingeekboy Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 i'm ready. Go ahead and post the pics. Should I make myself a coffee first? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traingeekboy Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Ok, I'm still here. just lettin' ya know... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george356 Posted August 8, 2012 Author Share Posted August 8, 2012 OK Griff, sorry for the delay, but when I get my tooth (only the one, you understand ) into something I cannot let go. I just carried on working until it got too dark to see. Just finished TBH (9:40pm) Photos I promised, and photos there be! Ah Harrgh!! http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l616/george356/Garden%20Railway/DSC_7783.jpg' alt='URL>'> http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l616/george356/Garden%20Railway/DSC_7784.jpg' alt='URL>'> http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l616/george356/Garden%20Railway/DSC_7785.jpg' alt='URL>'> The first 3 pics show me slopping on the adhesive. http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l616/george356/Garden%20Railway/DSC_7786.jpg' alt='URL>'> Rolling out the roofing felt - it is certainly easier using this 250mm wide cap strip rather than having to cut from a metre wide roll. The only downside is that it is more expensive than buying a metre wide roll, but the convenience makes up for that. http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l616/george356/Garden%20Railway/DSC_7787.jpg' alt='URL>'> http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l616/george356/Garden%20Railway/DSC_7788.jpg' alt='URL>'> http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l616/george356/Garden%20Railway/DSC_7789.jpg' alt='URL>'> The last 3 pics were taken after I had cleaned myself up, it was nearly dark and the flash was firing so the pics are not best quality. I just have to lay 1 strip of felt along the patio sleeper and a couple of tiny pieces on the top left corner and I am finished the track bed! - It's all nailed down too, so tomorrow I can begin laying track!! Yipee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Good work there George - it's looking good. That cap roll is a great idea. I've actually seen it advertised before and yet I've never ever thought of using it. Next time perhaps....!! Looks like the viaduct has dried out nicely now. So you're track laying tomorrow? Have you decided on a plan of action regarding the wiring? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now