# Raised track bed



## bryan riley (Nov 30, 2009)

It's time for to raise the track off of the ground. So now I have been searching for construction plans and how to details but I have not had much luck, Garden Railways had an article at one time but I not had much luck. I'm hoping someone out there can help.


----------



## Chris Scott (Jan 2, 2008)

Search the Track, Trestles, Bridges and Roadbed and Live Steam forums (most elevated layouts are for live steam) for raised or elevated track or layout.

Alternatively, go to YouTube and search for Small Scale Live Steam videos. OR search on "elevated layouts", you might turn up some how to videos. Watching the videos will give you lots of examples of what a raised layout looks like and how they're constructed.

There are just three pieces to a raised layout; Posts, gross members and the deck. Whatever you use and how you assemble them is completely up to you. There's no limit to the imagination on this given its simplicity.

Good Luck


----------



## Fred Mills (Nov 24, 2008)

Bryan;
Go over and visit at Large Scale Central, where there are several on-going "Raised" projects moving along quite nicely. Ken Brunt has a very interesting build going on, that is setting a standard that will be hard to beat. NOT ALL raised roadbed layouts are built just for live steam. Many are for railroads that are built for operations, and/or running to just watch. Bob McCown also is building his railroad as a raised roadbed pike.
Sometimes people build a raised roadbed that is only raised enough to save bending over, or a combination of waist high, and lower.
My railroad is all over the place. Some on the ground, some waist high, and still much just in between.

Everyon's needs are different, and there are many ways to build. Look around, and do your research....LSC, and MLS are both good places for good information, and people who have experience....don't limit yourself .....look around.

Fred Mills


----------



## scottemcdonald (Jan 11, 2008)

There is an ongoing thread within this forum showing one method: http://forums.mylargescale.com/16-t...ed/65754-elevated-railway-calico-potomac.html

There are many methods. A large number of these are by live steamers who focus more on operating the locomotive aspect of the hobby than the "garden railway" aspect. So scenery is usually limited. But some, like mine, will incorporate a small scenic aspect as the slope in the backyard brings the railway to 4" off the ground for a short run. There will be a garden aspect of the railway next to that area. I'm not there yet, but I will update the thread as I make progress. Just don't hold me to a time table. 

There were a couple of articles in Steam in the Garden. There are probably still back issues available.

May/June 2006, No. 87: Building an Elevated Railroad
Author: Larry Goodhue

October/November 2002, No. 67: Building an Elevated Steam Track
Author: Chuck Walters

Scott


----------



## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

It depends on what you are looking for.

To me "Raised track bed" means some sort of ballast etc. For me, all of my layouts are raised - from the Caboose Layout that is raised about 5' above the ground and is composite decking mounted on 4' X 4's about 5' above the ground (the only roadbed is green outdoor carpeting. My garage layout is a dual deck built above the old pool table in the garage and the main layout is on plywood suspended 4' below the floor joists in the crawl space (green carpet again).

http://forums.mylargescale.com/16-t...ed/17808-latest-expansion-caboose-layout.html

The main outdoor layout (2nd generation) is also composite decking that is level but the ground slopes from a few inches to about 8 feet.

You will never see my layouts in any magazine. I am not a craftsman and I build for ease of construction and ease of maintenance.

I've posted stuff about my layouts over the past 20-30 years but all there is to see are plastic building on green carpet stapled to plywood or composite decking. As everything gets older when the buildings come apart they often are given away or trashed as my track cleaner (leaf blower) often makes small parts disappear.

In all there is about 4,000' of track with about 150 electric turnouts. The important thing to me is that everything works or can be easily fixed.

The better you can describe what you would like to end up with the more likely that you will find someone who has built it.

When I started, my age and the average for the hobby was about 45 years old. Now I and probably most others are now about 70. 

I suspect most layouts being updated or built today are probably smaller and higher.

I doubt there is much interest in Plastic, Plywood and Carpet layouts - but I and extremely glad that I built mine that way.

Jerry


----------

