# out door raised railroad



## bobsteamer (Jan 14, 2008)

I would like to hear from you guys on how you have constructed your outdoor raised railroad. methods and materials that you have used. Also any ideas that anyone my have on a good way to build one. ofcourse if you have pictures that is even better. hope to hear lots of ideas Bob


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

One is for sale in the classifieds.


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## Dan Pantages (Jan 2, 2008)

Get those answers in quickly. I’ve started and already reached the stage of being very depressed.


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## weaverc (Jan 2, 2008)

I sent you a message. 
Contact me at my email address and I'll send you construction pictures of my raised layout.


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## Alan Wright (Jan 9, 2008)

Bob,
You need to tell where you live. Construction methods will vary based on where you live and weather conditions.
Regards
Alan


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## bobsteamer (Jan 14, 2008)

Hi Alan I am located on Long Island. Many thanks to those that repleyed, all information is appreciated Bov


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## Alan Wright (Jan 9, 2008)

Bob,
Here we have two main methods depending on soil conditions. If there is a good dry sand base then you can go into the ground with 4 x4 pressure treated and cement in below the frost line. Most of us here use deck blocks because the ground is not dry or sand and there is a heavy frost. The ground heaves during the thaw which lasts a couple of weeks in the spring. We run most of the year except for the time when things are thawing out. Posts are 6 - 8ft apart. Top deck is 5/8" pressure treated plywood. We have found that the more plys the better 5 seems to work well. The top wide enough for two tracks in the main areas and is supported by a by 2 x 6 cross members and 5/4 x 6 deck boards. I cut the edge off the boards and use it to edge the track to prevent a loco taking flying lessons though it has never been tested.
If you look at our web site you will see our track in the pictures of the LNER Thompson and GWR coaches.


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## Paul Norton (Jan 8, 2008)

Bob, have a look at the pictures and text on our club web site about how we have built raised trackwork over the years. I am sure it will provide you with a number of ideas. The different track work projects are found in the Photo Section under the sub heading Track Work.


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## llynrice (Jan 2, 2008)

Over the past couple of summers, my good friend Larry Green has built a raised layout that works really well. He cut out a set of sheet aluminum pans with the edges turned up as shown in the picture below. These lips make the pans quite stiff against sagging between supports. Folding the lips UP also keeps trains ON the bench work and OFF of the ground. We've had several quite windy operating days with train cars blowing off the tracks this spring. The lip has always kept the derailed cars from blowing over the edge.









On the underside of the pans, he riveted stiffener angles cross-wise to stiffen them from side-to-side.









Here is a photo of the near loop just after he set it up. The legs are telescoped steel tube which are clamped and which can be adjusted to keep the pans level.









On the bottoms of the legs, he used plastic caps such as construction crews use on re-bar to avoid injuries. The caps spread the load and help the whole system to "float" on the surface.









Here, you can see the back loop with the track beginning to go in. The layout has two concentric loops so that two engineers can run at a time.









The steaming bench is located under a sun porch out of the weather. He has since rebuilt this bench with permanent legs and a formica top.









Another handy feature is the spur which runs through a window into his basement. There is no need to pick up and handle rolling stock which saves lots of wear and tear.









Once he had both tracks down, Larry ballasted his track and filled between the tracks with mulch. He's also taken moss from some boulders in front of his house and put it on the layout. It looks really great.









As soon as he had a single track in place, Larry started steaming operations which have continued on ever since.









I'm sure that Larry will weigh in with more comments as appropriate.
Llyn


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## Larry Green (Jan 2, 2008)

The somewhat radical design of this track--modular and readily moved-- has worked out quite well, with but two minor issues. First, the 3/8" gaps left between panels for drainage were insufficient to handle heavy downpours, so I added a number of 3/4" drain holes along the outer edges of the tracks.This has taken care of the previous flooding. The second issue wasn't so easy to fix--the concentrated weight of a K-28! On the design mockup, I concentrated a 15# load in the center of the panel, with a deformation of only 1/32", and decided it was OK. When Llyn brought his new Accucraft K-28 to run, we noticed right away that the pans were sagging under it's passing weight. We have gotten used to this , but it should be taken into consideration when making any more panels. The present design allows for increased longitudinal support to be added, but I have not felt it necessary. Also, the question of noisy running on sheetmetal was asked-- the slight rumble heard when first running on bare metal disappeared completely once the track was ballasted and mulch added. Now, you can hear steel wheels clicking at rail joints. Overall, I am quite satisfied. 
I feel I must make a comment here. I continue to be amazed at how the builders of so many tracks have the tie ends at, or almost at, the edge of the deck. With the prices we are paying for our toys, the cost of additional decking material to allow a spacious margin of error along the edges seems insignificant. My choice of a raised lip fits the sheetmetal design, with a wider deck more suitable for the conventional designs. As Llyn mentioned, at least our wind-blown rolling stock has stayed above ground. 

Larry


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## afinegan (Jan 2, 2008)

I have built 3 outdoor raised layouts in the last 3 years, each getting better and better. My latest one is in my backyard at my new house, I have not posted it on here yet (waiting until after this weekend when I can get some nice pics of the k28 with my new Canon EOS rebel XS (birthday present to myself)). I use all pressure treated 4x4's and 1"x4"x8' plus stainless steel screws. I am doing it on a semi budget.

First layout in 2007:











Second Layout in 2008:









Third layout in 2009 (new camera :-D):

















I was playing around with the apeture on the last one, just got a new circular polarizer filter and will post the full build details and materials on how I built my third track next week in this forum. 




P.S. anyone with livesteamers in south florida is welcome to come over and steamup, call/pm first though


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## Dave Sykes (Jan 3, 2008)

Hey Dan P. 
Wish you could have made it to one of Kurt S.'s steamups to see how we builded his.


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## Bruce (Jan 3, 2008)

Andrew, the new layout is looking good. How did you build that so fast. Thats why I haven't heard from you lately. Can't wait to try it out, ha ha. 

Bruce.


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Andrew,
By the look of it an excellent use of available space on the third layout.
What radius is there on the ends of the dog bone?
All the best,
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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## afinegan (Jan 2, 2008)

The quick lowdown:
About 13' outer diameter and 12.5' inner. Built with SVRR code 250 track (300' of track ordered, brass, my track power runs flawlessly on it, great traction for my livesteamers), 4 #6 switches, 116 1" X 4" X 8' boards and about 18 4" X 4" X 10' .All buried 2 feet into the ground, no concrete (rented 1 man post hole digger), stainless steel screws and all pressure treated wood. All approved by hoa  (ahem used the world "childrens playground" in that proposal ALOT lol). A bonus my homeowners fees pay for the lawn in the back mowed and the bush trimmed and there mowing and trimming around the layout with no problems, boy did I luck out lol), Ill post the step by step pics in this forum next week sometime lol
  










As for building speed lol, 2.5 weeks with 1 helper off and on, I got it done fast due to being excited (im 29 (30 on Sunday)), Everyday when I got off work, rush home, pull the circular saw out and off I went cutting wood, leveling, and screwing boards down, I always wanted my own track and I finally got one. Check one off in the book of life dreams lol. (plus I have to get this done before the kids era hits, the storm is coming)


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## David Leech (Dec 9, 2008)

Hi Andrew,
Many thanks for the details.
Looking at the plan, you have the trains running 'left hand'. which means that the cross over is a facing one.
Is that what you really want?
It might be safer if it was trailing, or you ran 'right hand'.
Just a thought.
Regards
David Leech, Delta, Canada


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