# Concrete Roadbed. Further questions...



## TheFishGuy (Feb 1, 2011)

Ok, so I've been doing a lot of reading on this forum about concrete roadbeds and I'm 99.9% positive that's the route I'm going to take. 
Before my research I was advised to use 3/8" rebar and tie the ends together. 
I'm a contractor and have poured plenty of crete and formed plenty of things but nothing like this. 
My flat work mason laughed when I told him what I was planning and said it's gonna suck forming for it. 
Currently the track is in place with stacks of brick roughly leveling it at roughly 16" intervals in order to support the engines as they go by.
The track essentially surrounds my front flower beds which will be completed after the track is laid and finished.
Dirt will be placed right up to the inside edge of the concrete roadbed and boulders/dirt will be surrounding the outside edge of it. 
Let me lay out my plan of attack for you guys to see if it can be tweaked in any way. 
Since the track is already in place my plan was to use mark-it paint on the ground on either side of it.
I would then pull the track up in manageable sections and set it aside.
I was then going to use scrap 1x material (of which I've got a ton of) as stakes for the forms.
Spacing of the stakes will depend on what section of roadbed I'm doing, ie straight sections will be 2x forms, curves will be 1/4" plywood.
Since most of my layout that requires roadbed is curvy I plan to rip the 1/4" plywood to 4" then add to the bottom in order to conform to the lay of the land.
The stakes will be cut after the forms are in so as not to get in the way of the screte process. 
On curves I was considering going wider than a 4" pour in order to allow for adjustment and flaws in the curve if necessary. 
I do not want grade changes on the layout, the natural lay of the land will give enough of an illusion of grade change.
Obviously the forms will be level in every direction.
I also plan to use expansion joints every 6'
Along with the 3/8" rebar I will be adding shredded fiberglass to the concrete mix.
Once the concrete is dry and the track is laid back down I do like the idea of wire straps every so often to hold it in place yet still let it move.
After the landscaping is finished I plan to use limestone screenings for ballast.

So what do you guys think? Anything you would change or do different PLEASE tell me!

Thanks in advance! You guys are great!


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## TheFishGuy (Feb 1, 2011)

These videos give a good idea of my layout and it's current condition: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUoV3TH8b70&list=UUXuNg97xIOrBappFTpQbTzQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F43g...ppFTpQbTzQ


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## jguettler (Apr 17, 2009)

TFG,

Sounds like you have the idea well thought out. It closely matches how I laid my concrete roadbed. 

A couple of notes:

- I used chalk dust to mark the track when I laid it down temporarily before ripping out the grass for the forms.
- I didn't cut the stakes to be level with the form, I worked around it. It wasn't a big inconvenience.
- For the rebar, I used string to suspend it in the form so it would be in the middle of the form. Then once the concrete was poured, I pulled the string out before hardening.
- 1/4 plywood will bow under the pressure of the concrete. just make sure your stakes are close enough together to prevent this.

Here's a link my webpage showing my construction.

http://www.trainweb.org/wgr/Construction/2010.html

Jim


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## jbwilcox (Jan 2, 2008)

I used concrete roadbed this summer on a portion of my railroad. I would not do it again.

John


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## Joe Johnson (Jan 2, 2008)

I'll probably get flak for this but I question the use of rebar especially since you will be using fiberglass fibers. I used concrete for the flat sections of the layout and Mainline Enterprise (now Split Jaw) for the areas with serious grade. I went back and lengthened a "S" section of track this summer that my K-37 has been complaining about since I bought her. The concrete roadbed was only two inches thick and I had used no rebar. It still took a sledge hammer and multiple blows to break the roadbed enough for me to get it out with a crowbar. 

That section has been in place for around 10 years. If I had used rebar I hate to think how much work it would have been to remove 8' of track.


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## TheFishGuy (Feb 1, 2011)

Thank you for the feedback everyone! Jim, I checked out your construction website. I have one question... It's 2013! Where are the last three years man?!?!?! LOL 

Excellent idea bringing and storing the trains inside... I just park mine under the porch... Then carry everything back down to the basement... Funny thing is if I didn't have 1,000,000 fish tanks in the basement I could easily get a track in here from outside... 

Go Bucks! LOL Sorry Dude... I live in north east Ohio LOL 

Unfortunately I cannot use flour or chalk dust as most of my trains are up to high. I think I might just go around and pound all the stakes in before removing the track... 

To cut the stakes afterword will be easy enough to do with a saws all or fien tool. I'd rather just have em out of the way... 

I do like the string idea though! 

Thank you! 

Unfortunately it's fall and time is extremely limited for me... Two boys in Cub Scouts and everyone and my Mom wanting all kinds of things done before the snow flies... 

Spring... 

My landscraper has been giving me a hard time not getting this done... 

I just wanna play trains... Is that so wrong?


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## jfrank (Jan 2, 2008)

Sounds like a lot of work. And if you have to change it......what a mess. I think Marty Cozad in Nebraska City used concrete. You might try and contact him. Personally, I use the Spilt Jaw PVC roadbed. It's expensive, but it can't be beat. http://www.railclamp.com/#!/~/categ...ort=normal


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

I have done so much concrete roadbed that I have gone to re usable forms made of steel. I do everything in 20 ft curves. 


I have changed my mind so many times it isn't funny. It is not that difficult to change your mind when using concrete road bed.

I have done the trench and the ballast and the tamping and re ballasting and it is just as messy as doing concrete road bed.

This is what I used before I went to Re useable forms.

It is a current Home Depot Number 

Comes in 8 FT lengths. 












Here it is in use cause I changed my mind. It bends easily. 

The concrete you see where the Masonry hammer is is the original road bed. 


If you have a lot of moisture or water under your road bed you might get Frost Heave. But you should know that all ready living where you are for any length of time.

Happy Rail Roading 

JJ


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## TheFishGuy (Feb 1, 2011)

Interesting... Bender board... 

Not worried about changing my mind. It's the only thing that stays the same...


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## jguettler (Apr 17, 2009)

TFG, 

Unfortunately middle school has happened.  I'm the primary transportation for my daughter for after school soccer (club and school teams) and summers are eaten up by swim team. Watching her play sports has become a primary hobby time wise. 

I have done a lot of landscaping around the track since 2010. I need to get pictures of that up. Go Blue!


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## TheFishGuy (Feb 1, 2011)

I hear ya, I've got one in high school... with a "boyfriend" (big eye roll) one in middle school and two in grade school.... Life is busy... That's for sure!


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