# track design



## d_sinsley (Mar 29, 2011)

Ok instead of asking a million rookie questions on various old threads I will ask them all in one new one.

Bare with me as I have no understanding of what I am really asking. I guess the first question should be is am I unreasonable in my desire? I have a 10' wide by 50' space in which to play. If my design works out the way it did on paper I can fit 191' of track in a single double loop. I will try and explain what I mean. It will be one continuous loop that for the most part covers the area twice. It does this by crossing itself in one spot. Now if I did the math correctly at a continuous 1.5% grade up for half the length of track and 1.5% down for one half the length of track at my point of crossing I achieve roughly 14.5" of separation (this is not max vertical separation this is separation where I want it to cross). I can achieve this with the smallest radius corners being 4' or 8' diameter whichever is the correct way of saying it. The largest corner r=4.5. 

The railroad will be a Fn3 affair with only small moguls or similar (the prototype I am copying only ran moguls). It will run 30' cars, I even think the coaches were 30' if I am not mistaken. I am willing to have tighter curves than what is prototypical but obviously the train has to make it around the corners. The train will be limited to 5-6 cars at anyone time. 

So is the grade reasonable and are the curves doable? If so then the next question will be track design. I thought, until today I had that worked out but then reading through threads on here I am not so sure. I was thinking ladder design for two reasons: 1) In my minimal width there wont be a lot of room for garden and the ladder could get me any height I need without having a lot of bed to support it and 2) I thought that was the proven frost beating system. Now I am not so sure about the frost beating theory but it will lend itself well to the narrow issue. I can build the beds around my aesthetic and walkway needs instead of track support needs. That's my thinking anyway, suggestions?

If I go post and ladder I live where the technical frost line is about 30" but I don't believe I have much issue as I live on about a foot of topsoil and the rest is all gravel to basket ball size rock. It drains water like nobodies business. So honestly I don't think the natural ground is an issue which tells me I am better off staying away from making ground under my railroad that would have the potential to heave. Am I thinking right. 

So if this all makes sense what is the best way to build a ladder track system. I want zero wood if possible. Even the best pressure treated wood rots, I may be dead before it happens but it does happen. I would just as soon not use it. I would like to bring soil up to the track level for the purpose of landscaping and buildings and scenery but I do not want the track to be reliant upon it if that makes sense, unless of coarse you change my mind on this theory. 

I should add that at one point the two loops will run side by side horizontally but not vertically for a fairly long ways up against the house and with the walkway on that side so no landscaping at all just the ladder. In this area they are separated vertically by as much as 15 inches.

Ok that's all my thoughts to this point. Help?


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## d_sinsley (Mar 29, 2011)

*A picture to help*

Here is a rough picture to help. At the point of crossing the lower track would be at zero elevation and the upper track is at 14.4" of elevation.

This is by no means to scale its a rough picture. No corner is sharper than 4' radius even though it is not drawn here that way.

The building is the mandatory playhouse. The lower floor will be the train shed with the track running through it on the back wall. It will have a ceiling height of 7'. The second floor is the bunk house. It will be cantilevered over the track by a foot and a half making it a 10'x6' bunkhouse with a bunk bed and table in it.


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## d_sinsley (Mar 29, 2011)

*What about this*

This seems like a good method. Anyone know anything about it.

http://www.btcomm.com/trains/primer/roadbed/ladder1.htm


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Better to use vinyl trim boards and spacer blocks. Just cut to length....
Trex crumbled when I went that route.
Look for Ladder and spline roadbeds in our archives.... plastic pipe is used for risers....
John


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## d_sinsley (Mar 29, 2011)

Totalwrecker said:


> Better to use vinyl trim boards and spacer blocks. Just cut to length....
> Trex crumbled when I went that route.
> Look for Ladder and spline roadbeds in our archives.... plastic pipe is used for risers....
> John


Yeah I have worked with trex trying to make a curved bench and it doesn't bend well. When you say vinyl trim boards what do you mean. Like trim boards for house type vinyl? I figured on plastic pipe as opposed to using HDPE or Trex.

Edit:
Like this 
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Veranda-...-ft-White-PVC-Trim-6-Pack-IN5416412/203640250

Edit: Lowes sells a 1X2X8 PVC trim board for $7. That's by far and away cheaper than any other route mentioned yet. Is a 1X2 sufficient? The way described in that link uses a 3/4 X 1 1/2 I think. So I can see where this would work. It would be like half the price of trex and more flexible. Is this what your referring to John.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Sorta yes 'cept I'd use the not so wide... 1 1/2"
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Veranda-...Trim-15-Pack-IN5416404/203640236?N=5yc1vZaq0n

At least that's what others have said they use.
John


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## d_sinsley (Mar 29, 2011)

Totalwrecker said:


> Sorta yes 'cept I'd use the not so wide... 1 1/2"
> http://www.homedepot.com/p/Veranda-...Trim-15-Pack-IN5416404/203640236?N=5yc1vZaq0n
> 
> At least that's what others have said they use.
> John


Well **** this is getting better all the time. I might actually be able to afford this.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Didn't they tell you this is G $cale? 

John


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

I started that way, I used the HDPE trim board, 12ft long 7.5 inches wide. 1/2" thick
cut around 2" wide
Take 2x6 HDPE rip to 2" wide, so it is 2" wide 1.5" thick 4" long
Screw the above blocks to one piece, curve it to fit what I wanted then screw the other side, very rigid after screwed together. Used treated wood for the up rights, took rock bar punched hole around 15-20" deep, then drove board into hole and screwed the one side to the upright, then screwed the other side to the blocks and the upright.
after all the screws were in place, I took saws all and cut off the board at the top of the 
road bed.
Fast way to get road bed off the ground, then I brought the dirt work up to the track.
Dennis


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## d_sinsley (Mar 29, 2011)

denray said:


> Fast way to get road bed off the ground, then I brought the dirt work up to the track.
> Dennis


After finding out roughly what this will cost I don't think fast is an issue, te slower the better.

So I think I can afford the material next summer to lay the entire 191 feet of ladder. Track would be another issue. I think I can do it one half at a time. I can make one loop and then get the funds up to do the other. I could make the one smaller "loop" first. It is the lower portion of track. Then when I do the second half I can re lay a portion to make the whole thing on big loop like drawn. 

Now what about track. I know I want to do Narrow Gauge style track. I was a flex fan in HO what's the thought on flex track in Fn3? I like the versatility of it.


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## Amber (Jul 29, 2011)

There are several companies that make G scale flex track. Llagas Creek and Sunset Valley are 2 of them. I know for sure that Llagas Creek makes F scale narrow gauge tie strips for their code 250 and code 215 aluminum rail. I'm not sure if Sunset has F scale ties or not, I haven't looked at their website lately. The small amount of track that I have is Llagas Creek F scale flex track with code 215 aluminum rails.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

For your railroad go with code 215 aluminum NG flex, if you follow through with bat/R/C.
I was pre alum, so I have SS. If I had the funds to start over I'd go with my suggestion.

John


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