# 2X8 lumber as a roadbed.



## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Im considering using 2x8 pressure treated lumber as my roadbed, to support the track..
my future railroad will have level track, but the ground undeneath the track varies from 6" below track to 3 feet below track..

in the lower places, im considering resting the lumber roadbed on brick or concrete blocks, and have the blocks sitting on a gravel base.


track
'
2x8 wood
'
concrete block
'
ground/gravel


blocks will be 3 to 4 feet apart..

three questions please:

1. Any ideas on how to attach wood to concrete, brick, or cinder blocks?

2. How long of a span between supports can I go without a 2x8 sagging?
im thiking 3 feet is definately ok..4 feet might be iffy..

3. what about warpage of the wood? will shorter lengths of wood = less warpage?
it seems that two 4-foot sections might warp less than one 8 foot section..but I dont know if that is true..

thanks,
Scot


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## SE18 (Feb 21, 2008)

Either Gorilla Glue or caulking made for those materials would work. 

The other way would be to use solid concrete blocks or fill the holes with concrete; then predrill the wood and then run anchor bolts thru the wood and into the cement or block. 

If crushers or gravel is placed below the wood the blocks and tamped well, I don't see any problems other than possibly some expansion or contraction from the wood when it gets wet or freezes. The track could float, however. I'd personally use concrete as sub-bed, but that's just me.


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## sheepdog (Jan 2, 2008)

The 2X8 will warp (cup) when laid flat.

This picture is a couple of years old and you can see the warp. It has gotten worse. I cannot have two trains on this section of track at the same time.










Craig


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I'd go vertical with 2x6's and lay Trex or some plastic decking across.


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

hmmm.. 
thanks guys.. 
I was afraid warpage might be an issue.. 

back to the drawing board!  

Scot


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

This may be ridiculous But you may want to try these 










They are 4 inches wide and 8 inches square. You can get them in 16 in long. They would provide you with one stable road bed if buried vertically. Unless you have extream frost. 

It is just a thought.

Then also you might try paver bricks.


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## irondan (Jan 7, 2008)

Hello Scott,

If you want take a look at the following Link: elevated track you might find something you'd be interested in.


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## Joe McGarry (Jan 4, 2008)

I'm having good results using 2 x6 Redwood for the elevated track on my layout. I put 2 x 6 vertcal posts set in concrete about every 3 to 4 feet. The posts have 2 x 6 cross pieces attached with titebond III and 2 1/2 inch deck screws. the roadbed is attached to these with 2 1/2 inch screws , this holds the roadbed in place and prevents warping or "cupping". All the wood was given a good coat of Olympic brand fence stain on all sides before installation. This has been in place for two years now, and gets wet down with lawn sprinklers daily. So far so good !










This section is currently covered with chicken wire and bulap coated cement. However the back is open to the weather.

Joe


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

Ours warpped terribly the first winter (Ohio). Frost heave got the rest. Then the UV got the ties. 

I really need to write a book on how not to build a garden railway based on the one we built back in the 1980s. We did it ALL wrong!


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## lkydvl (Jan 2, 2008)

The effects of warpage on Sheepdogs roadbed would have been less had he laid the PT boards cup down instead of cupped up as he has them. 

 Andre`


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## Spule 4 (Jan 2, 2008)

....then they warp the other way. At least, our railway did.


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## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

Use Trex instead of pressure treated wood...it doesn't warp...period. It will work fine since you are providing a subbase for it to sit on. The only issue I've read about with Trex is that it can sag between supports. 

IMHO...8" is too wide too. If you buy the 8" wide Trex, you can rip it to a 4" width...and at 4" wide x 1" thick, you can actually bend it around larger curves. 


As for connecting it to the block subbase, use tubes of Landscape Block adhesive. This stuff is designed for outdoor "gluing"...and it works good. If you even pull the roadbed up, you'll be taking part of the concrete block with it. It really sticks. Here's the link to the stuff I've been using.

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...toreFinder


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## noelw (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Joe McGarry on 21 Sep 2009 06:07 PM 
I'm having good results using 2 x6 Redwood for the elevated track on my layout. I put 2 x 6 vertcal posts set in concrete about every 3 to 4 feet. The posts have 2 x 6 cross pieces attached with titebond III and 2 1/2 inch deck screws. the roadbed is attached to these with 2 1/2 inch screws , this holds the roadbed in place and prevents warping or "cupping". All the wood was given a good coat of Olympic brand fence stain on all sides before installation. This has been in place for two years now, and gets wet down with lawn sprinklers daily. So far so good !










This section is currently covered with chicken wire and bulap coated cement. However the back is open to the weather.

Joe

Scot... 
We kind of did like Joe did except we use 1/2 inch gray PVC schud 40 pipe. We drill out 7/8th holes in the 2 X 6's Pine and fur boards we had and then drove PVC pipe thru them side by side "Two Pipes per. stand." in to the ground until we couldn't drive anymore.. Got rid of any board twests by keep PVC pipe with in 3 to 4 foot apart. We gusest the Boards with 1/2 inch plywood and sheet rock screws. 



















After a couple coats of Battleship gray it Was a cheap way to go and very sturdy.


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## SE18 (Feb 21, 2008)

John J. 

Great idea! You could even mortar 1 higher, maybe set over 2 pyramid style. Or even cut them in half lengthwise with concrete skillcraft blade.


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## Pete Chimney (Jan 12, 2008)

That is on way to super-elevate your track, let the roadbed warp.


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

When I built my elevated setup I put the surface boards on "bark side up", i.e.: "IF" I could detect which way the grain was by looking at the end of the boards I placed it such that the curve was oriented outside edged down and the arc in the middle was higher. There was some problem with this because some boards appeared to have the curve one way on one end, but the other way on the other end.

BUT. the sun baked the moisture out of the upper surface and it shrank while the lower surface collected dew and absorbed it such that it expanded. With the lower surface now wider than the upper surface (and vice versa) it took a natural "cup" or trough shape. This in turn became a collection point for rain water which would be absorbed by the very dry wood of the upper surface and it would again expand to be the same size as the bottom surface and the 'cup' shape would straighten out. 

This constant slow flexing over the months before I put chicken grit ballast on it took a toll on the wood, producing longitudinal splits in some of the boards. The cupping also managed to pull some of the screws deeper into the wood, which made it harder for the board to lay flat on the substructure in those times the cupping was not as evident.

Once the ballast was on the wood it ceased this random flexing, but the ballast retained the moisture and a couple of hard winter freezes managed to split the wood to the point where the deck screws holding the boards together either broke or were pulled all the way through the wood. Even the joints where I used a polyethylene glue failed... well... actually the wood around the glue gave way, the glue itself held up very well!


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

thanks everyone! 
lots of good ideas here.. 

I think I will abandon the wood roadbed idea, and move on to "roadbed idea number 27"..whatever that might be!  
(im having a very difficult time deciding how I want to build my railroad) 

I like the PVC-spline roadbed concepts..but I think I need a wide roadbed, that will actually hold the ballast, and is wide enough to attach hardware cloth to, to hold mulch and dirt..(like in the "raised platform" outdoor railroad concept) 
because parts of my railroad wont be filled all the way up to track level with dirt..they will remain open underneath.. 

I have a question about PVC legs..but im going to put that in a more relevant thread.. 
thanks, 
Scot


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## Kovacjr (Jan 2, 2008)

I still have a loop of track attached to 2x6 roadbed buried in the ground at my parents for 7 years not with no issues ever. They are bounted to 4x4 in the ground about 16-20" Still as level as it was installed. 

My father gave it 3 years before it started to rot. havent seen any yet. Though most of it is buried with stone or gravel.


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

This would be one alternative:

http://www.mylargescale.com/Communi...C_ID=38682

The composite decking was a good idea (I used it after seeing Dave Hottmann's layout) and I liked the idea of using it vertically to support the upper layer but th layout could have been built with regular treated wood decking at about 1/2 the cost.

Were I to do it over I would probably go with composite on the sides and regular decking on top. 

The advantage of this is that I do not have any problem with warping even after a number of years.

I might add that I went with the extra wide width to both make room for two main lines (not much more expensive than a single line) and to allow room to catch a train that might derail especially since the layout is up to six feet above the ground and it runs under a large oak tree with leaves, branches and acorns falling on it.

Jerry


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

thanks Jerry,
that roadbed looks great! 

unfortunately I think I have to rule out composite decking..just due to $$$.. 


I think im going to go with a PVC spline system..
only issue is frost heave on the posts..

Im planning to build a "test section" this month..maybe 10-15 feet or so,

then see how it holds up over the winter..

thanks,
Scot


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## Pagardener (Jan 10, 2008)

Scot
We used 2x6 pressurized lumber for our Colorado cliffs horseshoe. It sets up on cinder block appx 2 ft apart.







The plastic patio block was eventually replaced with more cinder block. The straight pieces you see are 100% recycled plastic decking which we had left over from building our deck. The finshed cliffs are below. We haven't had an warping on the wood (been there 3 years in Pennsy weather). We painted it with exterior paint and covered it with rolled roofing.


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