New layout for the RTM (STM?)

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This is my current plan for the base alongside the edge of the garden. Is is a straight stretch about 15 - 20 meters. When I level it with the track foundation elsewhere in the garden, it will be 50 mm above ground level.
So it might as well become a dike, hence the artificial grass to cover the foundation.

Waddayathink? Will it last 5-10 years..?
 
Henri said:
View attachment 314994

This is my current plan for the base alongside the edge of the garden. Is is a straight stretch about 15 - 20 meters. When I level it with the track foundation elsewhere in the garden, it will be 50 mm above ground level.
So it might as well become a dike, hence the artificial grass to cover the foundation.

Waddayathink? Will it last 5-10 years..?
Click to expand...
Not sure what material you are proposing for the 48xy8 uprights and 12x2u. I would suggest if you plan wood that you think about recycled plastic decking. You could cut this lengthways to join up to make non breaking down uprights and the cross pieces as wood may become with a wet and dry cycle planted in earth or concrete. What I suggest with your other materials will likely see 50 years.
 
If you can avoid wood in soil, then do-so..

Doubled-up plastics, or even waste-water / down-pipe from guttering can be used..

If you find someone replacing the gutter and down-pipes on a property, they will let you have the old stuff for free. - A 'square' profile gutter can be used upside-down as a horizontal bearer..

PhilP
 
PhilP said:
If you can avoid wood in soil, then do-so..

Doubled-up plastics, or even waste-water / down-pipe from guttering can be used..

If you find someone replacing the gutter and down-pipes on a property, they will let you have the old stuff for free. - A 'square' profile gutter can be used upside-down as a horizontal bearer..

PhilP
Click to expand...
Yes forgot that one Phil.
 
Henri said:
I have surplus of down pipe. 80 mm in diameter. Replaced them all with zinc last year. Did save the old ones.

But of course these are hollow. Don’t they tend to sag over time..?
Click to expand...
Use the down-pipe for the uprights..
You can roughly cut a piece of wood to fit in the top of the pipe to take fixings..

If you use inverted gutter, then a couple of lengths of 24x48 (on edge) will probably be enough to stop sagging? - If I had the materials, I would go for 1m between uprights.
If the gutter is wide enough (in the bottom of the channel) you can space the two battens with blocks of wood. - A - ladder-rack, type of construction.

<Edit>
Roofing-laths (the horizontal battens under roof-tiles) usually can be bought pre-treated, and are of a better quality than untreated timber.

PhilP
 
Henri said:
I have surplus of down pipe. 80 mm in diameter. Replaced them all with zinc last year. Did save the old ones.

But of course these are hollow. Don’t they tend to sag over time..?
Click to expand...
If you are worried about that just plant m in the ground and slop some cement inside.you can then screw to cross pisces with impunity after drilling a hole for a concrete plug.
 
Here’s my thoughts:
I definitely want to ballast.
Ballasting means a base as steady as possible. So that rules out wood and recycled plastic planking material
HPL is quite stable length/temp wise. Used it before, very happy with it.
The track needs to be raised about 5cm from ground to get even with the rest of the track in the garden
I don’t want to have to look into or under some kind of support for this elevation. It must be invisible.
Would not like to have to replace rotten parts in the future.

All this taken into consideration has got me into this plan… But as nothing is purchased yet, I’m open for brilliant suggestions.
 
Thermal building blocks, on edge, set in the ground?
A metre of so apart.. Nothing to rot. Should be stable. You can drill/fasten to them.

HPL (what is this?) deck on top..

PhilP
 
I used concrete blocks as a base for my track. I would dig a trench for the blocks and use the excess soil that was removed and use it to make the embankment. Much simpler, less measuring and cutting and nothing to rot or expand.

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I've used this method for many years and with sometimes multiple layers of blocks to raise the track bed to obtain a level track base. The soil excavated is used to create hills and embankments.


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The photos above shows a section of track that was laid 20 or so years ago and was recently widened to double tracks. The extra width was simply back-filled with stone chippings. The problem as you have discovered, is the blocks settling and I would suggest ramming or packing the base soil to minimise the settlement. I have a solid sub-soil not far below the ground surface and once I've dug to this region the blocks have not moved. You can see the blocks above ground level and the ground drops away to the left of the second photo.


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The photo above shows another section of track bed to be re-ballasted. There are blocks there but the gaps are hidden with dust. At the top of the photo there are at least 3 layers of blocks, possibly 4 because the track is starting to rise above the natural ground level. The blocks are all loose laid. The next photo shows the track bed ballasted. The ballast I used was grano dust (bought locally from B & Q). I levelled it as you would a concrete floor and then sprinkled some latex based bonding agent to hold it together. It now has the integrity of concrete with a gritty ballast appearance. As it is latex based it is also flexible so I am hoping that it will last. This particular section is my second attempt to ballast it. My first attempt I laid the ballast around the laid track and it fixed the track really good. The bad news was that this section gets sunshine all day and after heat expansion I had severe track buckling of the tracks right at the top of the photo where they cross the bridge over the lake.


The last photo taken from the opposite direction shows the same section freshly ballasted and the builders have left their levelling tool on the embankment by the waterfall.

IMG_20230624_125524571.jpg

Alan
 
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I think this one can suit your needs, incl for your modeling wishes/adventures.
He is quick on delivery.
You have a saw table, right?
For cutting pvc sheet (instead of aluminium or your hpl(hpl is very expensive)) i use a fine tooth saw blade.
For those thick beams i would use a big tooth saw blade.
Cut a 8x8cm beam up in 3.8x3.8cm
 
PhilP said:
HPL (what is this?) deck on top..
Click to expand...
Its i a hard plastic/resin/wood dust hard pressed composite material.
Very durable, very hard to work with, you really need the good tools to work with those sheets.
You see them often on buildings as a finishing touch.

Trespa is a brand name, if you type that in on google, you will see what i mean.
It will last literally 100 years with the color your order it with...
 
Henri said:
I have surplus of down pipe. 80 mm in diameter. Replaced them all with zinc last year. Did save the old ones.

But of course these are hollow. Don’t they tend to sag over time..?
Click to expand...
No they wont sag. at least if you dont let it stick out 1 meter above ground with a decent amount of weight on it. or fill them with concrete and some rebare.
Be careful when chopping them in length, old pvc pipe especially thin wall rain pipe can and will shred, and those pieces can really cut.
 
Thanks Igor for your replies. Appreciate it!

A friend of mine owns a building company and he has sometimes left overs from Trespa/HPL. I asked him to cut some lengths for me and I now have plenty of 15 cm wide trespa strips :-D

Weather has stopped all progress on the build. Too hot and then WAAAY to wet!! Anyway it is very good to have options like those plastic poles, very clever!
 
Some progress. I took Igor's advice for the poles and got some very cheap (relatively) recycled plastic ones. Placed about 55 cm apart. Connected with smal bars that will never see any rain again. On top of this construction the Trespa will be mounted.
Aluminum profiles are also bought to connect the artificial grass, but that is for an upcoming update. This way the track will not look like a bridge but can be hidden as a small dike, very, very RTM style!.
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