That really came out well,  looks great.  You've given me something to think about for phase three of my layout! 

 

Garry NCGRR

 

   David, 

 

How far in the ground are the  PVC pipes. Also how did you get the PVC in the ground? Did you drill down, and if so how?

 

john

All,

   Any opinions on how this method holds up over the long hall?  Opinions of haveing to re level the track over time? I live in New Jersey and frost heave is a problem. Has anyone filled the PVC with concrete? Sorry for so many questions but I am on my third railroad and looking for a new and faster method to lay a sturdy road bed.

 

Thanks

Glen

Lakewood NJ 

Glen:

 

   When I built my R.R. using the ladder method, I did add the ability to adjust the height of the track by making a piece that fit into the PVC conduit. It did pay off during the initial construction, I was able to fine tune the track work were there was changes in the grade. Over the past few seasons I have made some minor adjustments but not many. The photos below will show what I used.

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

   All my uprights are installed to 30" in depth, all uprights over 18" in height are filled with concrete to make them rigged. Some of my uprights reach a height of 36", PVC conduit will bend fairly easy at this height, the concrete takes care of that problem. One bag of concrete goes a long way. On my roadbed I used 1" foam insulation so I don't have the problem with rain water filling the conduit. But, during the construction before the foam was installed I did. I drilled a small hole in the conduit at ground level to act as a drain. Hope this helps.

 

 

 

  

Ken,

   Thanks for the info. I like your method and will use this idea. I am setting up a somewhat temporary simple loop of track that I can build easily and quickly. Leaving out the landscaping this go around. I do have one question. Did you use a auger or post hole digger to set the PVC pipe? 

   I would really like to visit your railroad. If this would be possible drop me a message outside the forum.  

 

Thanks for your help

 

Glen

Glen:

 

    When I first started, I new I would be building this layout by myself. I installed one piece in the ground and it was far from being straight. I new at that point I needed to come up with something that would hold the pipe in place as I beat the pipe into the ground. I had everything I needed except for the $4.00 post leveler that I picked up at HD.

 

   ( This is the simple version)

 

   Mount the holder over the point I wish to install the pipe and install four 12" spikes to anchor the holder in place. I level the holder and insert the pipe in the top, at this point I grab a 7 pound mall and beat the pipe into the ground.   

 

 

 

 

ken,

you must have very nice and deep topsoil down there in New Jersey. I cannot dig 3" in my back yard w/o hitting stones, and it gets worse the further down i go. i had to use a manual post hole shovel and lots of praying (read on my nees whith a small garden tools to get 18" deep. fot the fifteen or so pieces of pvc i planted. as i am on a contiuous 2-1/2 % grade, and with the addition of bridge 44A this summer i am planning on continuing with raiseed benchwork for the remainder of my outdoor  railroad. (railroad will have termial at lizard head ). any more progress on bridges on your layout?

 

 

AL P.

Al,

   It is all sand down here in Jersey. It is like the beach goes all the way to the Delaware. It is great for building sand castles but is horrible if you wnat to plant anything other then a pine tree.

 

Glen

Al:

 

   My next bridge project is slated for this coming winter, my plan is to build RGS bridge 19a, but as a curved trestle.

 

   Not all of New Jersey is sand, the soil that I have, allowed me to build my layout the way I did. My area does have a good layer of top soil with clay mixed in for good measure. After digging down a foot you hit a layer of gravel which has a lot of stone mixed in with the soil. The bad part is, when it's dry, it like concrete. So before I installed any PVC pipe in the ground I ran a water sprinkler in the area for two days.