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Mountains by Denray "Revisited"

18K views 84 replies 18 participants last post by  CliffyJ 
#1 ·
I have been ask by several to post full views and explain the double loop of the east and west mountain. My railroad is designed for short trains and mostly gear engines.
My mountain loop has a loop on the top of east mountain and the bottom of west mountain, with 4 bridges that connect the mountains.
The bridges now are temporary bridges, once the mountain work is all done the permanent bridges will be built.



Full View of the North side of east mountain
next view is the south side of the east mountain, the stone arch bridge and the steel arch bridge.
 
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#2 ·


This view shows the bridge area, this is 4 levels of tracks, the top 3 are part of the mountain loop, the bottom connects the loop the rest of the railroad. The temporay wooden bridge in the background connects the loop on the bottom, it crosses the stone arch bridge and connects on the other side back to the track completing the bottom loop.
 
#15 ·
Thanks for the compliments
Ed I have made several previous post and I would be glad to help guide you. The best way is to spend a little time via phone and link you onto my flicker photo site.
I have helped others via phone, and get so much more helpful info rather than extra long
forum chats, Also check out Cliff J 's posting in the Garden forum.
Let me know if you want to link together via phone.
Dennis
 
#16 ·
Dennis, I got a goggle notice (via G-mail) on the Bragdon Enterprises in California. Thanks for the reference. Their web page is rather old (circa 2001) and a little awkward to use, but I did manage to get an order in for making their rock molds. I know that almost everything the publish is for resin and plaster casting, so did you have anything (other than the WD-40 as a mold release) that you used to extend the life of the molds? I also assume (I know, bad to do) that you watered down the type "S" mortar mix so that it would flow into the detail portions of the mold better? I enjoyed the You Tube videos and looking forward to your third one...my guess it will cover your staining techniques. Thanks again, Ed
 
#17 ·
Ed
I have only used WD 40, I have poured cement many many times in the molds. The main thing I watch out for is
to not leave then lay in the sun,
The mixture with water is not real thin, I use the same mixture that I use when I lay up the walls.
Thanks Dennis
 
#18 ·
I figure that you want to remove the molds in the "green" state. Found the same issues with leaving just ordinary boards against concrete or steel form supports too long. Being in Arizona (and this is the heat of the summer), I'm figuring that about 2-3 hours would be perfect for removing them. The forms arrived yesterday afternoon late. Thanks for the suggestions....I will probably test one of the molds today to see what techniques work the best here.
 
#19 ·
Ed a friend of mine in Tulsa was pulling his out to early and had a crumble effects, i told him to wait
a little longer, solved problem. Remember this is motar mix, not sackcrete.
a little experment will provide for you, your answer, good luck, and keep us posted your results, PLEASE
Thanks
Dennis
 
#20 ·
Type S is a mortar mix which produces 1800 psi strength. http://www.gobrick.com/portals/25/docs/technical%20notes/tn8.pdf Table 1 is how it is mixed from scratch and Table 2 shows the strength properties. I include this just show it is a mortar versus a concrete mix. Some mortar mixes are not made with Portland cement. In either case, the best circumstances for mortar or concrete is a slow cure. This means slow the evaporation of the water in the mix. Most concrete is cured by covering it with plastic or curing compound (a commercial product) to slow the evaporation. Hot sun with cause a flash set and crumbling or dusting surfaces if not wet cured. The old way was to cover it with wet burlap fabric. Just spraying a mist of water on the exposed surface should help. Concrete reaches an initial strength at 7 days and ultimate strength at 28 days. Commercial work can accelerate the strength and curing times with various additives. I have made precast concrete buildings and wrote an article in the June 2000 issue of Garden Railways magazine.
 
#21 ·
Thanks Dick for the technical info, Thankfully, for at least my application, I am not to concerned about
the drying because 90% of mine is drying after sundown. But for most strength it needs to cure slowly.
Fortunately our mountains are not a stressful factor where lives are at stake.
Dennis
 
#22 ·
Thanks for the reminders Richard, and suggestions from Dennis. I've working with 106 o 110 degree day time temps (humidity is a little high right now in the 15-40% range), but I have found that slow drying does allow for more curing. I'm using the Type "S" Masonry/Stucco cement from Home Depot (Glendale, AZ). I have a bag of lime and Portland cement to increase the mixture ratios a tad. I did see a You Tube video where someone made a "shaker" box for his concrete roof molds....used an electric hand sander without the sanding paper to produce the shaking. Helped to liquefy the concrete into the recesses in the mold....maybe I'll try that as well. Right now I'm trying to finish up a Koi pond for my wife, so it may be a bit cooler out when I actually use the molds. Ed
 
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