Garden Railway Dreaming.

6 Trainz metres is what I've been using to set track height Ray and for the two kinds of track I used that height has been fine.

Your garden railway track sounds good and I look forward to giving it a try out.
 
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And here it is - ground level version. Not good for it to be laid on grass, but I wanted a contrasting background. I still need to cull the unseen faces so this and the higher version probably won't get uploaded until tomorrow. I had to do quite a lot of research to find the dimensions of prototype flat bottom rail but got it in the end - Iain Rice's book on constructing fine scale track didn't help, as he only used bullhead, but it did remind me of the joys of soldering rail to tinned boot brads hammered into thin plywood sleepers. (Reminiscing again!)

Ray

Ray
 
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I've now tested both versions. The track raised to 6m in GMax is useless as rolling stack placed on it remains at ground level and a loco chuugs along very happily underneath! So the only solution seems to be to use the ground level version and raise it to sit on the track bed. Pity. (Or, of course, only have a ground level layout.) Well, I tried.

Ray
 
Yes you tried Ray, but really it's not a big issue since I didn't find it difficult to have to raise the track first before putting it in position.

The track looks good and should be just the job for garden railways.
 
Thanks, Annie, I'll do some culling and upload. I'm wondering whether an almost ground level base would be a good idea - less track raising to do!

Ray
 
A track base set at almost ground level would be good for modelling layouts that run through rockeries and gardens and no doubt would be also useful in multi-level gardens in combination with the standard 6m track base.
 
That might be next, then. I've ust completed the ground level track and had a go at placing it on a track base.

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No problems, signals can be placed om the track and buildings easily raised. So it will now go off for approval.

Ray
 
I know - they keep appearing on my layouts!

Ground level rack base started, but I.m wondering about a different texture.

Ray
 
The track has been approved - must be the quickest response ever. I mdidn't send it off until after writing the previous post.

Ray
 
I know - they keep appearing on my layouts!

Ground level rack base started, but I.m wondering about a different texture.

Ray

Looking quickly at some garden railways on RM on-line concrete slabs seem to be a common choice for ground level lines.
 
I think that would be good. The only garden railways that I've visited have been at waist height or higher on wooden bases covered with roofing felt and supported on wooden posts. I don't want people to have to raise tracks by that amount - and it doesn't help the garden much, even though they were excellent layouts!

Ray
 
I'm no so keen on those ones that are stuck up in the air on posts even if they might be kinder to one's back and knees. I think your 6m high track bases are about as high as I'd want to go with a Trainz garden line.
 
I much prefer the idea of an operating pit as well Ray since it would be a lot less obtrusive in the landscape. Provided it has steps and a handrail for us oldies it should be fine.
 
Something else to add to the list! It keeps on growing - so does my KUID database which makes it harder to refer back to anything. To be precise, I've lost a house - rather difficult (in the real world).

Ray
 
I put together this operating pit/well fairly quickly just now. In fact the most tricky part was moving the daisies out of the way before I placed the dighole. Those daisy models are awkward little beggars to get hold of. I think I'll put in another one at the other terminus and I won't worry about one at the intermediate station since it only has one siding.
The depth is not quite twice the height of the trackbases which seemed to be about right for an workable operating pit/well.

Losing a house. That gave me a 'What!' moment Ray until realised you meant one of your model ones.

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Just the job, Annie - I could manage that climb in and out! And I see my "real world" house bricks are in use again.

I've just uploaded the four-track base - which of course could be used for fewer tracks plus scenic additions. Identical to the first base but twice the width. Surprisingly, I had problems adjusting the textures.

Yes, I meant a model house based on a photo of a recent develpment near here - on a sports ground (disused). I know I made it because it had a car port and in the config I commented, "Provide your own car" and tested it - somewhere. But I've searched computer, hard drives and memory sticks and it's nowhere to be found. Nor is it on older versions of Trainz.

Ray
 
Might need to wear some waders when it rains though ;o)

A friend of my Dads had his garden railway mounted on the fence, this was back in 1960ish.
 
Might need to wear some waders when it rains though ;o)

A friend of my Dads had his garden railway mounted on the fence, this was back in 1960ish.

Perhaps that's a use the windmill could be put to Malc, - pumping out the operating pit. :hehe:

I could find a culvert pipe and put it in the operating pit wall to indicate that there is drainage and it won't become an occasional water feature.

A garden railway attached to a fence could be another possibility for me to explore sometime since I've seen such things on the Narrow Gauge Railway Modelling forum a few times.

Just the job, Annie - I could manage that climb in and out! And I see my "real world" house bricks are in use again.

I've just uploaded the four-track base - which of course could be used for fewer tracks plus scenic additions. Identical to the first base but twice the width. Surprisingly, I had problems adjusting the textures.

Yes, I meant a model house based on a photo of a recent develpment near here - on a sports ground (disused). I know I made it because it had a car port and in the config I commented, "Provide your own car" and tested it - somewhere. But I've searched computer, hard drives and memory sticks and it's nowhere to be found. Nor is it on older versions of Trainz.

Ray

Thanks Ray. It turned out better than I thought it would for a sudden idea.

I'll look forward to trying out the new four track base, but most probably not on this garden line as it's largely done now and ready for uploading.

It's annoying not being able to find things. I have an insane number of Gigabytes of Trainz assets on my hard drives so it's a wonder I can find anything at all.
 
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