| OLD PINE RAILROAD |
| How it all started |
| Planning |
| Custom storage barn |
| Laying track & switches |
| Landscaping / Grades |
| Locomotive (F.N. 2-6-0) |
| Rolling Stock |
| Scale Buildings |
| Hobby Suppliers |
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Planning a layout...
Before you start construction of your backyard railroad, you'll need to plan everything out on paper.
Get a large piece of white poster board paper from your local office supply store and sketch your property, house & any other landmarks out. I used 1" = 10' for my scale on paper but you might want to adjust for your size property. Use a compass to to ensure your sketching the correct radius. No matter what size engine you choose to run on your tracks, I don't recommend any tighter than a 30' radius. Tighter bends (under 30') will tend to have more derailments. Especially with empty, lighter weight cars like flats. The wheel flange will 'pick' or 'hop' up on the rail at the slightest imperfection in the track or radius. Pre-curved rail, I think, is a MUST on your main line. This will minimize derailments.
Be creative with your design. I used several 8.5" x 11" printer paper sketches before I settled on the final layout on the large poster board. I decided on a basic loop and will add a side track and passing track later on.
Use ground stakes to mark out ever 10' of your right-of-way. Measure out a 30' piece of string, attach in center of desired turn and mark out the radius. This will give you a rough idea of where your track will go. In the next step, we'll start pre-pairing the right-of-way. Cuts, fills, leveling, weed barriers, installing track and finishing with crushed stone & a final leveling. *others in the hobby have several different ways of prepping an area for track layout. This is just how I'd do it with my budget and supplies / tools on-hand.
Update 4/22/2011: I'm going to start prepping the rear portion of the yard for track / fill first as we're having an addition built onto the house this year. A foundation will be dug for the addition, so I won't lay any track near the house until that's finished first.
Before you start construction of your backyard railroad, you'll need to plan everything out on paper.
Get a large piece of white poster board paper from your local office supply store and sketch your property, house & any other landmarks out. I used 1" = 10' for my scale on paper but you might want to adjust for your size property. Use a compass to to ensure your sketching the correct radius. No matter what size engine you choose to run on your tracks, I don't recommend any tighter than a 30' radius. Tighter bends (under 30') will tend to have more derailments. Especially with empty, lighter weight cars like flats. The wheel flange will 'pick' or 'hop' up on the rail at the slightest imperfection in the track or radius. Pre-curved rail, I think, is a MUST on your main line. This will minimize derailments.
Be creative with your design. I used several 8.5" x 11" printer paper sketches before I settled on the final layout on the large poster board. I decided on a basic loop and will add a side track and passing track later on.
Use ground stakes to mark out ever 10' of your right-of-way. Measure out a 30' piece of string, attach in center of desired turn and mark out the radius. This will give you a rough idea of where your track will go. In the next step, we'll start pre-pairing the right-of-way. Cuts, fills, leveling, weed barriers, installing track and finishing with crushed stone & a final leveling. *others in the hobby have several different ways of prepping an area for track layout. This is just how I'd do it with my budget and supplies / tools on-hand.
Update 4/22/2011: I'm going to start prepping the rear portion of the yard for track / fill first as we're having an addition built onto the house this year. A foundation will be dug for the addition, so I won't lay any track near the house until that's finished first.