Finishing the main line - Part 2

Well, here we go! I have completed the roadbed and spliced it together while it was on the framework. Then, I temporarily raised it up so I could cut the end where it meets the yard. I did not splice that to allow it to float while I set the actual grade.

In the first couple of pictures, you can see that the roadbed is aligned, and there are temporary supports to give me the idea of what we have to do (to determine the actual percent gradient) and to cut the risers. You can see the cross members are cut and laying on the roadbed.

There is a sag in the roadbed as I have not established the final grade. It turns out that it is a bit steep so I made the grade 1.85% on the curved portion to compensate for the drag of the train on the curve. I stiffened the grade to 2.3% on the long straight away as that will be about the same rolling resistance.

The risers are now in but just held by clamps as I start working with the level and looking at the edge of the roadbed by eye to take out minor sags. I also have to cross level the roadbed with the small red level.

We are getting closer to the final grade as I work my way up the grade with the two leveling tools. I also use a 4 foot ruler to slide on edge to see that the roadbed is not wavy under the yellow level.

Well, here we are with the finished grade. It took two days to get it all set from the curve on the bottom up to the yard at my right. Total distance is about 550 inches with 9.5 inches of elevation change. I had to include a long vertical easement at each end as I have some long wheelbase engines.

It really will look nice when the track is snaking around here. That is the next step - roadbed and then track. I have to use the trammel to draw the edges of the roadbed so I can lay that and prepare it for the track.
I have left the trammel in place so I do not have to re-establish the center point.

Installing the last of mainline sub roadbed Part 1

Well, it took me about a week but I have finished with the subroadbed for the main line. My biggest problem was horsing a piece of 4X8 by 3/4 inch plywood up onto the bench work. Once there, I used my trusty trammel, as shown in the first picture, to draw the outline of the roadbed. I started over by Milton on the right and, as shown in second picture, came around the bend to begin the long climb up to the yard.

The third picture shows how I mounted the pencil in a small wooden block and then clamped it to the reach rod of the trammel. This gave me a great deal of flexibility on the radius that I wanted to use. The curves here will be 62 inch and 66 inch radius, with easement curves.

The reach rod is a 1/2 inch angle left over from trimming in a storm door a long time ago.

Here you can see how I am drawing on the sheet which has already been cut once. I have completed the bulk of the curve and now am curving back to go up the hill. The loose pieces are what I will use to complete the roadbed up the hill.

You can see the pencil lines that I will cut along with the sabre saw to get the outline that I need.

Some of the roadbed is now cut. I am screwing it to the framing to hold it in place as I draw the rest of the outline of what I need.

This last shot shows me down to the last piece that I need to cut to make the curve. The curved benchwork is a of a similar radius so that the roadbed approaches the edge as it finishes the turn.