In Pavement track on riding scale railroads

[JDPRR]

Has anybody seen track running down the middle of a driveway, parking lot, patio, or some other paved structure? Has anybody seen switches in pavement?
Crossings don't really count.

[Kimball McGinley]

I have seen this handled in two different ways. On way is to pour concrete up to the level of the rail top on the outside of the rails, but to screed it to a lower level between the rails. This avoids having just a narrow groove for the flanges, which just invites rocks or other debris to become lodged, causing flange damage and derailments. When the whole area between the rails is about 3/8" or 1/2" below the rail top, rocks and such can be easily swept out, or at least the flanges can just kick them aside. Whatever rolls over the track does not care about a 1/2" step.

On existing concrete surfaces, steel rails as small as 1/2" square can secured with thin metal "ties" and concrete anchors. Cars etc, roll over them just as easily as the above.

No ideas about switches, however.

[ken572]

Hello JDPRR & Kimball

I think that would be very hard to keep clean.

Also if you got small gravel, sticks, and or

any debri in the groove you could possibly derail.

My 1 cents worth.

Ken.

[Harlock]

Hello JDPRR & Kimball

I think that would be very hard to keep clean.

Also if you got small gravel, sticks, and or

any debri in the groove you could possibly derail.

My 1 cents worth.

Ken.

In 8 years I've seen only one major derailment at Bitter Creek due to an obstruction in a crossing area. As long as you make it a point to clean it well before you run, there isn't a problem. As you can see in the first photo that's looking straight down the track, the middle is crowned and slopes off to the inside edges of the rails, rather than sharp drop off with a thin slot where things can get caught.

The second photo is John Heald running my locomotive over the same crossing.

There is another problem you can run into however, which is the rail in the crossing staying put and the rail leading up to it sinking over time, creating a sudden jump. A big daylight train de-railed on one of those connection points once due to both that and the speed it was going put together. Just inspect and maintain your track and again you won't have any trouble.

[chooch]

Let`s face it. IF-if you clean the crossing Well as you should, there ought to be very little chance of problems unless vehicle traffic is quite common.
The best idea posted I think is this-- " the rail leading up to it sinking over time, creating a sudden jump".--- I would suggest a rail joint at least 3 feet away Before any crossing to eliminate a sudden jump.

[redneckalbertan]

Being from California you probably wouldn't have to worry about it but I figured I should make mention of clearing snow from the drive way in the winter. If you have something like a tractor with a blade or bobcat bucket running across the crossing in the winter it would be good not to have the crossing perpendicular to the road but at an angle, lessening the chance of the blade or bucket catching the crossing and doing damage when clearing snow.

[Kimball McGinley]

To clarify Ken's comment about a "Narrow groove" - there is NO narrow groove in what I described; the WHOLE 7-1/2" distance betwen the rails is just 1/2" lower that the outsides. I recall seeing these at LALS, I think?

As to the shot with a "crown" on it, that would seem to me to help debris run towards the flange slots?

[chooch]

Agreed with the "WHOLE" distance between the rails 1/2" lower is fine. But I would rather put a little dip along the center for water drainage, Florida gets quite a bit if rain and sudden Heavy showers. Also, if using Steel rail possible damage from freezing/thaws in North, rust otherwise. and a little more room for litter (whoops).
On My track I used the center "dip" and added a drain pipe as the track crosses on a slight driveway slope. Also, from a dirt road a quick hose down sometimes is needed.
Chooch

To clarify Ken's comment about a "Narrow groove" - there is NO narrow groove in what I described; the WHOLE 7-1/2" distance betwen the rails is just 1/2" lower that the outsides. I recall seeing these at LALS, I think?

As to the shot with a "crown" on it, that would seem to me to help debris run towards the flange slots?