Typical Tie Spacing 7-1/X Gauge?

[Kimball McGinley]

What do people typically use as spacing (or pitch) for full 2 X 4's set edgewise? Using steel rail, no tieplates.

[Fender]

Eagle Point RR uses 3.5 ties per foot with aluminum rail. With steel you could use wider spacing. We are currently building a logging branch with steel rail, and plan to use 4 inch spacing (three ties per foot).

[Glenn Brooks]

Depends on what size steel rail you have, and the max weight loco you plan to run on the track.

I assume your rail is around 4#/yard (1+") tall?? If so tie spacing could be as much as 12" -14" on centers. If you have heavier rail, say 6# rail, your tie spacing could easily go up to 24" centers with no problems with deflection/bending.

Glenn

[jcbrock]

Depends on your goal, minimizing cost or prototypical appearance. The railroads I've helped build have used 3" spacing because it is close to prototype spacing and is also easy to build jigs (you can use ties as spacers). It's overkill though in terms of support needed for steel rail, especially with 2x4 on edge.

[RONALD]

We planned our RR to follow full size practice when possible.

In researching tie spacing, we found the statement shown below it's from the 1978 Track Cyclopedia.

We compromised at 3" spacing and ordered 1500 (Arsenic treated) Wolamanized 8ft 2x4s before they stopped selling them.

Each 2x4 produces seven ties ~ 13-5/8"s long, we use them full depth which gives much better stability.

We ballast with Grade 9 CA 6 Gravel.

The spikes are #10x3/4 stainless steel sheet-metal screws, we bought 20,000.

Straight sections are pre assembled, but we found the best way for curves because we use 30' welded rail is to do it by hand.

We purchased 6000 feet of 1" steel rail in 10' sections, when the Lake Shore Live Steamers were selling it.

We gave some thought to tie plates, but that was too costly.

[Soot n' Cinders]

The Canton, St. Paul, and Pacific was built with full dimension 2x2s with 3 ties per foot. The ties are treated to 0.6 with CCA and are certified for 30 years below grade, this is still available, we got the wood from a wooden roller coaster lumber supplier in northwest GA, but we had to sign a statement saying the wood was not residential use. Our spikes are #10x1" zinc plated sheet metal screws, but we may switch to stainless when the current supply runs out because the CCA eats away the threads of the screws.

[R Paul Carey]

The Sunnybank, Putnam, & Pacific RR is a 7-1/4 gauge live steam RR, representing a "dirt-road" line that never turned a profit but bravely invested others' money in keeping up a "good front" with track maintained for maximum scale speed of 45 mph, in the manner of a certain NYC branch dear to the SP&P's owner.

Ties are hand-cut cedar to a length of 13-1/2", 1-1/2" square - slightly oversize - with 4 ties to the foot. Rail is a mix of .625 (80# scale equivalent) without plates, and Culp 115# with canted double shoulder plates, all fastened with scale square-cut track spikes. Track panels were fabricated in a 10' jig, with "rough" staggering of opposite rails, each adjusted as track panel placement advanced. Joint bars are appropriate to each rail section.

The line traverses an old-growth forest with many curves, each elevated to a designated height, not exceeding 1/2" (4" full scale equivalent), with appropriate runoff.

With nearly 2500' of track, the line was built with over 9,000 crossties. The ballast section is all native crusher run, with 212 tons applied (via wheelbarrow) in the original construction and maintenance to date. Not a bad winter "fitness" program!