Groovy track?

[Dick_Melcher]

Has anyone had any experience with a track called "Groovy track?". Wonder who makes it and would it work for a temporary set up?

[willjordan]

There are a number of tracks that uses strap iron on edge in slotted ties, Burnaby and Montreal come to mind immediately.

I've helped lay over a mile of the track at Burnaby, using recycled plastic ties. Easy to lay and durable. I've seen a number of temporary tracks set up seasonally using the system, but I don't think I'd recommend it for a one day stand. It doesn't panelize well, and really works best if assembled in place. Of course if you were putting it on a parking lot, floor or a prepared grade, it would go into place fairly rapidly. With the right tools, 2-3 people can pop ties on the rail at about 5-10 feet per minute.

However, if you want a portable track, making sectional track with bar stock rails welded to steel ties may be a quicker assembly and a bit easier to handle. Also at issues is the number of times that you can assemle and disassemble the slotted ties on rail. With the plastic ties this isn't much of an issue for relay or maintenance, but with wooden ties, there is breakage to consider.

The one complaint that gets worse on a small radius temporary track is that steel bar stock wears heavily loaded cast iron wheels faster than a normal railhead.

[cbrew]

Hey Dick
Groovy track is the track system we use at PNLS
How have you been?
Chris

[sbalkum]

Dick,

About half of Jack Haskins' track near Dallas is groovy. It's quite smooth and lower maintenance in the Texas sun. As mentioned already, welded panels is probably better for temporary setups.

-Stephen

[Greg_Lewis]

Dave Roher made up some temp. track using square steel tubing for rail. I helped him leapfrog this down the main street of Oakhurst, CA. when he ran his engine in a parade! The steel tube has rounded corners which should be kinder to the cast iron flanges than the sharp corners of bar stock. Joints are easy to make, too. Just stick a bar of the right size into the end of the tube. If you pre-drill holes for bolts you can make a tight joint in a jiffy.

Dave: Did you ever use that stuff again?

Ken Schroeder has some permanent track in Nevada using rectangular tubing set on edge. Same thing with the corners and the joints.

[tsph6500]

The steel tube has rounded corners which should be kinder to the cast iron flanges than the sharp corners of bar stock.

Good afternoon,

As Will has mentioned, we use bar stock for rail at Montreal and we have a severe enviromnment. The summer temps hit 95F and the winter drops that to -15F. The rails are 3/8 X 1.5 hot-rolled so there is a crown and no sharp edges, just more traction and a better sound than AL. Heat expansion is less as well but we still have slip joints at the ends of our 80 foot rail sections.

There is tread wear on trains with no steel wheels but this is after 30 years of running. Flange wear is even less.

[willy]

The track here at Whistlin Woods is groovy track. Perhaps this summer I will be able to lay another 400'.

Willy

[srrl5]

Greg,

Used a few section for a test track before I started laying the railroad. Did a major yard cleaning last summer and any steel that was not bolted down got recycled.

David

[Fred_V]

we are using the system at wales west. have about 1800ft. down now. there is a private track in Alabama that has been run on for about 10 years or more and has held up very well. it is more stable due to the strength of the rail.
fred v

[Rich_Carlstedt]

We built the Red Banks and Niagra with 3/8 x 1 1/4 HRS.
We used the grooved ties like Will mentioned, but we also welded
a steel 1/4" x 1" x 12" tie every 18 inches, so that as the track ages and the ties split ( if and when ) we never loose gauge.
The Green Bay winters do not affect it at all.We put expansion joints at the end of each curve. This we learned from the Brits, in an excellent article written iin Model Engineer around 1991. Our longest curve is a little over 220 feet (90' Rad) and longest straight is 130 feet between joints.
The Dayton Ohio guys showed us alot as well

I believe you could get away with 1/4" wide if necessary.
On ours, the groove is 3/4 deep, giving a beautiful 1/2' exposure
I can discribe our expansion joints if any interest is shown.
Rich

[willjordan]

The addition of a welded tie periodically does two things: It limits the ability to realign or readjust the track and it makes it difficult to add track detection circuits for signalling or switch movement lockout.

Burnaby uses the steel in 20' pieces, staggering the joints and putting expansion in every joint. Each track laying kit has a set of gauges calibrated by temperature (every five or 10 degrees -- the 60 degree one sees the most service) so that when laying track the appropriate gap is included.

With over 10 years service, the plastic ties show no sign of damage and they are not at all bothered by the wet climate.

[Fred_V]

i've noticed that our track has expanded outward in the curves during the hot season. when the fall came the rail contracted but didn't pull the curve back in it just opened the expansion gaps. we are waiting to see what happens this summer.
fred v