Laying Track

Once the track sections are completed, the next task
is to lay track. Most individuals and clubs prefer to
have the rail already laid on the panels. But my rail
order never came. Because I used stringers, I could lay
track even with no rail and solve the rail issue later.



The first and most labor intensive task is to grade the
roadbed. This is complicated by the presence of rocks,
roots, old buried building materials, etc. New Hampshire
is called the "Granite State" for good reason.



I was always afraid of encountering a rock that was too big
to move and too difficult to go around. We did find one that
couldn't be lifted, but we managed to roll it out of the way.

You may need to remove quite a bit of soil or
borrow it from another location to create a fill.



Then the sections are layed on the earth and fastened together using
short stringers. Having the ties on stringers elevates the track off
the ground. Then ballast is poured onto the track and between the ties.

Working all day means only completing 40 feet
of track. It's going to be a long summer!



There are two bridges on the line. How do you build a bridge?
Exactly the same way you build track panels, except make it
a little more robust.



The Bridge is installed.



After installing the bridge over Silver Creek, there
was inevitably panel sections that just didn't fit.
No problem. With the help of the chain saw, just cut
off what you don't need and recycle the lumber.

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