Logging Locos, Logging Track Plan, Logging Mill, Mainline Pick-up

[railandsail]

Update: Constructing those Elevated Tracks
I started out using those cheap plastic pier sets and long square alum tubes to try and get my various elevated tracks to the best grades possible, while intersecting with one another, and the existing helix tunnels I had already installed. It was a CHALLENGE, as each time I would adjust one end of a tube, the other end changed in height and that would mean readjusting that end, that in turn would mean readjusting the other end AGAIN. Then I was trying to bring several of them together so I have a nice smooth surface for the 'Y' turnout at that one location, and the twin double curve turnouts at the other end, and the bridge location,...and the tight left hand turnout I had planned to pick up the saw mill's cut lumber and move it over to a milling and rr car packing area,.. got confusing especially as I tried to include the heights of the cork (maybe, maybe not) as well.

I finally decided I was going to build the subroadbed and the risers all out of that expanded PVC foam board material,...the roadbed itself out of ¼'' stuff, and the risers out of ½” stuff. I was lucky enough to have a nice chop saw with a fine tooth blade, that made cutting nice square, straight edges very easy. Did the cutting on my 'outdoor work table' and that kept the numerous plastic shavings out of the layout room.
So here are some photos,..

 

 

 
Looking towards the other corner,..

 
I decided that all that fancy measuring I had been doing with the previous mock-ups was just unsustainable. I determined my exact heights of my roadbeds at their two end points and cut my 1/2” risers accordingly. Then I laid my 1/4” pvc roadbed across them, then my long square alum tube across the top of PVC roadbed. That meant when I brought the sagging PVC roadbed up to the bottom of the metal tube I had the exact height and grade of my elevated track. I just went along every 6” or so and measured the height of the riser I would need to push the roadbed up to meet the bottom of the alum tube. To fix things in place I simply put a small amount to old time plastic model glue on the upper edge of the riser and moved it into place for a firm fit. I will likely flip these 'grade structures' upside down and put some hot melt glue in the seams between the risers and the roadbed.