Encouraging Geoff! I built my trestle of cedar and took two additional precautions. 1. I coated the last three to twelve inches of trestle bent with a "below grade fence post coating" to prevent rotting even on fir placed in ground. 2. I set each leg onto a small cement block (dobe blocks are either 1 1/2" cubes or 3" cubes of cement with two wires imbedded to tie to rebar) and set the cement block into a hole with crushed 1/4" minus granite fines. A wood working friend suggests Port Orford cedar is the best for resisting weather. I know that cedar fences eventually rot where they touch earth or are imbedded in the ground and have significant moisture for most of the year (ie. dessert is probably not a problem).
Gary - Eugene, OR http://www.angelfire.com/or/trainguy/ ----- Original Message ----- From: "Geoff Spenceley" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Multiple recipients of sslivesteam" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, December 31, 2001 8:58 AM Subject: Re: Building a live steam track > I live in Northern northern Calif--if you use wood--I suggest 4X4 pressure > treated posts and after 12 years I have found that cedar is much preferable > to red wood for other track support and the track base. It is less likely > to split and therefore more workable. I have a cedar track base with the > ballast being retained with 1X1 cedar. Despite the "wet" up here I can find > no rot in the cedar under the ballast--a little shrinkage in places where > it is more exposed to sunlight, that is all. > > Geoff. > > > > > The ballast is kept in I live in Northern California, so the weather is > probably a lot less severe > >than PA > > > >"Phil. Paskos" wrote: > > > >> What area of what country do you live? It makes a big difference on what > >> will work. I live in U.S.A S.E. PA. What works and holds up here may not > >> work where you live. Varnished plywood over cemented in support posts with > >> various shimming leveling arrangements works well here and is used > >> extensively. But, in other parts of the country will not hold up at all. > >> > >> Phil.P. > >> > >> (much sniped) > >> > Has anyone done a survey of alternate construction techniques and > >> > materials for an elevated live steam track? I'm doing the planning for > >> > one of my own and would like to learn from other's experiences. > >> > > >> > >> > > > > > >
