Portable Hi-Line Track

[Andy R]

Yes, Keith,
You are observant.
John has been working on a 2.5-inch gauge steamer, so when we started the project that was the plan. 3-gauges.
I initially made the track panels without bending the rails, figuring that the screws would hold it all in alignment. But the rails straightened themselves out. So I disassembled all but the 6 panels that are intended to be straight anyway. John designed and built a roller for the rails, and after a steep learning curve I figured out how to roll the rails without a twist. The track panels have held the curve for at least 2 years now.
But in the meantime John has been working on other locomotive projects so we decided to skip the installation of the 2.5-inch gauge rail for now. All the ties are drilled to accommodate it, and I have the rail (not yet curved) so if anybody else wants to work on it that's OK with me!
Andy

[LVRR2095]

The obvious solution is John needs to finish that B&O P-7!

Keith

[David Powell]

Even quite heavy track and stands can be managed by two people. I used to take about 100 feet of TSME s all steel track and stands on an 8 ft bed pick up to events,
Two of us could unload it, set it up and reasonably level it in about an hour.
If at all possible a circle is best, once bolted up there is no chance of it falling over.
To help if just straight is being used a few bags of coal, bricks , concrete blocks or the like resting on or round the feet will help prevent tip over risk.
If it is just straight make both ends uphill of the middle. but not so high off the ground that you cannot put feet down.
Hope these hints help. David Powell

[James Powell]

Thing2 by Peach James, on Flickr

In dad's old backyard, setup. I think I set it up on the friday, and took down on the Sunday, in March, in Ontario. It wasn't particuarly warm, but it was above freezing...

The plywood is to level the legs side to side. The legs are made of tube in tube, so the elevation is controlled that way. At the time, I was young and dumb and strong enough to undo the bolt, lift the 2x10' sections to "level", then tighten the bolt. Now, I think I'd need a 2nd person to do so. To "level" it, I used a 48" level and a chunk of 1" thick wood- presto, 1:48 grade, or 2% give or take. The TSME track has 2 sizes of legs- the high ones go up to about 66" or so, so the track is about 70" tall. If you are sitting on a riding car on that, it feels very tall... I don't think there was anywhere when we had the track at Jap's that was that tall, but there were some quite high bits.

James

[shild]

The portable High-Line track that John McKnight and I have been working on for a L O N G time has enough fabricated components to allow a test set-up in my tiny Southern California back yard.IMG_4109 small.jpg
As soon as I finish the means of attaching the track to the framework I will try some back-and-forth running.

Andy that is a good looking track! If that was my yard, at the far end I would have it continue that left turn probably drill holes into that cinder block wall and mount angle brackets to support the high line. When you don't want the high line up anymore, you can put potted plants on top of the angle brackets.

[tsph6500]

I'm currently erecting my loop of "Art Ellis - TSME" track. I'm doing it all on my own and don't find it terribly difficult but the 16-foot long sections are heavy so I used my lawn tractor to drag them into a rough position.

This is just a temporary location for the winter. I will be moving the whole kit closer to the river next summer. That's where my big tractor is parked in this photo. I've been doing some excavation and moving large rocks for a cut and trestle, now the ground has frozen up.

The track is 3-1/2" & 4-3/4" dual gauge with 30-foot radius curves. Total length with these sections is 385-feet but my wife suspects that will be extended. My wife is usually right about things.

[James Powell]

Jim,

Yes, the 16' sections are much harder to setup on your own than the 10' ones. Dad might know why TSME went to 10' rather than repeating the 16', but I'd suspect a couple of factors- 1: Steel is sold in nominal 20 ft lengths, 2: 10' fits onto the tailgate of a 8' bed pickup truck, 3: they are far more manageable weight wise.

The curves being 16' is more likely because the outside of the curve is close to 20' that way...

IIRC, TSME had about 15, 16' straights, the turntable, a single circle (the first of the Ellis design ones...which had been gauge widened by being cut through all the tube spacers, then re-welded together...), and then 400' of 10' straights were made in 1986/7. I assume your feet are like the later TSME ones, where the larger tube is the upper rather than the lower one ? That is one other design "feature" of the TSME track...

I don't know how next summer is going to work out, I am likely to end up in Ontario for some of it, but as to if I go knock dad over the head with a coal hammer and grab my loco to visit tracks will remain a question at this point.

It's easier moving semi frozen rock/mud than liquid that squishes under the lawnmower. So far I am yet to roll the mower, but it is likely to happen in the construction of CPS II Yesterday's work here was cutting the remaining tieplates with the chop saw. I have about 200 which are ready to be drilled, and 400 to grind the ends on. Once I get them all drilled, then it is on to bugging dad about gauge choice (will 7.562 on 30' work with Dart, or not?) and start welding track. I know I am going with 4 rails, and 3.5" gauge is a must, but the rest is still in flux.

[tsph6500]

I photographed the "TSME" track when I visited David Croft at his home after it was suggested I might be interested in moving it here. I should post up a separate thread about that track. maybe some TSME members would be able to contribute some photos and history.

[Andy R]

Gentlemen!
Thanks for the comments.
The horizontal frames are about 5 ft. long and are still awkward to assemble by myself. 2 frames/panel. That makes the curves stable too. The length of horizontals was set up (and radius of track established) based upon the length of the rails --- about 106-inches. That makes the radius a few feet larger than 30, so the diameter is just a little bit larger than my 60-ft.-wide lot ... so no chance continuing the curve down the side yard.
If you look further down the yard there is a section braced with 1-in wide 1/8 thick steel strap, with 1-inch angles at the base. The plan is to have 4 in the loop .... lots of longitudinal stiffness.
James, you mentioned that your highline legs are made of tube in tube ... we tried that and actually bought and cut a lot of steel, but the weight was far more than the steel bents that we ended up making ... and the bents are laterally more stable. We agreed that the height adjustment will be by using a shovel ! I was careful cutting my grass to allow no trace remaining when the time comes to set it up somewhere else ... have to keep my wife happy.
Regards,
Andy

[David Powell]

TSME s track has quite an eventful history. The original 60 ft Diameter circle was built in one of Art Ellis. factories in ST Catherines. Unfortunately, due to some miscommunication, it was built strictly to gauge, thus was useless. Art very kindly gave it to TSME. A group of determined members led by Harry Hawkins and a very young Craig Clayton, ran the lot through a bandsaw, cutting all the spacers, and then welded the rails back together a bit further apart.
For a while it did not have a permanent home, on one memorable occasion most of it came off its trailer on the 401 ( Busiest highway in North America) and was rescued by friendly OPP personel !
In about 1984 it got a home with Jaap Wetnman in Vandorf, only a couple of miles from the Richmond Hill Live Steamers site.The circle got a lot of use and we contracted a Brampton firm to build 600 feet of straights and stands.
Unfortunately, again it was tight to gauge, this time only slightly, a band of happy volunteer used giant wedges and Jaaps oxy set to stretch several hundred spacers about a sixteenth.
For unexpected family reasons Jaap and Estelle, who hosted many fabulous events in the 80s and 90s had to move,.
Most of the track was stored, at the Pumphouse in Hamilton. I had 150 feet of straight at home, and sometimes took some to events.
In the early 2000s David Croft, a long time TSME member became custodian and set it all up at his home nr Milton where it stayed till early this year.
The curves and some straights are in our garden awaiting erection next spring. Most of the straight sections are in storage at Richmond Hill Live Steamers site.
So , as you can tell, many enthuiasts from local groups have helped keep it safe and, at times, in use,
Regards David Powell.