Railroads are beginning to use asphalt more extensively than first tried in the 60’s, as a sub-grade below the ballast. It is easy to lay down, and it does a great job of sealing off subgrade from ground water and other environmental problems.
So, for those who are “purests” and some who just might like it anyways, start making plans to run asphalt under your Class I tracks.
Alright, first a real creosoted timber trestle on my layout (with sensitivity to Chip and his aversion), and now I can increase the tarry smell next time I lay track!
Dick,
Yes, I was quite surprised to see this done. I watched the progress of the Old Colony Greenbush line. I know your familiar with this, but for others the Greenbush right of way is part of the old New Haven that run from Boston south to Plymouth, Ma. It was abandoned in 1958. Many of us on the south shore of Boston have been watching and waiting for this to become a reality. This branch is finally being constucted and I have watched the progess over the past 2 years. In Cohasett, Ma I had a chance to watch the excavation, grading drainage and lo and behold about 2 ft below grade, when i thought the base of ballast was to be spread, the entire right of way was asphalted. Then the base ballast, ties and welded rail. Has been quite an adventure. At one point where the train runs through the villiage, the tracks are no more than 15ft from my building. The origional building was actually the NH freight house, the station for the villiage is directly across the tracks (now a restraunt).
The “T” did a golden spike ceremony in Feb at the Braintree Y by placing 2 F40s in the Old Colony paint nose to nose. They should be running by the end of the year.
BOB: Very true, and now they are going to extend the lines to New Bedford and Fall River. There us also a project to run a second line from Boston to Worcester. This will eliminate the problem of scheduling CSX Freight and Passenger service on a single rail system.
Also, all new lines today have the rails made with the controlled cooling process at the Steel Mills. The tracks made prior to this manufacturing process are now a mess in this country. We get warped rails, broken rails, you name it.
All lines that will carry hazardous materials on Class I lines, will have this new rail, and it will be continuous welded rail.
Time for the manufacturers to jump in and come up with prefab tarmac sub-roadbed, do you have to use stuff with no stopping markings on the main?
It’ll be traffic lights next . . . . [}:)]
Does this mean my AMI road bed is now prototypical?[:D]J.R.
So if you model a contemporary Class I road, you don’t have to worry if your Woodland Scenics foam roadbed shows through the ballast. It’s asphalt!
Right On Nelson !!!
I’d be curious to see what grade of asphalt they are using compared to the garbage they make our streets out of. I bet the railroad stuff doesn’t break down after a year or two.
I’m wondering if maybe this is only being done in areas with spongy soil and frequent freeze/thaw cycles that can cause crossties to sink into the ground or rot out too quickly. It sounds like a very expensive construction technique.