I have a “what I did” about more experiments in making old time dirt roads at:
http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/scenery/clods/
Click image to enlarge
Thank you if you visit
Harold
Thank you good timeing, I will show this to a friend of mine…John
Perfect–I needed to see this right about now. My layout is all set in the 1890’s with horse power transportation only so seeing this post was exactly what I needed. I have bookmarked this article and your web site. Thanks [bow]
Woodlandtoots
Looks right to me…Nice modeling…Cox 47
Sorry, hminky, nice, but no dice. Take it from old country boy.
Country dirt roads had three ruts, not two. There was also one in the center made by the horses hooves usually wider than the wheel ruts to accomodate the hourses leg spacing. There was usually only one wheel rut per side, not two.
The only place where there might be more, is where two carriages or wagons would pull over in a wide spot to let an opposing vehicle pass. Sometimes there were two sets of hoof tracks astride the center one for two horse team wagons, or even the rare stage coach in the old west.
Most of them were kept graded by the county or even the land owners themselves so there wasn’t much loose soil. There would often be mounds of dirt along each side from the grading process.
Your stream looks great.
Harold, another great idea and a good tutorial.
What, no road apples? Doesn’t look very heavily used.
Seriously, nice job. With a little modification, your scheme could serve as a basis for a more recent (say 1964) dirt road used by more recent vehicles (say, 3-wheel trucks.)
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with contemporary motor vehicles)
[(-D]Road apples, my thoughts exactly. LOL Anyhow, that is a good job done. I grew up on a dairy farm back years ago that was located on a dirt road and where horses were still used for farming. There were no “ruts” in the road, just wheel tracks and hoof marks, and of course, evidence of the horse exhaust. Roads were maintained by a horse drawn road grader, later by a John Deere “B” until the county finally got a new Gallion grader. I still live on a dirt-gravel road today and the cars make more and bigger ruts then the horse and wagons-farm impliments did back in the old days. Ken
Those aren’t ruts they are wagon wheel tracks. Road apples are best made using the old Life Like Neon Green sawdust grass.
Car roads are easy you just mash down the two outer wheel tracks
Harold
After receiving my latest copy of that other magazine, I just had to bring this thread back up![}:)]
Anybody recognize that photo in the initial post?[:-^]
Congratulations on getting published, Harold.[bow]
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)