Re: Are there any practical backyard railroads ???

"Pseud O. Nym" wrote:
> 
> I have a large backyard and I do all the yard work myself. It is
> approximately 1.7 acres. There are many obstacles including one
> corner of a 5-acre pond and the stream that feeds into the pond.
> 
> I am considereding building a small railway to be used for
> practical purposes ..... such as hauling loads of leaves to the
> curb for trash pickup, etc.
> 
> Does anyone know of a website that could give me some guidance.
> 
> One idea that I am entertaining is the use of chain-link fence
> toprail for the rails and small bicycle wheels without tires for
> wheels and treated 4x4 timbers for cross-ties. I am thinking
> of attaching the rails to the cross-ties by drilling a 1/4-inch
> hole in the top side and a 1/8-inch hole in the bottom side
> and securing the rail to the cross-tie using a large
> self-tapping deck screw. The rails could be made more stable by
> cutting a shallow v-shapped groove into the cross-tie for each
> rails to sit in.
> 
> Any suggestions would be appreciated.
> 
>     PON


There certainly are suppliers of light railways out there.
Tri-ang UK produced "Minex" back in the early 1960s and there are
suppliers of similar railways advertizing in "Model Engineer" UK an
"Garden Railways" US Kalmbach magazines.
All you need is money and a shovel.

Greg.P.