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  1. 17th March 2015, 09:43 PM #1
    Tahlee
    Tahlee is offline SENIOR MEMBER
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    Default Old Wooden Railway Level Crossing Gate ... What timber should be used?

    My good neighbour has historical restored (and fully operating) rail signal boxes, flag signals and a full level crossing in his yard, complete with those large levers and wheels for opening and closing the main huge wooden swing gates and the signals.

    The pedestrian gate (about 1M wide and 1.4M high) has 7 pickets and has iron bracing. The present one is well over 70 years old and has severe rot at the rail and style joints. It is painted white with black capping ... it is very heavy ... and the frame is around 80mm square, the pickets are some 30mm thick. You might recall them ... they slam close on metal stops.

    My question is ... does anyone know what timber was traditionally used for such gates ... or what timbers would you recommend for restoring such historically accurate gates.

    Thanks

    Rob
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  3. 17th March 2015, 10:02 PM #2
    artful bodger
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    They might have been the old arsenic/cyanide/creosote/anthrax impregnated ones.
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  4. 18th March 2015, 09:38 AM #3
    jcge
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    So you want historically accurate information.......you might find an answer on this site - it has detail drawings and specs of loads of Victorian railway infrastructure and equipment

    Scroll down the page for the F Series plans.

    http://www.victorianrailways.net/inf...tructhome.html

    regards
    John
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  5. 19th March 2015, 12:25 AM #4
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    ian
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    John's reference says Oregon or Red Gum

    the gates will be fully painted so the most important aspect is replicating the original section sizes and construction techniques.
    you could use any timber suitable for external use (and ground contact?) -- including glue laminated beams.
    regards from Alberta, Canada

    ian
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  6. 19th March 2015, 06:30 PM #5
    Tahlee
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    Quote Originally Posted by jcge View Post
    So you want historically accurate information.......you might find an answer on this site - it has detail drawings and specs of loads of Victorian railway infrastructure and equipment

    Scroll down the page for the F Series plans.

    http://www.victorianrailways.net/inf...tructhome.html

    regards
    John
    Thanks John

    Very much appreciated ... could not find pedestrian gates but other gates specify timber types and sizes

    Regards

    Rob
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  7. 19th March 2015, 09:50 PM #6
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    ian
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    Hi Rob

    I'm guessing you will need to mill your own timber to recreate the gates.

    Looking at the drawing for the 15ft gate, my guess is the pedestrian gate is Oregon with hardwood (redgum ?) posts
    regards from Alberta, Canada

    ian
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  8. 21st March 2015, 10:02 PM #7
    Tahlee
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    Quote Originally Posted by ian View Post
    Hi Rob

    I'm guessing you will need to mill your own timber to recreate the gates.

    Looking at the drawing for the 15ft gate, my guess is the pedestrian gate is Oregon with hardwood (redgum ?) posts
    yes, I think that combination would work well

    Rob
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  9. 24th March 2015, 03:34 PM #8
    jcge
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tahlee View Post
    Thanks John

    Very much appreciated ...
    Very welcome Tahlee...I provided the link as your neighbour clearly has an interest beyond the choice of timber alone.

    Regards
    John
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  10. 24th March 2015, 10:12 PM #9
    Gaza
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    By chance does this guy have all the train stuff in his backyard that backs on to the child care center.
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  11. 25th March 2015, 10:10 PM #10
    Tahlee
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gaza View Post
    By chance does this guy have all the train stuff in his backyard that backs on to the child care center.
    No, this guy backs onto a kindergarten
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  12. 25th March 2015, 10:42 PM #11
    Gaza
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tahlee View Post
    No, this guy backs onto a kindergarten
    That's got to be same guy I used to look over his fence going back 25 yrs ago at all the cool stuff, I went to that kind garden.
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