Hey guys I have 5 acres (adjacent to 20 more I can use as I please) in the country and I am wanting to expand my home trials training riding area.

I'm going to buy a few hundred (or more) railroad ties and am looking for ideas on how to use them

to build some cool stuff to ride on.

I have a skid steer at my disposal and all the soil I can use as well.

Anyone have any ideas for some cool stuff I could build to ride on?

Also any ideas for other stuff to use?

Some ideas I have from seeing other stuff;

Huge tires

oil / water tanks

concrete culverts

logs

pallets

thinking maybe one of those across ocean shipping container also....

If anyone has any cool ideas for sections and challenges I am all ears.

At the Bent Fender's property is a 3.5 foot tall platform made from railroad ties............I think you may have seen it.

teeter totters are always fun.............not especially useful, just fun to ride.

OH how I wish I had time to go to your place and help set stuff up.

Let your imagination run wild.

Here are a few ideas...from an event in Quebec

http://www.ataq.qc.ca/galerie/index.php?folder=/Evenements/20110521-2011-La-Tuque/&page=2

At the Bent Fender's property is a 3.5 foot tall platform made from railroad ties............I think you may have seen it.

YUP! Seen it that is what has me wanting to buy a bunch of them.

All I have is some logs right now... variety is the spice of life they say. Bent Fenders has some great land for trials and some really cool sections.

I've gotten some nice ideas from the good people in Niles as well.

Thanks for the link Micheal I see all kinds of cool ideas there, excited to get cracking.

Edited September 5, 201411 yr by bigmark1972

For now, 3 or 4 will do you in! So get 6!

pretty much my whole practice area is either railroad ties or cut off pilings. you don't need big steps just big enough above your current comfort level for now. but make sections that come close to a real trials section. multi step, steps on an angle.

wish i had some land to do this, we loose more riding area every year

almost down to nothing now.

rob

What are peoples preferred methods of joining ties together. I find that ties are tough to work with but given they are so heavy they will typically stay where they are put. I tend to use tie down straps to hold stuff together for events but I see in the pictures from Quebec that they use metal straps and there are lots that do not seem to be attached at all.

I made a practice wall last year using 4X4 posts with 2X6 planks backfilled with dirt but it basically flew apart after the first rider hit it with a splatter... I am going to rebuild it this week using 6X6 and notching the ends so they fit together and I can spike them. I will probably make 6ft by 6ft squares and then stack them and fill them with dirt, ties would probably hold up better but they are heavier and harder to cut.

I was wondering the same about lashing the ties together.

I think a cheap way could be some galvanized steel bundling straps

punch a couple nails through them and tie them together that way.

Really large spikes and screws can get expensive fast.

I have a dude over here that sells ties for just 4$ a pop delivered

so will have to grab some up while I can.

I'm thinking a good chainsaw should make short work of cutting ties?

i use scrap metal straps about 2 inches wide by 6 or 8 inches long and use 1/4" x 3" hex head wood screws. they never move and if you back fill it's pretty stout.

also you can cut them with a chain saw but may ruin the blade, some are treated with something that really ruins the blades. some cut like butter.

rob

"I'm thinking a good chainsaw should make short work of cutting ties?"

Be careful! Some Ties have steel reinforcements inserted.

Using metal strapping from Lowes or Homedepot was how we did it. we haven't had a failure in the 7 years and multiple trials attempted.

--Biff

After a trip to Home Depot I decided against rebuilding the practice wall with 6X6 and simply made a 4X4 frame around the top of highest part of the wall as it took the worst beating. The whole wall had actually collapsed forward but I dug it out and nailed it back together... hopefully it will hold up for a bit.

When you find time go on you tube and search psf monthly or psf films. you will find many of Pats videos are in our woods in S WI where only a 20 foot slope has served him well with all the things I hauled in with 4 wd backhoe. Using the sleeper 12 inch ties I built a tower about 8 ft tall and built different ways up - 2 decks and 2 steep climbs , we also have many cement tubes and blocks . This area has actually hosted local events with around 6 sections mostly having boundary for one be also used on next section. The best video for viewing is probably his sherco v.s. monty it is 7:49 long and at 3:20 it is then all in woods where main home built course is.,Have fun , cheers

Edited September 13, 201411 yr by northernnorm

Ties are hard on a chainsaw. I have used a hammerdrill and pinned them using 3/4 rebar in the past. Worked well, harder to cut the rebar than drill the holes!

http://youtu.be/FozZELPyJME

Edited September 14, 201411 yr by michael_t

Ties are hard on a chainsaw

Good to know! My dad has a tractor mounted sawmill (PTO) that I could use also I am sure. Will have to make sure there is no steel in them, thank's Biff.

Thought about pinning them too, not a bad option. I cut a lot of chain for my business have a hydraulic cutter that is actually made for rebar, will have to weigh that option.