Cinder platform construction

We are building a cinder platform for one of the stations at our museum. Anyone know of any standard plans from the NYC to aid in construction?

-otto-

This is not the NYC’s standards but a general description. A photo of a LIRR platform is attached. The length and width would also depend on the station type and the track curvature (if any).

From the Railroad Gazette 1921

Filled Platforms
For convenience the committee uses the term filled platforms to designate those that are made with a top surface of cinders, gravel, stone screenings, shells, chats or other suitable material which is merely compacted by tamping or rolling. These are built both with and without curb. There are some locations especially at wayside stations where there is no trucking at which a filled platform without curb can be used.

The usual method of constructing these platforms is to excavate to a level grade about a foot below the base of rail put in a six inch layer of broken stone or cinders and on this six or eight inches of screenings, shell, chats or other finishing material. This is thoroughly rolled or tamped making a hard smooth surface

Curbs
Most platforms of this kind are built with a curb of wood, stone or concrete. Sometimes this curb is placed only on the side opposite the track at other times on the track side and again on all sides. The curbs used vary considerably in design but in the main are much like those used in connection with brick and concrete platforms.

Chuck

That is darn useful. Thanks!

-otto-

Friendly note - if you are building the platforms for use by members of the general public and not as a static display, don't forget the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) - strict adherence to NYC standards may not comply with current regulations.

Pardon the intrusion if this aspect is already considered.

westshore94706 wrote:Friendly note - if you are building the platforms for use by members of the general public and not as a static display, don't forget the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) - strict adherence to NYC standards may not comply with current regulations.

Pardon the intrusion if this aspect is already considered.

Considered and not required due to the vintage nature of our equipment. Though an important consideration elsewhere.

-otto-

Here you go Otto (if I did it right). Up to date as of 12/5/1910. There is no plan for just cinder platforms in the book. There are, however, drawings of standard crossings, fences, tunnels, turnstiles, manholes, cattle guards, roads, turntables, etc, along with the regular track drawings.

What are screenings? And for modelling purposes, what color would they be when new and what color when weathered?

Screenings would be small cleaned crushed stone of, as the drawing states, 1/8" to 1/2" diameter. The color would depend on where it was obtained. When this drawing was made, NYC probably sourced from smaller local quarries, and I doubt the type of stone was specified beyond something like 'hard granite' or 'crushed river stone', so the color would probably be highly varied. I haven't found any specification for stone in the book, so I would check the colors of stream bottoms or old quarries local to a project as a starting point for an idea on colors.

Here’s a Mid-Atlantic example of screenings (washed). This is a product of the quarry and aggregate industry.

Thanks for the additional data!

-otto-