Extra Guard Rails, do you use them, and where.
- Thread starter shamus
- Start date
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
Shamus,
In the 'old days' when I hand-layed track, I used them where American prototype railroads did--across from frogs, on bridges and viaducts, and in situations where great harm could come if there were a derailment.
Not being an expert, I wasn't sure what the rules were, so I just did it where it would look good. Naturally, the one big accident I had (HO articulated loco taking fatal 5 foot plunge to a concrete floor) happened at a point where I had completed neither scenery nor guard rails. After that my focus became to at least complete a secure net of hard-shell scenery base before running trains. Haven't had a major calamity since.
I don't know if the guard rails help or not, but well-installed ones do look good and don't seem to hurt. Now I use commercial turnouts and flex track, and I DO install guard rails on the bridges I build.
What's your practice?
Bob
[This message has been edited by BobMcD (edited 01-12-2001).]
[This message has been edited by BobMcD (edited 01-12-2001).]
In the 'old days' when I hand-layed track, I used them where American prototype railroads did--across from frogs, on bridges and viaducts, and in situations where great harm could come if there were a derailment.
Not being an expert, I wasn't sure what the rules were, so I just did it where it would look good. Naturally, the one big accident I had (HO articulated loco taking fatal 5 foot plunge to a concrete floor) happened at a point where I had completed neither scenery nor guard rails. After that my focus became to at least complete a secure net of hard-shell scenery base before running trains. Haven't had a major calamity since.
I don't know if the guard rails help or not, but well-installed ones do look good and don't seem to hurt. Now I use commercial turnouts and flex track, and I DO install guard rails on the bridges I build.
What's your practice?
Bob
[This message has been edited by BobMcD (edited 01-12-2001).]
[This message has been edited by BobMcD (edited 01-12-2001).]
Don't quote me, but those extra rails on certain crossings were a safety feature to keep the ties in place. On my layout they are for cosmetic purpose ownly.
Yes, they help
The guard rails on turnouts, across from the frog, definitely help. If you've ever used the PECO code 80 turnouts, you've found by now that their guard rails are set too narrow (probably to allow sloppy too-narrow wheelsets to squeak through). But the consequence of this is that when a properly-gauged wheelset comes into the point of the frog, it can slide left just enough to pick the frog and derail. If you cement a .010" styrene shim along the inside edge of the guard rail, to keep that wheelset against the outer rail opposite the frog, the derailments will go away forever. So here is a concrete case where the guard rails really do an important job.
The guard rails on turnouts, across from the frog, definitely help. If you've ever used the PECO code 80 turnouts, you've found by now that their guard rails are set too narrow (probably to allow sloppy too-narrow wheelsets to squeak through). But the consequence of this is that when a properly-gauged wheelset comes into the point of the frog, it can slide left just enough to pick the frog and derail. If you cement a .010" styrene shim along the inside edge of the guard rail, to keep that wheelset against the outer rail opposite the frog, the derailments will go away forever. So here is a concrete case where the guard rails really do an important job.
I've been planning to add some to my lift out section as the scenery is too narrow to catch the cars. I've needed these ever since the cat ate the fences.
I think one way to do functional guard rails in less scenic areas would be to take, for HO, N gauge track and cut the ties apart and space them widely and put them between the HO ties.
One of our members claims that any curve on a model railroad is so sharp that it requires a guard rail.
I think one way to do functional guard rails in less scenic areas would be to take, for HO, N gauge track and cut the ties apart and space them widely and put them between the HO ties.
One of our members claims that any curve on a model railroad is so sharp that it requires a guard rail.