guardrails/rerailers

[jimnrose]

I'm at it again; more questions.
Guardrails should be installed at all portal & tressle ends but commercially available rails aren't realistic (Atlas rerailer). Should the rails be hand made and glued in place (using shims to postition the rails accurately)? I need quite a few guardrails and want to make sure I'm heading in the right direction before getting started. Thanks, Jim

 

[NYCentral]

There are a number of commercially availible bridge rails that are realist like Micro-Engineering example:http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/255-11101

But you can also use a lighter code track and glue them on yourself, I use CA glue.

 

[jimnrose]

Phil, thanks for your input. I'm looking to add guardrails at both ends of wooded trestles as well as portals. I guess the best approach is to hand make the guardrails and adhere with CA glue as you suggest. I'm using code 100 flex track and have some extra rail. Could I use the Code 100 rail or downsize to Code 70?
Take care, Jim

 

[NYCentral]

It would look more realistic to use code 70, prototypical railroads generally used lighter (and cheaper) rail for guide rail.

 

[Gary Pfeil]

Since you are using code 100, the guardrails may look better at 83, 70 being a lot smaller. I say this because I use 83 for my main and 70 for guardrails, and I looked at 55 for the guardrails but it was too small. Just another opinion.

Gary

 

[jimnrose]

Thanks guys,
I'll make a few with the scrap code100 sust to get a hang on how to make the fixtures and gauge. I'll pick up Code 80 rail when I'm making the remainder. Bye the way, I'm planning to fab the guardrail in 4" lengths, (point to point) [1.5" taper on each end]. Is that reasonable? Take care, Jim

 

[60103]

Jim:
The ends of the guard rails should come a short distance past the end of the bridge. The ends can be treated several ways; commonest around here seems to be a slight bend inwards and then the rails ends bend down into the ballast. There are some where the rails ends come together in a V shape with a point on the end. Definitely use a lighter rail. There are some instances where they use angle iron instead of rail.

 

[Vic]

Hi Jim, Be sure to get the flange way correct. Too tight and "muy derailments" Suggest you use the NMRA gauge.

 

[jimnrose]

Thanks everyone. I'll use the lighter gauge 9Code 83) and bring the rails to a point (solder) thereby making one unit and easier to install. I'll use the gauge to make sure of the clearances.
Take care, Jim

 

[farmer ron]

Jim: I use code 83 with my code 100 track, I have a few spots where I use code 83 for my main line then I use code 70 for a guard rail, I just set them against the track spikes and glue them in like others have said. I hand lay a lot of my track so I will spike my gurard rails as I am putting the main track down. I do not soder the ends, they protrude aprox one and a half to two inches total length off the bridge, they taper to a point where they almost touch, I put them down with a couple of spikes at this point. The reason for not haveing them touch is in the event that a wheel passes current from outside rail to guard rail you will not get a short if wheels on both sides touch. One trick, paint them before putting them down. Ron.

 

[jimnrose]

Ron, thanks for the tips. I would have soldered the rails because I never thaught about the risk of shorts. Also I use flextrack and never hand laid the rails so I need to find out about manually spiking the rails. This hobby is loaded with details.
Take care, Jim

 

[shamus]

Hi Jim,
For my H0 track I use "N-scale" track for the inside rails of my trestles. I just happened to have a load of it left over from my N days.
Shamus