After eight years in the rain the original trestle disintegrated but I’m on a reconstructive mission to save the line. First up was to build new bents and paint with spar varnish. Never used this before but looks promising. I am cutting ties from synthetic decking and adding a notch for the timber rail along the edge of the ties. I got rained out but was able to try out my new battery powered brad nailer.
Looks good.
Be careful, some decking can be cut up, BUT I sent $100 bucks worth of Trex to the dump after it started crumbling… I sliced and diced it into a bridge … Whole 3 boards have held up fine…
I hope yours is the good kind.
Thanks John. I have some nice switches from SwitchCrafters that used the same material. Some ties didn‘t do well so I replaced them with painted versions. When this is all down, and before the rails added, I was going to hit it with a couple layer of Camo. The bents are painted with spar varnish just because I couldn’t bear painting the cedar!
It’s still dark here and I have to head out to work early but hope to have some decent weather tomorrow since we get the day off to vote.
the only good composite material is the solid PVC stuff, and it is very pricy but well worth it. all my outdoor turnouts now use it.
I agree with Al and John, Trex is ok if you don’t “break the skin”, otherwise you have exposed sawdust and plastic… and the sawdust absorbs moisture and decomposes.
I have the solid PVC stuff where it sits in constant contact with the earth, and of course no rot in 7 or 8 years…
Greg
The switches that come with composite ties appear to have been run through a heated press to seal the surface and add a wood texture. Any ideas how to do this “on the cheap”?
Usually it creates a “skin”… I think you can’t really do this yourself. You can try sealers or paint, but I am skeptical, the stuff I see in the pictures seems to be more sawdust than plastic “binder”
If it was me, I would try to seal them independently before assembly. Spar varnish is tough, and normally UV resistant. If it’s polyurethane based, it should be flexible enough not to crack. But the stuff is often shiny.
I guess I would try a really top quality penetrating deck sealer, something you could also spray on after it is assembled, perhaps once a year with a garden sprayer.
Greg
Neil,
I tried the Switch crafters ties on one outdoor switch in New England weather. they did not last more than two seasons outdoors here, they replaced cedar ties that were untreated that lasted 5-6 years. there was no going back and making adjustments later. if you want some spares I have a few packages I can sell you that were never used. the PVC brown decking boards are now my go to material.
Al P.
The left bridge abutment is Trex that I cut into 1 inch square boards years ago. The “skin” is gone. I fastened the boards together with stainless screws when I built it. I had to be careful when I tightened the screws, without the “skin” the Trex would compress and bulge out, right before it crumbled. But once I got the knack, I assembled the abutment and it held the bridge version 2, and has been repurposed to hold the bridge version 3.
I use cedar or redwood, soaked in boiled linseed oil for my turnout ties. Some have been in the ballast for ten years, and look as good as they did when they were installed. Eastern Washington, -20°F to 105°F, rain, snow and ice, plus blazing sun. Next spring, I plan to pull the turnouts, and let them swim in linseed oil for a while. It’s too cold, now.
David, are there pictures to go with your description? Also what time span are you talking about in years?
Greg
Al Pomeroy said:
Neil,
I tried the Switch crafters ties on one outdoor switch in New England weather. they did not last more than two seasons outdoors here, they replaced cedar ties that were untreated that lasted 5-6 years. there was no going back and making adjustments later. if you want some spares I have a few packages I can sell you that were never used. the PVC brown decking boards are now my go to material.
Al P.
Thanks Al. I’ll take you up on that. Not sure how to pm so please lmk.
Neil
David: I second the request for pictures!
The spar varnish doesn’t seem to shiny at all. Attached is an experiment with spray painted Camo and spar varnish on the Trex. I am not sure how to embed a pic. I’ll have to pick up some linseed oil and give it a try as well. Thanks Steve!
Neil E aka neiler, Hawaii
I am not sure how to embed a pic.
Neil E aka neiler, Hawaii
Would you believe this. I was so tired when I posted that I forgot to attach the picture. I pulled up the picture, but forgot to attach it.
The Trex abutment is on the left. I cut it down a few courses because I rebuilt the rock face and I didn’t need as high as it was. But even what I cut off was still solid. Now how long? Gee. The hardwood abutment of the same design exploded one spring. Freeze, thaw, freeze, thaw…you know. So I built the Trex one. Then at least 2 years later the bridge failed under a heavy snow. So version 2 of the bridge was built. That was when I started working for a Xerox company so it was 2009. So my best guess is the abutment has been abutting since at least 2007. Maybe longer.
Neil, when you joined, Bob gave you space in the Freight Sheds for your pics.
First step is to open the FS and click on manage my folders … then make one and fill it.
Open a pic, with your cursor on the open pic, copy it’s location and use that to insert a picture with the mountain/moon icon.
We prefer 800 pixels wide. Size before you upload to save space.
John Caughey said:
Neil, when you joined, Bob gave you space in the Freight Sheds for your pics.
First step is to open the FS and click on manage my folders … then make one and fill it.
Open a pic, with your cursor on the open pic, copy it’s location and use that to insert a picture with the mountain/moon icon.
We prefer 800 pixels wide. Size before you upload to save space.
Maybe it is a Mac thing but I simply cannot open my Album folder to add photos and the Freight Shed doesn’t let me upload photos either. Doing something wrong and spending way too much time on this when it is nice outside!
Neil Erickson said:
David: I second the request for pictures!
The spar varnish doesn’t seem to shiny at all. Attached is an experiment with spray painted Camo and spar varnish on the Trex. I am not sure how to embed a pic. I’ll have to pick up some linseed oil and give it a try as well. Thanks Steve!
Neil E aka neiler, Hawaii
David:
I guess I got so frustrated with the Freight Shed that I forgot to thank you for posting the awesome bridge! Finally gave up and uploaded to Flickr, copied the link and embedded here.
Neil Erickson (“S” is Sherrill as in S&NE Railway - not political at all on this day of days)
Steve Featherkile said:
I use cedar or redwood, soaked in boiled linseed oil for my turnout ties. Some have been in the ballast for ten years, and look as good as they did when they were installed. Eastern Washington, -20°F to 105°F, rain, snow and ice, plus blazing sun. Next spring, I plan to pull the turnouts, and let them swim in linseed oil for a while. It’s too cold, now.
YEP…Or just soak them in old motor oil. Remember with 1:1 creosote is creosote. Many forget old school practice but the … never mind.