Large Scale Central

A new adventure

Track and Trestles
#1

When I started out to build my layout about 12 years ago I was going to hand lay my track. I laid about 30 feet before I “retired.”

I am adding a siding for a new business and decided to try hand laying again. I also have a switch to repair and I am going to replace the ties.

It is a low budget project this time. Has anyone tried using cedar fencing in a dry climate? I have some cedar fencing on hand that I can run through the planer and cut on the saw. I believe it will hold up but have never used it before.

#2

Cedar or Redwood will work just fine. Both are woods that resist decay.

#3

I thought it would work, at least in our climate. Heck, we haven’t had a drop of rain in over 90 days!

#4

Given the dimensions of scale ties I would be concerned about the possibility of them warping and the spikes remaining tight. I think for this to be a reasonably long term solution the cedar must be very tight gained and not sapwood, which would be unusual for fencing. My recommendation is that you do a bit testing with exposure to the weather rather than full commitment.

#5

The other thing with Cedar or Redwood is if it is not treated with a stain or sealer it will turn a nice grey color over time. Sealers are not recommended because the oils in the wood will react with the sealer and it will peel or flake off.

#6

Use steel spikes, not stainless steel…wet them when inserting them…the rust formed on the spikes keeps them from working their way out…

#7

if you recycle used fencing, there should be no wharping anymore.

#8

When I did my hand built switch, I put a stringer under the ties, to help reinforce the switch. My switch was in service for several years before I removed it to replace it with an Aristocraft switch. My switch was still serviceable, but I built it a bit too tight for some of my larger equipment. I used steel spikes that rusted a bit, and ceder fence boards that I ripped down into scale ties on my Proxxon table saw. So I do not see why you cant do the same.

#9

I used cedar fencing for my 1st layout up here in the rainy Seattle area. Hand layed with steel spikes. When I pulled the railroad up after 8 years only about 10-15% of the ties were completely rotted out. I initially soaked my ties in leather shoe die so I don’t know if that helped preserve the ties a bit longer. For the next layout (that’s in the planning stages) I’m going to try used motor oil to soak the ties in. I cut all of my ties on a regular full sized table saw. I think I ended up with 4 or 5 paper grocery bags full when I was done.

#10

Craig Townsend said:

I used cedar fencing for my 1st layout up here in the rainy Seattle area. Hand layed with steel spikes. When I pulled the railroad up after 8 years only about 10-15% of the ties were completely rotted out. I initially soaked my ties in leather shoe die so I don’t know if that helped preserve the ties a bit longer. For the next layout (that’s in the planning stages) I’m going to try used motor oil to soak the ties in. I cut all of my ties on a regular full sized table saw. I think I ended up with 4 or 5 paper grocery bags full when I was done.

Craig,

Try cutting the motor oil about 50% with diesel fuel. It will soak in better and dry much faster for handleing.

Rick

#11

I hand laid my rack using cedar boards from owes. I ripped them through the table saw. I then soaked the ties in Linsead oil for a few hours. I used spikes from Micro Engineering. I like the cedar because it was easy to push the spikes through with grooved pliers. After over a year of rain, snow freeze and thaw everything held up great. Just recently I took some motor oil and dribbled it across the center of the ties. (it was kinds of an experiment) To my surprise the ties soaked up the oil. I see no reason why using old cedar fence would be any different. Use motor oil over linsead. It gives a nicer color to the ties and soaks up much better.

#12

Great a new Hazmat super site!

#13

dip them in a dark stain, them after they dry soak in linseed oil, better than motoroil as far as polluting the railroad and killing plants.

#14

Thanks everyone. I have combined most of your ideas.

The cedar fencing is actually new from Home Depot. I used it last year and cut it down for window trim. I had leftovers!

After I cut them including custom cutting for the lgb switch I will stain them with Min-wax that I have on hand and then soak them in linseed oil which I also have on hand!

Then I will fix the switch and then lay rail. This will be fun!

#15

Sean McGillicuddy said:

Great a new Hazmat super site!

Haha no different then my steam oil getting all over the line. Plus it looks like a real steam line now.

#16

I’m sure I won’t make any friends with tree huggers but I think the pollution effects of oil are over rated. After all it is a product of nature. My attempts at using it for a weed killer have been ineffective. Dumping it on the grass that perpetually grows in the gravel of my drive way I find that within 6 months the grass is back. Several years ago a ruptured heating oil tank dumped about 25 gallons on my lawn. I figured I’d not see grass grow there again in my life time but within two years you couldn’t tell where it happened and I did not take any pains to remove and replaced the effected soil. While I agree that large spills that can get into ground water supplies would be problematic, I don’t see that using small amounts on the layout is going to cause any ecological issues.

#17

You are right Gary, the small amounts from some RR ties would probably have little effect on anything, and if it would kill weeds on the tracks EVERYONE would be doing it. I used to see the highway dept. spray oil on the shoulder to keep stuff from growing next to the road, and like you said 2 weeks later there would be green grass and weeds sprouting.

#18

double post

#19

Gary Buchanan, FOG said:

I’m sure I won’t make any friends with tree huggers but I think the pollution effects of oil are over rated. After all it is a product of nature. My attempts at using it for a weed killer have been ineffective. Dumping it on the grass that perpetually grows in the gravel of my drive way I find that within 6 months the grass is back. Several years ago a ruptured heating oil tank dumped about 25 gallons on my lawn. I figured I’d not see grass grow there again in my life time but within two years you couldn’t tell where it happened and I did not take any pains to remove and replaced the effected soil. While I agree that large spills that can get into ground water supplies would be problematic, I don’t see that using small amounts on the layout is going to cause any ecological issues.

I agree. Just look at the roads after a light rain or the amount of fertilizers and weed killers used today.

#20

Good. Because I coated my oil well Derrick with used motor oil.