I’m looking for ideas on how to install guard rails on my trestle. I have Aristo track currently attached so am not sure of a good method for attaching the inside rail guards to the plastic ties…any thoughts are appreciated.
Richard
Bridge Guard rails do not keep the tread on the track, they keep the wheels on the ties. They need to be away from the rail enough to allow the wheel to drop down and close enough to the rail, to keep the opposit wheel on the tie ends.
I suppose screws would hold the best, alternating sides and ties. If the detail matters grind off enough head to have a spike profile… 3 sides.
John
I have been looking to do the same on my trestle. I suppose I could drill small holes into the ties and attach the guard rails with small screws, the same way the running rails are installed. I just don’t want to weaken the ties.
Another idea I had, was to take little “plates” of aluminum, bend the edges around the guard rails (like a small rail joiner) and then glue the plates to the ties. That way the plates will hold the rails in proper position, but allow expansion and contraction. Its just an idea I have, but I haven’t tried it yet.
My ‘brad’ nailer shoots a T head nail, maybe if you filled the ties with epoxy the brad would hold the rail…
Or cut wood blocks (cedar or redwood) to fit inside the hollow plastic ties.
Just use regular rail spikes…pre-drill small holes and force the spikes into the holes…one spike on each side of the rail, every few ties…you should really be using bridge ties, which are longer than the ties that come with the regular track. The guard rails are usually of a lighter rail than the running rails.
I appreciate the suggestions…I like the idea of epoxy filler or cedar/redwood blocks in the hollow part of the tie. Want something for the screw or brad nailer to grab on to.
Thanks,
Richard
It would probably be enuf to run a bead of construction glue or silicone caulk in the tie. Prebend the rail so the only function is holding down.
John
So far, after at least 7 years, the simple spikes pushed through the proper sized hole in the plastic ties, are still holding in there…need I say more…
The tie strip I was using for the bridges I put the guard rails on, are the old Garden Metals bridge tie strips…I have since used the same method to hold guard rails on Aristo tie strips also, but not on open deck bridges as the open deck bridges never look quite right with the short ties.
If you go to the trouble of building a wooden bridge or trestle; why not use the proper ties and make all your efforts worth while…by spiking the rails to the wooden, proper sized ties ?
Fred, gee, that sounds an awful like (gasp) work.
Fred, thanks for the suggestion of the wooden ties. Not opposed to the idea. I just wanted to get the track up and running first to make sure everything was properly functioning. Also need to make sure I have the proper tools such as track gauge, etc.
you don’t need a trackgauge.
for spacing the track correctly i just use a short piece of tieweb. (3 ties)
with every wooden tie spiked down, i showe the tieweb a little further for the next one.
Good pics Korm and good commentary.
I would like to have a timber base for track on my overbridge but fear the extra timber would soundproof my metal bridge. My metal bridge is, in fact, a 4" square box shaped drainage channel, 3ft. in length, for driveways. It has a very shallow rebate on the top for fine gravel as its purpose is for driveway drainage.
It has two principal assets: it is rot proof and because it is a metal box shape makes a drumming sound when trains pass over it. Just like the prototype.
However, maybe during the better weather I will make an experiment with extra timbe beneath the track: I can always use the timber as a load if the experiment fails.
Korm,
Yes!! Great pictures and commentary. This is extremely helpful…think I’m going to give it a try.
Richard
Another really cheap way to do track gauges uses threaded rod and nuts…
Richard Mynderup said:
I’m looking for ideas on how to install guard rails on my trestle. I have Aristo track currently attached so am not sure of a good method for attaching the inside rail guards to the plastic ties…any thoughts are appreciated.
Richard
Richard… We gave a how to show about two yrs ago on guard rails… I see if can find the clip we did on Livesteam live. But for now to get the idea, we cut Aristo ties in half. turn them around and see if how much more you have to cut off the other end of the tie. Lay the tcut ties butt to butt and en just run the rail thru the tie plate on the ties. I’ll try to get a photo of the ones I have now in the layout. I do this ever foot or so and some of the guard rail are 10 foot or more. Very simple to do and looks ok.
I found these old photos
http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/noelw/guard_rails./guard%20rail.jpg
http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/noelw/guard_rails./guard%20rail2.jpg
Guess I got to fig how to insert a photo out of frt. shed… Hate this.
Ok got it… At the top of the metal bridge you can see one set of ties holding the guard rail in place.
I would suggest to use code 250 rails for the guard rails due to when cleaning the tracks on 332 rails, the pad polish the guard rails… Looks better unpolished.
This one if look for the broken tie and just above it is the guard rail ties. They, if cut right, will be snug when press in place and them insert the rail. They won’t come out.
Hoped this helped. 
That’s very cool, Noel!