Large Scale Central

High Irritation with track ties

Reviews
#1

I have been working replacing defective, broken, cracked, and unusable track ties. The worst of the experience is stainless track wants to and willfully move inward on curves IF the tie “tabs” are not keeping the track to wheel-width dimension. I am Very IRRITATED at the track ties tabs giving way from the sun and then the rails close in and the derailments occur – and they happen at the wrong time. You know, just when the family reunion breaks to the request “Hey, Wendell, put on the trains - love to see 'em run.”

Is there ANY brand NOW made that will withstand the Southern California sun and not, for any other word, crap out after two years max? Yes, I ran out of the before LGB corporate saga ties I bought years ago. Yes, I painted them to protect them further from the UV, EV, and other sun debilitating initials, and they have lasted MUCH longer than the corporate demise Aristo-Craft ties. They literally fell apart.

OK, I yield the floor. What has lasted for you in sunny, warm (hot) conditions? PIKO? New LGB?

#2

I hear you. I use AristoCraft and have some that have lasted since '97 and some that turned into Oreo cookies years ago.

My solution was to buy up a box of ties when they went out of business and had them on sale. But even these are 5’ diameter curve ties and I have to cut the webs (no big deal) to use them.

For me, in addition to the screws, I solder jumper wires between the rails and the solder blobs keep me from sliding the ties on without removing most of the solder. Also, the old ties are screwed to the track and this needs to be removed even if you just break the old ties off.

A PITA and I replace them as/if I do work in that specific area.

I did invent a tool that lets me put single ties on without removing the track from the ground (even right over a rail joiner), but that is slow going.

#3

Todd-

Sharp! I hope the multitudes see your creativity. I’m going to make one. My guess is you slide the jaws from the side of the tie “plate” and then separate to slip onto the rail. What I have been doing is using a very small flat blade screw driver and lift out one side at a time – However, the stretching to come up from below the rail, around, and into place does strain the tie material.

Thanks for sharing your continuous ingenuity!

Wendell

#4

Place the tie under the rails where it will be.

Squeeze the pliers to open the jaws.

Slide the open jaws over the rail and release the handle pressure.

Engage the tie with the curvature of the jaws in the fish plate.

Squeeze the pliers as you pull up and the tie pops into place.

Put a finger under the tie to hold it in place so it stays in place as you do the other side.

The jaws are a nail that I flattened, shaped, and bent.

The pliers are automotive “snap ring” pliers.

#5

deleted

#6

Harvey, out of what kind of wood?

#7

deleted

#8

Ever hear of the ritzi town of Rancho Santa Fe? The ATSF planted huge groves of Eucalyptus trees because the wood doesn’t rot. The Plan was to set up a tie factory.

Only one little hitch, discovered after the trees had grown. The wood grows in a spiral and wasn’t suitable for ties.

A benefit for the land was the grove became an oasis in the arid landscape…

Dad had a job there… the town, not the grove! Wrong century!

John

#9

I can see RSF from my back yard, and the Eucs are in my back yard also.

Wendell, I spray my track every 6 months or so with Armorall, does the trick, besides uv protection, Armorall has plasticizers to keep the plastic flexible. Todd’s tool does no good if the plastic “spikes” break off when flexed.

Also, the all too common practice of removing the screws helps cause the problem you state.

I think my track is about 9 years old and going strong.

Greg

#10

Ran across this vid;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUqgQniaQVE

The first half was good…

edit to try embed…

John

#11

John-

Thanks! The video is worth a watch. I ache watching the axe-shaped ties and two-man ross cut saws in action.

#12

Wendell,

I agree I was impressed by their accuracy with the broad axe, I could see my toes joining the chips!

I’m glad you liked it.

I have a pocket knife I bought in a village in Siberia back in '93. Along with a normal blade, it has a small curved finger like shape. I think it was used to scrape sinew by the Inuits for their ‘rope’. I find it very easy to pop the ‘spikes’ back up onto the rail foot. The plastic is very flexible on my sun baked ties and I rarely loose a hold down. It’s handy to carry in my pocket all the time.

Good luck finding my knife. I got mine in Ulen, that’s up the coast from Providenya, across from Nome.

Before we left the ship, I converted $1.00 to Rubles.

In the trading post I waited in line with the natives and when my turn came I went to the knife display. The sales lady pulled out the tray and I looked at a couple , picked up one, checked the blade, smiled and nodded that that one would do. She put the tray back and we went back to the cash register, first she used her abacus to figure the price she rang into the register! I held out my array of New Rubles and pulled the 500 note and she semi-frantically waved it off, a native beside me reached for a 100 note and she gave me 63 in change … Such a deal! 3.7 cents!

Yep $1.00 bought a thousand new rubles!

John

#13

I thought creosote was no longer safe to use.

#14

I have Creosote bushes on my property. Natives use the leaves for a dry wash to get rid of bugs. Bunnies and round tail ground squirrels eat it for internal protection from those bugs…

Are butt modelers heavy thinkers?(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

I dunno.

John

#15

John, yes, it could be. But also, sitting on my butt for hours on end, tends to restrict the blood flow to my brain.

#16

Wendell Hanks said:

I have been working replacing defective, broken, cracked, and unusable track ties. The worst of the experience is stainless track wants to and willfully move inward on curves IF the tie “tabs” are not keeping the track to wheel-width dimension. I am Very IRRITATED at the track ties tabs giving way from the sun and then the rails close in and the derailments occur – and they happen at the wrong time. You know, just when the family reunion breaks to the request “Hey, Wendell, put on the trains - love to see 'em run.”

Is there ANY brand NOW made that will withstand the Southern California sun and not, for any other word, crap out after two years max? Yes, I ran out of the before LGB corporate saga ties I bought years ago. Yes, I painted them to protect them further from the UV, EV, and other sun debilitating initials, and they have lasted MUCH longer than the corporate demise Aristo-Craft ties. They literally fell apart.

OK, I yield the floor. What has lasted for you in sunny, warm (hot) conditions? PIKO? New LGB?

Wendell

I was at the NMRA train show today and they announced that they are producing their track ties in a box of 50

I have been testing these ties in the sun for 5 years and to date there has been no signs of deterioration. As a comparison Aristo ties near the same area have started to show signs of breakdown but still should be OK for a another 5-10 years.

Stan

#17

I’ve had good success with the Train Li ties.

#18

Stan Ames said:

Wendell Hanks said:

I have been working replacing defective, broken, cracked, and unusable track ties. The worst of the experience is stainless track wants to and willfully move inward on curves IF the tie “tabs” are not keeping the track to wheel-width dimension. I am Very IRRITATED at the track ties tabs giving way from the sun and then the rails close in and the derailments occur – and they happen at the wrong time. You know, just when the family reunion breaks to the request “Hey, Wendell, put on the trains - love to see 'em run.”

Is there ANY brand NOW made that will withstand the Southern California sun and not, for any other word, crap out after two years max? Yes, I ran out of the before LGB corporate saga ties I bought years ago. Yes, I painted them to protect them further from the UV, EV, and other sun debilitating initials, and they have lasted MUCH longer than the corporate demise Aristo-Craft ties. They literally fell apart.

OK, I yield the floor. What has lasted for you in sunny, warm (hot) conditions? PIKO? New LGB?

Wendell

I was at the NMRA train show today and they announced that they are producing their track ties in a box of 50

I have been testing these ties in the sun for 5 years and to date there has been no signs of deterioration. As a comparison Aristo ties near the same area have started to show signs of breakdown but still should be OK for a another 5-10 years.

Stan

“they announced that they are producing their track ties in a box of 50”

They who?

#19

David Maynard said:

“they announced that they are producing their track ties in a box of 50”

They who?

David

Sorry

Bachmann Trains announced at the NMRA train show that they are releasing 1 ft straight tie strips in boxes of 50 for $79 (Bachmann price) release date of October. I suspect the street price will be under $50.

These are for code 332 rail. I have about 1000 or so installed and I like them very much. They hold the rail tightly and in gauge. Going forward all ties strips installed on the SJR&P will be the Bachmann ones.

Stan

#20

Thanks Stan. How do they visually compare to other manufacturers ties? What are they similar in appearance to?