I’ve been able to recover the article I prepared, but am still looking for the pics. I fear some may have been lost, because most in the file with those I’ve already shown are “stock pics of a flower pot.” Those in the file that are for the article are just more pics of ties that have been put on.
But here is the article and if I can’t find the pics, I can take new ones.
A Simple Devise to Replace AristoCraft Rail Ties
After 12 years of service the Tortoise and Lizard Bash Railroad had lost a few rail ties along the way. This happens either due to the track being stepped on, or in one specific spot, because the ties had turned brittle and crumbled with age. I needed to replace these ties but was hesitant because I didn’t want to remove the track.
I use sectional AristoCraft Code 332 brass track with European ties and each section uses 16-gauge jumpers to ensure continuity with the next section (Figure 1). Removing the track meant removing and replacing these jumpers as well as the track connectors (contending with the tiny screws), and to make matters worse, a track power feed. Furthermore, the spot where the ties had crumbed was adjacent to a turnout that is fixed in place and not easily movable. As such, this section of track afforded little slack to undo and remove rails to replace the ties. Finally, because we do use soldered jumpers, the existing solder coating on the track must be thoroughly removed in order to slide the new ties onto the rails. This was a chore that I had put off for a couple years and was not looking forward too.
The idea occurred to me that I could use an “external” snap ring pliers to make an “anchor spreader” that would simultaneously spread the plastic tabs that actually hold the track to the ties (Figure 2). Researching such a devise, I found that real railroads actually do have a piece of MOW equipment called an “anchor spreader” that does essentially the same job, albeit by different means. The spreader would allow the rail to be inserted into the anchors without damaging the plastic tabs. It was serendipity when I found how easy the tool was to use and the fact that I could now place ties right over rail joiners to get rid of the tie gaps between track sections (Figure 3).
Snap ring pliers are typically used for installing the clips used to hold round objects in place such as the wrist pin in an automotive piston or a wheel on an axle. They look like an ordinary set of pliers except that the head usually comes to a point, sometimes at an angle, or allows the attachment/insertion of pointed pieces of wire with which the circlip is held (Figure 4). On an “external” snap ring pliers, when you squeeze the handle, the jaws open, to expand the snap ring, rather than close as on standard pliers. For this project, look for a snap ring pliers that allows for the insertion of the wire bits, held with screws as shown on pliers on the right as opposed to one that has interchangeable “heads” as shown on the left in Figure 4. The one I use, included in the photo, is manufactured by KB Tools (KB 442 now replaced by KB 446), and is available at tool outlets. I also found one that uses the wire inserts at the Kragen/O’Reilly Auto Parts stores marketed under the Power Built label.
We’ll construct our own “jaws” that will be used to spread the anchors (plastic tabs) apart and insert the track onto the ties. To do this, we need a piece of wire that is stiff and strong. Looking around the garage I found a wire “stake” made of galvanized steel wire with a curved top used to hold bender board in the ground (Figure 5). This was strong yet easy to bend to shape. A wire coat hanger or maybe even a nail could also be used.
The jaws, (i.e., two pieces of wire) are each ~2-1/2” long. On one end of the jaws, each piece of wire was flattened by pounding it an anvil with a big hammer. The wire was curved just beyond this flattened area by clamping it in a vise alongside a screwdriver, and bending it around a screwdriver by tapping it with a regular hammer. The flattened areas were then ground down straight in alignment and a final bend was added so that the metal curves back to grip the anchor plates. Because the wire diameter was too big to fit within the snap ring pliers, the other end of each jaw was “rolled” on the sander to decrease its diameter so that they would better fit into pliers. Figure 6 shows the disassembled jaws while Figure 7 shows the complete assembly.
I found it easiest to install single ties as the webbing between multiple ties makes it more difficult (but not impossible) to install them in a group. Simply clear some ballast and slide the tie under the track where it is to reside. Squeeze the pliers to open the jaws and inset the pliers over the rail from above. Slide the pliers along the rail to between the anchor plates. Squeeze the pliers opening the anchor plates and pull up and over the rail with a rocking motion. The rail will pop into place as the pliers pull out from between the plates. Do the same on the other side of the tie and it’s done. It helps to use a finger to hold the first side in place as the second side is inserted. In some cases (such as installation over a rail joiner), it is helpful to first place the ties in hot tap water to soften them, or use a shot of lubricant to help them more easily slide over the rails to minimize damage to the anchors.
I’ve not tried the tool on LGB ties nor have I used them on the AristoCraft American style ties. Additionally, older ties that have gotten brittle may not be work well. But for the installation of new ties, I can’t tell you the hours of work this little tool saved me. Maybe one could save some time for you too.
