Large Scale Central

Rebuilding switches

Track and Trestles
#21

Depending on the ‘trex’ you have…

I have 2 1/2 boards lying on the ground for a dozen years, they are ok. Every bit of ‘trex’ I sawed and milled; crumbled and caused head aches.

The explanation I got was the skin protects and holds it together…

The termites here love red wood, maybe the old growth heart wood will still resist, but the new farmed wood isn’t cutting it, down heah. They are even eating the sun bleached surface of my cedar! Less than a mm, closer to paper thin cleanings.

Kinda of explains why we only have cactus and thorns, they’ve eaten everything else! Oh my. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)

John

#22

John Caughey said:

Depending on the ‘trex’ you have…

I have 2 1/2 boards lying on the ground for a dozen years, they are ok. Every bit of ‘trex’ I sawed and milled; crumbled and caused head aches.

The explanation I got was the skin protects and holds it together…

The termites here love red wood, maybe the old growth heart wood will still resist, but the new farmed wood isn’t cutting it, down heah. They are even eating the sun bleached surface of my cedar! Less than a mm, closer to paper thin cleanings.

Kinda of explains why we only have cactus and thorns, they’ve eaten everything else! Oh my. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-surprised.gif)

John

I think I see your problem. You’re just too close to Ft. Huachuca. Did a “tour” there in the 70’s (yes, WAY last century). Cactus and thorns, indeed.

#23

I think people use the term “Trex” like people use the term “Thermos bottle”… for any synthetic wood.

I have some pure polyethylene lumber, it’s solid plastic, cutting it reveals nothing different inside. It’s much heavier than the lumber that has a skin and sawdust mixed with plastic.

I have a wall that has track on it, it has a keystone-shaped piece of real Trex, which is as John described, a skin on the outside, and the inside is sawdust and plastic. This piece was cast into the surface of the wall, so I could use small brads to locate track on it. I relied on it to absorb moisture to expand slightly and lock itself into the concrete (the keystone shape is inverted from what you would see at the top center of a stone arch).

Way different materials but I often hear “Trex” for any type of synthetic lumber.

Greg

#24

Greg Elmassian said:

I think people use the term “Trex” like people use the term “Thermos bottle”… for any synthetic wood.

Way different materials but I often hear “Trex” for any type of synthetic lumber.

Greg

YES!

Kinda like SINTRA dubbed for PVC board …it’s only a manufacturer. Been playing with these different synthetic materials on my RR for over 10yrs now with …never mind.

An elder oriental guy I know Sum Ting Wong would say " test time will tell".

Another elder oriental guy I know Ho Lee Chit would say " cannot believe Rooster actually agree with Greg on something".

#25

fake rooster!

#26

John Caughey said:

fake rooster!

And then my brain looks at that and does that thing it does with words, some of which comes from having been a bit dyslexic in 3rd and 4th grade years - who would Rake Fooster be and what kind of novel character would fit?

Come to think of it, this forum seems to have some novel characters, and some characters who create novelty.

#27

… (picking self up from floor) …

… (realizes Rooster agreed with him) …

… (passes out again) …

#28

Greg Elmassian said:

… (picking self up from floor) …

… (realizes Rooster agreed with him) …

… (passes out again) …

President Reagan put a Kennedy on the Supreme Court, why should Rooster doing anything be more surprising? (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-innocent.gif)

#29

OK so I built a jig to make a #6 left hand turnout in basically the same tie configuration as the Llagas switches I have although I goofed a little and I ended up with one less tie but looks fine. I made redwood ties that match dimensionally to the Llagas ties. I used tie plates from switchcrafters so that they would match the current switches I have. All is well I am very pleased with how it came out.

But I do Have a question. I had seen where people put some sort of a spline on the backside. I never really paid attention before now as to why and I forgot about it when I built this one. But I notice that even though I have spiked it down tight the ties move with relative ease. I am now thinking a spline on the back is a good idea if for no other reason than to fix the ties together. With that said I made these to match the current switches in height. Is there any reason why I can just use a very thin materiel like aluminum flashing to tie them together without adding to the height?

#30

Devon, Randy used an aluminum flat bar as a spline, but that would add about 1/8th of an inch in height. I used cedar strips, probably about 1/8 thick on mine. Using flashing might work to hold the ties in place, but would the rails be strong enough to keep the whole thing from warping in service?

#31

Devon Sinsley said:

But I do Have a question. I had seen where people put some sort of a spline on the backside.

You’ll more or less, have a spline under it when it get’s attached to the ladder roadbed. If it was lying flat on the ground, it would probably need a spline.

The only switches I build with a spline are the stub switches, since it needs one to hold it together.

#32

Hey Devon, David is right. I did use 1.5" x 1/8" aluminum bar on the bottom of my switches for the same reason you are concerned about, and also the reason Ken states. I’m using a mixture of stub and points switches. For me the bar is no problem as I float in crusher fines. You would have to notch your road bed to accept it. (pain) It does create a very ridged switch. Again I’m shooting for a forever switch. Time will tell if I made wise choices.

In the shot below you can see my assembly jig. I put the ties in, screw the spine on, and then flip the whole thing to spike the rails down. My jig has a notch carved in it to accept the spine and let everything lay flat While I spike the rails. Hope this helps the devoning. (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

#33

Randy,

Your jig is what gave me the idea to make mine. I had forgot about the spline though. I think since all of my track is going down on something rigid, either ladder or PVC boards, and the switches will be screwed down, I am less worried about them warping (maybe wrong thinking). I am more needing to deal with keeping everything lined up. Notching the road bed would not be cool at all, especially at this point.

#34

What I’ve done is place the splines at the farthest ends of the ties. The turnout then slips over the ladder, and lays flat. My splines are the same stock as the ties are, just a lot longer.

#35

That’s a good idea Steve I like that. Easy solution

#36

You could run a router over your ladder and route the grove for the spline…

#37

Or, he could notch the ties en mass before assembly. But I like Steve’s solution.

#38

I’ve built track AND switches (Llagas Creek code 250 AL) using cedar and redwood fence boards. I left them both original thickness for more tooth in the dirt. I also made stringers the length of the switches beneath the rails. The cedar rotted out in about 4 years sitting in adobe clay. The redwood is still in the ground, but I do have to reset the spikes every so often.

Redwood fence boards are relatively cheap in Sacramento. Your costs may vary.