When moving on from your first 4' x 8' layout, or moving on to another layout project, how can you recycle the trackwork, turnouts, switches with the ballest and roadbed attached?I dont want to start with a 4' x 8' layout, and am conerned that besides the structures and trees that can be recycled (along with figures, sighs vehicles etc) I am concerned the track cant.What if the flex track that you have painted over to give it a weathered look, ends up cracking the paint should you try and bend it to a new shape on a new layout? What if the ballast isnt the same colour, or type for the new local of your layout. Then again I think if you somehow removed the flex track with ballest and tryed to twist/flex the track, the ballest would crack.I hate to have to throwout well done track that has been ballisted and painted to give it a weathed and well used look. If its not possible to or not recycle certain parts of previous trackwork, is it possible? I'm not ready to build at the moment, but hopefully I will know what to do should this situation come around.What are your experiances?
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
MRVP's latest edition of the Rehab My Railroad series has some of this, where they are tearing up an old section of the MR&T and rebuilding it.
Nickle silver rail and plastic ties aren't hurt by being soaked in warm water. A good container to use is one of those under-bed totes, they are long and shallow, long enough to hold sticks of flex.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
If you used watered down “white glue” to affix your ballast, then soaking the track in warm/hot water followed by some judicious scrubbing should remove the ballast. We didn’t worry about the paint condition of the salvaged track, paint is cheap, track is not! Cheers, the Bear.
There are some photos HERE which show ballasted track, with a turnout included, being lifted and repositioned, using simple "wet" water from a spray bottle.No need to read the entire thread, as the track removal is right near the beginning.
I pulled all of the track nails, wet the area thoroughly, then, after unsoldering the portion to be moved, from the rest of the track, simply lifted it with the aid of a puttyknife.
Forget about saving the ballast - if you have done a nice job ballasting, you'll be fully capable of repeating that feat, using new material.If you've used cork roadbed, you may be able to reclaim it, depending on how it was installed . For the area shown in the link, there was no roadbed involved, as the tracks are industrial sidings.
The procedure is likewise for the track - simply re-paint it. Depending on where it was used and its place on the next layout, it may need to be re-done with a different colour anyways.
Wayne
rrinker MRVP's latest edition of the Rehab My Railroad series has some of this, where they are tearing up an old section of the MR&T and rebuilding it. Nickle silver rail and plastic ties aren't hurt by being soaked in warm water. A good container to use is one of those under-bed totes, they are long and shallow, long enough to hold sticks of flex. --Randy
"When you mean by salvage most of the woodwork, I'm guessining your referring too the railway ties attached to the track?"
No, I should have been more specific, the track I was refering too, was mainly Peco Code 100 flex track.
By wood work I meant, the wooden bench work; "waste not, want not".
I recovered about 60' of Code 83 (ballasted, not yet painted) track, at least seven Code 83 Peco Streamline Insulfrog turnouts, and all of my handlaid turnouts five years ago when we moved. When I went to use it, I soaked it in water with TSP dissolved for about four or five days, and then scrubbed it with bits of wood and a stiff brush. It all came out quite well.
I don't think you need to worry about painted ties. If anything, bits of still-stuck grit from the ballast may bind with the spikehead plastic and you may break them if you bend the rails quite a bit. But as a previous responder has opined, paint is cheap, and can easily and quickly be retouched.
Also, consider using recovered track in hidden areas, under tunnels, on helices or no-lices around a room that offers access to hidden staging, and of course in the hidden staging itself.
I butchered my Shinohara turnouts 30 years ago. They were soldered and neither my skills or equipment were up to the task.
I have better equipment, but I no longer solder turnouts. Nor do I use much caulk to hold them down.
Paint? I can always add paint to the rails.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
"When you mean by salvage most of the woodwork, I'm guessining your referring too the railway ties attached to the track?" No, I should have been more specific, the track I was refering too, was mainly Peco Code 100 flex track. By wood work I meant, the wooden bench work; "waste not, want not".
selector Also, consider using recovered track in hidden areas, under tunnels, on helices or no-lices around a room that offers access to hidden staging, and of course in the hidden staging itself.
Lay the track on your driveway, gently put your foot on one end of it and hit it with the preassure washer. It will look like new.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
BATMAN Lay the track on your driveway, gently put your foot on one end of it and hit it with the preassure washer. It will look like new.
After the track and ballast are taken up, l soak them, usually overnight, in our spare bathtub, then use a small stiff brush to remove all ballast. Then, when emptying the tub l make sure that none goes down the drain, let it dry then vacuum up with my shop vac.recovery and reuse is almost 100%
doctorwayne I pulled all of the track nails, wet the area thoroughly, then, after unsoldering the portion to be moved, from the rest of the track, simply lifted it with the aid of a puttyknife. Forget about saving the ballast - if you have done a nice job ballasting, you'll be fully capable of repeating that feat, using new material.If you've used cork roadbed, you may be able to reclaim it, depending on how it was installed . For the area shown in the link, there was no roadbed involved, as the tracks are industrial sidings. The procedure is likewise for the track - simply re-paint it. Depending on where it was used and its place on the next layout, it may need to be re-done with a different colour anyways. Wayne
Yes, I did that also. For ballasted track that I no longer needed on my current (2nd) layout, I abandoned it along the mainline or a siding. It looks quite realistic. I much prefer to get new track than trying on taking a chance with a future track issue from being frugal.