In laying my track I used a couple of Atlas re-railers, which also act as grade crossings. I am torn between removing them or trying to make them more realistic looking for a railroad set in the steam to diesel transition era. So I thought I would see what other modelers think. Would you remove or keep them? If your opinion is to keep them do you know where I might get a video or article on how to make them look more realistic?
Secondart lines in transition era had many wooden highway crossings. Paint and weather as you feel appropiate. My objection is that at nine inches they would match four lanes much better than two. Unless there are shorter one availible.
Dave
I also think you can paint and weather them to be a very convincing grade crossing.
When I first started, that's what I thought they were! Grade cossings that did a great job of rerailing cars. After all, they have the look of planks molded right in.
Mike.
My You Tube
What do you use to make your roads? It's probably best to carry that right up to the rail heads. I like these Blair Line crossings:
The roads are made of Durham's Water Putty.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
I'd say keep what you've got and maybe weather them a bit. I've got the same crossing/rerailers and they work too well to remove them...
to the forums. Your first few posts will be delayed by moderators, but that will be over soon.
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I vote to keep them, and weather them.
They look better than Kato's rerailers/grade crossings!
-Kevin
Living the dream.
If you can, turn them into an active grade crossing, pave a road through them from one end to the other, add lights, gates, an electrical box off to the side, repaint the lines on the road and add some vehicles behind the crossing gates.
Hi,
All good ideas above for sure! I first got them in the early 1960s, and with the first permanant layout weathered them with a black/brown wash and glued ground cover on each end to "narrow" the roadway.
BTW, these rerailers are terrific for staging tracks and other areas out of sight.
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
You might want to install them in tunnels. Could save you a lot of grief if a car derails inside.
SeeYou190I vote to keep them, and weather them. They look better than Kato's rerailers/grade crossings! -Kevin
jbertiI am torn between removing them or trying to make them more realistic looking for a railroad set in the steam to diesel transition era.
You answered your own question. You are obviously dissatisfied with the unrealistic appearance of them. Rip them out and replace them with something that looks better.
As others have suggested, they're great for hidden track. That's the only place I use them.
I have the right to remain silent. By posting here I have given up that right and accept that anything I say can and will be used as evidence to critique me.
The straight tracks look better than the curved ones because the curved ones have the electrical connection. You can paint the straight ones to match the road on the sides and paint the center section wood color with lots of oil stains and tire marks. If they are curved use them in a tunnel or staging area.