ending the track

[0-6-0]

Hello I would like to now how you end your track, yards,sidings,turn table line,ect. I am in ho steam era and need some bumping post or something else. I need 6 for inside the roundhouse and 15 out side. any ideas? I would like to make things if I can. Thanks Frank

[jeffrey-wimberly]

This is what I use. You can find similar bumpers at walthers.com

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/150-470

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/150-843

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/247-194

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/267-1201

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/340-100

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/506-8

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/506-100

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/528-58642

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/552-SL8340

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/933-3511

[ndbprr]

It depends on whether you model a prototype or not.  Many times railroads had a specification for track bumpers when used.  I would also check some roundhouse pictures because I don't think many had bumpers.  The advantage of a roundhouse was that it allowed maximum space near the pistons where most of the work was perfromed.  Bumpers would have reduced access and the abilityto get equiupment in close for working on them.  In addition they would have been tripping hazards.

[wm3798]

The Walthers ones are nice, but they're only available as built-ups and they cost a small fortune.  Get some scrap rail, some bits of styrene, and make your own.  Cut the parts, set up an assembly line, and you should have them done in an evening.

Lee 

[tstage]

Frank, 

I use the Walthers Hayes track bumpers.

Click to enlarge picture 

Contrary to Lee's statement above, the Walther bumpers also come in "kit" form.  They look nice and you can get a dozen of them for ~$10.

And, if you want them to actually work like the real thing, I have a step-by-step tutorial on my web site on how to modify them slightly.  I made one that stopped a BB F7 going at full throttle.  Neither the bumper nor the F7 sustained ANY damage whatsoever. 

Tom

[CPRail modeler]

I did see these at Miniatures by Eric...

http://www.miniaturesbyeric.com/itm00176.htm

http://www.miniaturesbyeric.com/itm00177.htm

What I really like about the top one is that they are CPR specific. The thing is they are a little pricey.

[tomikawaTT]

The type of bumper used depends on two things:

1. The standards of the prototype you follow.  If you freelance, this is not an issue.
2. The requirements of each specific track.

Inside a roundhouse, where the locomotive is moving very slowly under the direct control of a hostler, the most usual form of "bumper" is a pair of wheel stops, things like steel wheel chocks welded to the rails.  A regular bumper would get in the way of placing ladders and equipment used to work inside the smokebox - which, on a steam locomotive, was a high maintenance area.

Outside, the Hayes bumper is a good choice for yard tracks, important industries and the radial tracks around a turntable.  Less important industries might make do with a couple of crossties Xed into the ballast and bolted together at the center, with the top of each on top of one rail and under the other.  Also seen in older (steam-era) industrial areas:

• Single crosstie chained to the rails with log chain.
• Pile of ballast.
• Pile of dirt (with vegetation growing out of it.)
• A tree (big enough to have been there, and chewed up by contact with couplers.)

OTOH, where the bumper must, absolutely, positively, stop whatever is rolling toward it, railroads have been known to put up the equivalent of a concrete bridge abutment - a solid monolithic structure, anchored by a deep foundation, extending back under the end of the spur.  I will have one such, at the end of a pocket track where steam locos duck in to escape during engine changes.  The spur ends at the bank of a (modeled) river - and locomotives can't swim.

One prototype case that bears comment.  In Amarillo, Texas, the BNSF uses a remnant of the old MILW mainline (which runs parallel and close to I-40) for storage.  The "bumper" is a pile of clean limestone ballast - about two dump trucks' worth.  On one trip along that route I saw a covered hopper (which had obviously been nudged by a switcher a long distance away - there were dozens of cars on the track) straddling the gravel pile!  I doubt that close contact with a pile of rock did the underbody details any good.

Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)

[csmith9474]

Although probably not much use to you, but this is how the local cog railway designed their end of line bumper (you really don't want to shove anything past the track here).....

 

[SpaceMouse]

Only to slightly hijack the thread here, the PRR used concrete bumpers in my area. I've seen plaster bumpers on model railroads, but I've not seen them sold nor have I seen a mold. Any idea on where to find such a thing?  

Mr Smith,

I don't think I want to drive within 30 feet of that bumper.

[Anonymous]

 

[selector]

If you aren't limited to what a prototype did/does, maybe you can do what you see below.  I simply cut scale square 12" posts into something like twice a tie length, and then glued them to form a back stop/bumper.  It is open facing away from the track and is filled with gravel.  (I used the small grit that washes into my gutters from the slowly deteriorating asphalt shingle roofing on my house).  I then stained/painted the wood to look like it had been preserved in creosote...which would have been typical years ago.

I hope you can see it clearly enough.

[0-6-0]

Hello   My layout is freelance but I stay in the steam and Early diesel era mostly steam. I didn't think there were big post in the roundhouse but some kind of wheel chocks. chunk of rail or some I beam fasten to the rail. You guys have some great ideas. Any prints to make from scratch. I have a lot of old rail and ties and some I beam scrap I could use.

Chip hijack away

MR Smith nice shot but I am with Chip 30' away

Thanks Frank

[csmith9474]

Hello   My layout is freelance but I stay in the steam and Early diesel era mostly steam. I didn't think there were big post in the roundhouse but some kind of wheel chocks. chunk of rail or some I beam fasten to the rail. You guys have some great ideas. Any prints to make from scratch. I have a lot of old rail and ties and some I beam scrap I could use.

Chip hijack away

MR Smith nice shot but I am with Chip 30' away

Thanks Frank

I took that shot from the top of Pike's Peak (14,110'). That is the end of the line for the Manitou and Pike's Peak cog line. I haven't ridden the cog up yet. The drive is quite enjoyable. Like they say, "Watch that first step....".

[dehusman]

On the prototype the Hayes bumper was used to stop the car by wadding up under the trucks as the car went through it.  A pile of dirt was more effective and didn't have to be welded every time it was hit.

Dave H.

[Anonymous]

I use the Kato Bumpers with the track. They work well.

I tend to consider all models of end of track devices for variety. Im not chained to just one.

 http://img208.imageshack.us/my.php?image=tracktesthw0.jpg

 

[BRAKIE]

Hello I would like to now how you end your track, yards,sidings,turn table line,ect. I am in ho steam era and need some bumping post or something else. I need 6 for inside the roundhouse and 15 out side. any ideas? I would like to make things if I can. Thanks Frank

 

I use-nothing..If I was to use a end of track stop I would use the more common wheel stop.

http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/247-171

Or I would use a wooden cross tie.

[jecorbett]

Lots of options depending on your needs. All my yard tracks are double ended so that is not a problem for me. On spurs, I've used a variety of bumper posts. The simplest are Atlas which are prefabbed but probably oversized. Walthers sells kits which are fairly inexpensive but need assembly which is a no-brainer. Tomar sells a nice looking prefabbed one but both Walthers and Tomars need to be painted. The Tomar is a made of metal so you have to insulate it from the rest of the rail. I don't bother with any in my roundhouses. You can't see them and the roundhouse itself will prevent an overrun. I don't even know if bumper posts in roundhouses was prototypical or not. On a few of my spurs, I've used wheel stops instead of posts. This might be a good option in the roundhouse. The ones I used were also by Tomar.

[MisterBeasley]

Another view of the Walthers bumpers.

I rusted mine up a bit.

[nbrodar]

Only to slightly hijack the thread here, the PRR used concrete bumpers in my area. I've seen plaster bumpers on model railroads, but I've not seen them sold nor have I seen a mold. Any idea on where to find such a thing?  

Mr Smith,

I don't think I want to drive within 30 feet of that bumper.

Chip,

These be what you are looking for:
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/506-100
?

Nick

[dinwitty]

 

 

Thats the start of the air line...

 

The other kind of bumper are the wheel stops, attach right to the rails. Prolly wont stop a flying car but would hold a slow moving car.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm with Brakie

[Walter Clot]

Anytime you need a "quickie" to protect equipment from taking a dive, try bending two rail connectors into an L-shape and sticking them on the end of the track.  Be sure they are tight fitting!

[SpaceMouse]

I'm with Brakie

Ohmagawd. Twinsies.

[doctorwayne]

I use the ones from Walthers:

 

Or a pile o' dirt:

 

Wayne 

[wedudler]

my examples:

 

 

 

 

 

[0-6-0]

Hello Hey thanks a lot guys I got some good ideas from this thread. When I got some done I will post some pics. Thanks for sharing and have nice day Frank.

[emdgp92]

A strategically placed nail will stop cars too. Mine are just high enough to catch car axles.