Adding Guard Rails

[JR1053]

I'm fairly new to Model Railroading but I'd like to add inside guard rails to some sections of code 100 track I've previously installed on my layout. Any suggestions on simple ways to accompli***his would be appreciated.Thank you.


John

[trolleyboy]

Are the guard rails for a bridge? TB

[cefinkjr]

Assuming that you have a realistic location for guard rails (e.g., a bridge or a tight curve), you're probably going to have to buy the rail separately and glue or spike it in place. Many hobby shops don't carry separate rail although I'd think most would order it for you. At worst, you could buy lengths of flex track and strip the ties off of it.

You could use the same size rail as your "running" rails but don't hesitate to use smaller rail for the guard rail(s). Lots of prototypical examples of that.

One case where a lighter rail would NOT have been used would have been the few cases where a rail was laid very close to the running rail on the inside of a very tight curve where steam engines with flangeless ("blind") drivers would operate. The idea was that these drivers would slide to the inside of the curve and would be supported by the extra rail. In this case, the extra rail would have been laid on the field side of the rail on the inside of the curve and the gauge side of the rail on the outside of the curve -- normal guard rails would, of course, both be on the gauge side of the running rails.

Besides bending the ends of the guard rails toward the center of the track, you should also use a file on the underside to taper the rail end and then bend it downward. This too would parallel some prototypes. Others would end guard rails with a special casting that looked a lot like the inside of a frog casting (without the wing rails).

Chuck

[dehusman]

Or you can pull the rail from a piece of sectional track or a piece of flex track, curve it as required, and then super glue or contact cement it inside the track. Be sure to bend the ends toward teh center and file off the bottom of the rail so it forms a point, then bend the point down. You may have to grind off the base of the rail next to the rail its guarding in order to get it close, but nor hit the cast on tie plates or spikes. You want to make sure it is below the tops of your running rails and there is enough clearance so it doesn't bind any trucks going through it.

Dave H.

[Leon Silverman]

If you want to use code 100 rail as your guard rail, run a a bead of glue, either white or CA along the the inside of the rail where you are going to place the guard rail. Once dry, take a dremel tool and remove the spikes along the side of the rail. The glue prevents the rail from moving out of position. This will allow you to place the guard rail adjacent to the stock rail and position the tops of both rails at the same height. The guard rail has to be glued or spiked in place.
You may be able to simply glue the guard rail in place without removing the molded in spikes if you use code 70 or 55 guard rail. If you go this route, make sure that the top of the guardrail matches the stock (previous laid) rail height. However, you will need spacers to establish and hold a flangeway until the glue dires. This spacing can be determined by using an NMRA gage.

[cacole]

I used N-scale rail stripped out of flex track and held in place with CA on some long, curved trestles on the Cochise & Wesetern Model Railroad Club's HO scale layout.

[JR1053]

Wow guys. Thank you very much for all the tremendous suggestions!

John