Alternative to AMS sleepers (ties)

GAP

GAP

G Scale Model Trains, 1:1 Sugar Cane Trains
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I have acquired about 100 Ft of AMS code 250 track but unfortunately all the sleepers(ties) have perished in the harsh Australian sun.

I am looking for a suitable replacement for the sleepers (ties) that will fit the rail but will withstand high levels of UV radiation.

Any suggestions welcomed.
 
sunset valley railroad do ties for them i think,, dont know how good they are though
 
I now have a cunning plan (ala Baldrick)

I am going to lay the good sleepers I have to keep the gauge and use the bad ones in between they will be glued in place a and I will use my gauge tool to keep them in gauge.

I may even drill a small hole through the web of the rail and use nails to hold them in place.

Any thoughts on this welcome
 
Drilling and pinning is a good idea, suggest that you use Steel Pins. You will need some with a good sized Head say 3-4 mm. Veneer Pins as sold by Wicks (or your Local DIY) are pretty good. Brass ones will tend to pop up in time. I know this as I scratch built all my Track for my Garden line that existed 1986-2000. After some years I went over to Peco as I got fed up of Hammering all the pins back before a running session. Quite tedious on a 100ft Long Garden line.
JonD
 
Thanks for that rust will be my biggest problem with steel but a bit of metal paint should solve that.

Then again I will most likely be using treated landscape timber, galvanized nails will be needed as the treatment eats away un protected steel nails and screws.

Guess I start I am going to need a heap of fine drills (1/16?) and a lot of patience.

Luckily I will be retired when I start this.
 
Would LGB code 332 sleepers work for this rail?

I'm not sure if the foot is the same.

I only ask as I have some that I could arrange to get to you if anyone from Oz is coming over to the UK this year....
 
GAP said:
Thanks for that rust will be my biggest problem with steel but a bit of metal paint should solve that.

Then again I will most likely be using treated landscape timber, galvanized nails will be needed as the treatment eats away un protected steel nails and screws.

Guess I start I am going to need a heap of fine drills (1/16?) and a lot of patience.

Luckily I will be retired when I start this.
Click to expand...
You've lost me a bit Graeme. You talked about using the 'old plastic' sleepers but now you're mentioning treated timber. And why would you drill the web? - that's the vertical bit right? Wouldn't you drill the foot of the rail?

If you are reusing the old sleepers, why not just Liquid Nail them to the rails?

And if you are nailing to wood, why drill? just put the nails beside the rails and bent over.

I wasn't aware that treated pine causes rust. I reckon that the brass-steel nail interface causes electrolytic corrosion. If you do find galvanised nails about 15mm long, let me know where. I can only find nickel plated.
 
GAP said:
Thanks for that rust will be my biggest problem with steel but a bit of metal paint should solve that.

Then again I will most likely be using treated landscape timber, galvanized nails will be needed as the treatment eats away un protected steel nails and screws.

Guess I start I am going to need a heap of fine drills (1/16?) and a lot of patience.

Luckily I will be retired when I start this.
Click to expand...

No No No you need a bit of Rust to keep the Nails in place, it is the lack of friction that lifts any Nails up, hence my problem with the Brass ones. No let them rust for a season, then give them a dose of oil. Once they have rusted a tadge they will then not be lifted by the constant changes of wet and dry expansion and contraction of the sleepers. That is if you use wooden ones or a wooden baseboard.
JonD
 
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