Repairing track

A

Alan Burch

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I have recently acquired a lot of track which has been carelessly uplfted and has damaged sleepers and chairs. Can anyone recommend a suitable adhesive for the sleepers or any other method of repairing the track (after the rails have been removed and cleaned)?
 
Alan Burch said:
I have recently acquired a lot of track which has been carelessly uplfted and has damaged sleepers and chairs. Can anyone recommend a suitable adhesive for the sleepers or any other method of repairing the track (after the rails have been removed and cleaned)?
Click to expand...
If you are talking LGB Track you will have problems gluing it for any kind out outdoor longevity. Two options for you:-

1 bin trashed sleepers by cutting them out and use the good ones to make good track sections.

2 if there are too many trashed sleepers just buy some of the Flex Track Sleepers only to make good with the rail. Rail is the expensive stuff and can be suitably repaired by careful bending and hammering back to shape.
JonD
 
Alan Burch said:
I have recently acquired a lot of track which has been carelessly uplfted and has damaged sleepers and chairs. Can anyone recommend a suitable adhesive for the sleepers or any other method of repairing the track (after the rails have been removed and cleaned)?
Click to expand...
I think Jon's right - I don't know of a glue that would hold for any length of time, albeit only cosmetically.

Try an ad in the wanted section, you'd probably get a good selection of second hand sleepers to keep you going.

One minor thing to watch, is that LGB sleepers are brown, Aristocraft and USAT are black, and I'm not sure if Peco chairs would fit.

Also with Aristo, the did US track and European track, the US track was for their 1:29 stuff, and the sleepers are much smaller and thinner. (I think I've got that the right way round :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes: )
 
A roller/bender from sunset valley is a good tool to straight rail well. make wooden sleepers and use sunset valley tie nails to hold track down.
 
Alan Burch said:
I have recently acquired a lot of track which has been carelessly uplfted and has damaged sleepers and chairs. Can anyone recommend a suitable adhesive for the sleepers or any other method of repairing the track (after the rails have been removed and cleaned)?
Click to expand...

If the sleepers are similar to the LGB and ARISTO ones that I have both are "hollow" on the under side, you could try filling them with epoxy glue or use a roof and gutter sealant to fill the hollows making them semi solid. Consider embedding pieces of wire for added strength, just do not drill holes in them to screw them down.
 
Alan Burch said:
I have recently acquired a lot of track which has been carelessly uplfted and has damaged sleepers and chairs. Can anyone recommend a suitable adhesive for the sleepers or any other method of repairing the track (after the rails have been removed and cleaned)?
Click to expand...
Hello Alan, (from another Alan),
We don't know which make of track and of which gauge and which metal you have acquired, it may help with answers from others, neither is the amount of damaged track that is damaged mentioned.
You mention chairs. Are these separate items or simply moulded items on the sleepers. (Ties for our American readers).
Apart from the infamous 'super glue' type of product - and if you are anything like me would end up with more glued fingers than sleepers - I might suggest the Bondic product which they claim is a weld rather than a glue. You can read about on a internet search. I have used it with some successes.
Another possibility is a hot gun but there are dangers there I believe if you are not careful.
Dunnyrail has suggested replacement flex track sleeps or cannibalizing what you have which is a good idea. One further suggestion is that you use the track that is the more difficult to repair as sidings. As you know sidings were not as well maintained usually as running lines.
Have fun and enjoy your project. ;)
 
Alan,

Bondic sound just like the bees knees for most applications that I might use in the future involving hard to join plastics.

Actually my youngest daughter broke a tooth at age 12 and the dentist used something similar to glue the broken piece back on (UV glue setting), 18 years on the repair is still good.
If Bondic lasts half as long then I am using it.
 
I find that a soldering iron is a good device to repair broken sleepers and under the rail webbing. I doubt that it will work repairing chairs, as the result will be a blob of once detailed plastic!

Once a new sleeper section has been joined on, the iron can be used to (re)create the grain in the timber.

CAUTION!!!! The fumes are nasty, so this is best done outdoors. And clean the iron tip afterwards...whilst hot, drag it over a wet sponge.

Malcolm
 
I wouldn't bother trying to repair plastic sleepers when new replacements are available for a few quid.
Save hours of time and frustration and ensure smooth running. Just shop around for LGB 10003 or alternatives like PIKO 35230. Or as stated above reuse sleepers from spare track.
 
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