Track Life?

[James Day]

I am accustomed to reading that the Ffestiniog Railway bases its maintenance schedule on thier track lasting 40 years - What was unexpected was this aplying to some of my LGB track too!

I acquired my first track in 1977, but in all honesty, in all that time, it has probably spent no more than five of six years actually outside.

It was taken up late last Autumn, with a view to relaying this Spring on an improved formation, but I unexpectedly took up Break Dancing from Stepladders instead, so the relaying has been postponed.

As I have been going through the track and packing it away I have noticed that the sleeper bases of some sections have taken on something approaching the consistency of icing sugar - It is almost exclusively some of my oldest 1600(0) Radius 3 Curves and again mainly at the ends.

I don't blame it on the sunshine, (nor indeed the monlight), but I do blame it on the questionable geometry of the early LGB 1600 curves, which I think LGB took a while to get right. As none of my other rails old or indeed relatively new have suffered from this, I think that the dodgy finish of the lengths of rail made back then, coupled with the use of LGB joining clips has caused stress on the sleeper ends.

None of my other types of track sections have suffered at all. My newer 16000s are fine too. Am I alone in experiencing this? I would like to hear of other expereinces with track deteriorating over time.

Looks like I need to buy some more 16000s when I get out of my fetching blue back brace!

James

 

[G-force1]

I suppose you know it's blue so that you can find it if you drop it in your soup?

 

[minimans]

You could repair it using the sleepers from the Flex-track parts?

 

[PhilP]

You could repair it using the sleepers from the Flex-track parts?

You can use flexi-track parts to repair a back??

Does the Medical Profession know this??

 

[James Day]

I think I will leave nature and physiotherapy to mend my back!

The idea of using the flexible bases is certainly novel. However, my earliest 1600s never really fitted together that well and I am tempted to take this opportunity to replace them.

Seven are 'write offs' and a few others have limited damage that could be made good. A chum is really good at creating 'special length' rails, like 7 1/2 degree R 3s. I am certain he could usefully employ my 'junk'.

My more modern 16000s go together very snugly, so some more would be most welcome!

James

 

[dunnyrail]

Personally I woould not bother about the damaged sleepers if they are really bad just trash 1 length and use good sleepers from that to replace the really bad ones. So long as the rail is good all should be fine. I do have 1600 from a similar era to yours and all have been used on my current line. However most of mine are in scenic area's and are ballasted with glue, the others in my fiddle yards are held in place with blocks of Hardboard inside the sleepers with all track using Trackclamps. No problems.
JonD