Tracks and pressure washer
- Thread starter Mobi
- Start date
Gizzy
A gentleman, a scholar, and a railway modeller....
Yes, I have had to do it a few years ago.
I returned from holiday to find my rear garden and railway covered in sewerage, due to a blocked mains.
Fortunately Anglian Water's contractors were nearby, and they replaced all my shingle that the track was laid on and we washed all the track down using their high pressure jet washer and detergent the next day.
The layout had to be dismantled and rebuilt to do this, and all rail joiners had a small amount of copperslip added during reassembly.
No problems were found after the rebuild....
I returned from holiday to find my rear garden and railway covered in sewerage, due to a blocked mains.
Fortunately Anglian Water's contractors were nearby, and they replaced all my shingle that the track was laid on and we washed all the track down using their high pressure jet washer and detergent the next day.
The layout had to be dismantled and rebuilt to do this, and all rail joiners had a small amount of copperslip added during reassembly.
No problems were found after the rebuild....
Zerogee
Clencher's Bogleman
I'd say yes, it shouldn't cause any physical harm, though I wouldn't directly blast the washer into things like pointwork!
The pressure WILL certainly move the track around, however, unless it is firmly secured down?
Also of course if you've put any kind of ballast/gravel/chippings around or under your tracks then these will go everywhere.....
If you just need to pressure-wash once, then I'd probably suggest you take the track up while you do it.
Jon.
The pressure WILL certainly move the track around, however, unless it is firmly secured down?
Also of course if you've put any kind of ballast/gravel/chippings around or under your tracks then these will go everywhere.....
If you just need to pressure-wash once, then I'd probably suggest you take the track up while you do it.
Jon.
maxi-model
UK/US/ROW steam narrow gauge railways 1:1
I'd be careful not to aim the jet at full blast and close range at sleepers as you could pop them off the rails and damage the cleats. If your track is of the flexi type you can always remove the sleepers and wash and brush up in the sink. Max.
spoz
What do I do? What I'm told by SWMBO
I've done it with a Karcher; my track is all firmly backed by what is known here as H3 preserved timber and which doesn't allow it to move in a vertical dimension so I had no problems with sleepers popping off. It was sort of fun to watch the points (all manual) throwing themselves ...... Because I'm battery I wasn't worried about electrical connections but that might be something to be wary of.
Steve
Steve
CoggesRailway
Registered
Mmm careful. There are a range of pressure washers some have serious power.
When I moved back in 2000 I preasure washed all my Peco that had been laid in Rolands Mix to get it clean. No problems or damage after. Plus no Rowlands or Spiders left either.
2 Years ago when I lifted the Ruschbahn to sell iof the Track via Glendale did same thing with LGB and Aristo Track, again no damage even in points.
In both cases track had been lifted and was cleaned on a flat patio.
JonD
2 Years ago when I lifted the Ruschbahn to sell iof the Track via Glendale did same thing with LGB and Aristo Track, again no damage even in points.
In both cases track had been lifted and was cleaned on a flat patio.
JonD