I’ve been looking to model HO scale metal guard rails, the galvanized one you see on the side of highways. I would like to scratch buid them so I’m not looking for a kit. Has anyone found a good facsimile for such an animal.
I know you said you didn’t want a kit. But in my opinion, sometimes it might be easier and more time effective to use a kit rather than scrounge around trying to find suitable material.
Take a look at this Pikestuff product: http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/541-12
Evergreen offers the following. I can’t find a picture of it, but It’s possible that the .125 inch, cut into strips, would make a good guard rail in HO - just attach to an appropriate sized I beam.
If not this product, perhaps something similar?
| Corrugated Metal Siding |
|---|
.040" Thick (1,0 mm) Opaque White Styrene |
| Groove Spacing* | Rib Width |
|---|
I’ve used the Pikestuff guardrails, and I think they are an excellent product. My photo site seems to be having problems right now, so maybe I’ll post a picture later. I’m also of the opinion that some things are worth scratchbuilding, but others aren’t worth the effort. The Pikestuff guardrails are shaped just right, and they come with supports and various end sections as well.
Each package has about 7 inches worth of guardrail.
EDIT: Some pictures…
The guardrail itself is quite flexible, and can be easily bent to reasonable curves.
I don’t see Evergreen metal siding working well for this. The Evergreen sheets are flat on one side and “textured” (for lack of a better word) on the other. Works great for structure siding where only the outside surface is visible. Probably wouldn’t make a good 3-d guard rail as it would definately not really convey the thin stamped metal effect.
I used some .005" aluminum sheet from Hobby Lobby that can be formed into almost any shape and it is much tougher than aluminum foil. If you made a form with a couple of grooves spaced where you wanted, you could cut the alum to size and press it into the grooves with a tool of choice and you should wind up with something similar to the PikeStuff product. I formed auto hoods with this stuff and it looks great in a scrap yard. Also made a corrugated culvert with it. Worth a try.
-Bob
Reviving an old post. Was looking to add some guardrails to my layout and saw that you recommended the Pikestuff ones. From your photos, it looks like the bend a fair bit. Do you think they would bend enough to do a switchback? I’ve got a section of road which oddly enough has both vehicles and cyclists (like your photo). Saw your figure of a cyclist with a banana and wanted to ask where you got it from too.
I’ve got a few moving cyclists with the Magnorail system, which seems to work quite well, but wanted to ask about static figures of racers or enthusiasts rather than commuters.
Robert, do you have any pictures of your layout? I’d love to see the Magnorail setup you have.
I have a bunch of Pikestuff guard rails, but they are all glued down on my layout, so I cannot test them for you. But, each section is only 7 inches long so the possibility of curving them without bending and creasing them might be problematic.
Rich
The Pikestuff guardrails are very flexible even at room temperature. You might want to provide different supports for the rails, possibly small I-beams or simple styrene strips, as the kits don’t really have enough, and for a tight curve you may want more. I believe I spray painted mine silver and then used Dul-Coat to get the look I wanted.
The cyclist is from a Preiser set of 3 in identical shorts and jerseys.
Does anyone know when these galvanized metal guardrails began being used?
Would they be suitable for 1954?
-Keviun
I hope so because I use them and my layout is considered 1955.
Rich
I was born in '51 and I remember round wooden posts with steel cable. Maybe that was a country thing.
I was alive and kickin’ in 1955, but whether these metal guard rails were around back then, I do not know.
Rich
The Pikestuff guadrail represents correguated guardrail From my faulty memory - would be at earliest late 1960’s or early 1970’s. It has mostly been superceeded by rail with more corregations.
Previous metal guardrail was a slight curve (not corregiated) facing the traffic painted white.
There is also cable guardrail single or multiple strands of cable instead of solid railing connected to posts. It was replaced in California in the 1970’s because it cut through objects hitting it instead of redirecting them - have recently seen some in other States well off pavement .
Posts often wood obut steel also used
Oh well, I also have some freight cars built after 1955. [:^)]
Rich
The first time I drove up Lookout Mountain that was all there was for guardrail… terrifying.
Me too (1954), but once they are painted and decalled I need to overlook the anachronisms as best as I can.
Thanks to all for the prototype dating information.
-Kevin
I got curious and didn’t have much to do, so…you know how that can go. Check this out:
https://patents.google.com/patent/US2047436A/
There’s definitely a difference between a patent being issued and large scale deployment. Their rise in use in the 50s may also coincide with the patent expiration.
Hey York1,
I don’t have any pictures yet. I’m still doing some testing with the track. I initially came up with a switchback (with a small incline) and two 180 degree turns, but the depth of the track and the card stock that I am using on top is proving to be troublesome. I’ll post when I’m past the fumbling around stage.
I was going to create another post about how to either cut into styrofoam accurately (8mm depth) or create some sort of raised corkbed to the specified height. Any ideas? Most foam or cork is way too thick and I don’t have a hot wire cutter. I was just trying to use my hobby knife and cut some foam pieces with my caliper ruler but my cutting technique isn’t exactly accurate.
Any suggestions?
I’ve painted my Magnorail figures, one of which is the female figure in a polka dot dress which the male is going to pursue up the switchback. My little dorktactular nod to the Tour the France podium girls.
You always get better answers with an appropriately titled new thread, rather than hijaacking the thread to a different topic. People who aren’t interested in metal guardrails will bypass this thread.
Depending what you are doing, a router can be pretty accurate. Hot wire devices aren’t particularly accurate. To thin a sheet of foam, people have made a jig of sorts, using the wire that is in a hot wire.
Imagine a limbo poll, if you are old enough to remember what that is, if not the bottom wire on a barbed wire fence. Slide the foam, into the wire and it slices it horizontally. You might use that if you want to carve a tunned portal or a stone wall.