Yikes! [sigh]
Rich
Thanks for the tip, Brent. I tried it this afternoon on some flex. In the case where the ballast was still affixed to a layer of homasote, I pre-treated by spraying both sides with 99% alcohol. It worked great and is a real time-saver (once you get set up for the job)! Rather than expose the rails to the concrete when doing the underside, I did both sides against a 4-foot piece of 2x8. As I recall, my pressure washer runs about 2300psi nominal. Wide spray nozzle, about a foot above the board.
I have about a dozen more sticks to do tomorrow that escaped my notice first time around. That might include one or two of Atlas code 83 that was affixed to cork with Liquid Nails. Perhaps a bit more problematic as it’s some sort of gummy resin. While I’m at it, I’ll hit up a couple turnouts that will likely be trashed for other reasons. An Atlas can probably handle it. A Shinohara, maybe. Blow off the excess water and let 'em air dry. Stay tuned . . .
Attuvian1 John
[quote user=“Attuvian1”]
richhotrain
BATMAN
I have never done this to a turnout, however, flex track yes. I lined the track up out on the driveway, gently placed my foot on the end and gave it a pass with the pressure washer, flipped it over, and did it again. One pass and it removed all ballast, glue, and other crap. The track was like new. I can’t see why turnouts would be any different.
Yikes!
Rich
Thanks for the tip, Brent. I tried it this afternoon on some flex. In the case where the ballast was still affixed to a layer of homasote, I pre-treated by spraying both sides with 99% alcohol. It worked great and is a real time-saver (once you get set up for the job)! Rather than expose the rails to the concrete when doing the underside, I did both sides against a 4-foot piece of 2x8. As I recall, my pressure washer runs about 2300psi nominal. Wide spray nozzle, about a foot above the board.
I have about a dozen more sticks to do tomorrow that escaped my notice first time around. That might include one or two of Atlas code 83 that was affixed to cork with Liquid Nails. Perhaps a bit more problematic as it’s some sort of gummy resin. While I’m at it, I’ll hit up a couple turnouts that will likely be trashed for other reasons. An Atlas can probably handle it. A Shinohara, maybe. Blow off the excess water and let 'em air dry. Stay tuned . . .
Attuvian1 John
[quote user=“richhotrain”]
Attuvian1
richhotrain
BATMAN
I have never done this to a turnout, however, flex track yes. I lined the track up out on the driveway, gently placed my foot on the end and gave it a pass with the pressure washer, flipped it over, and did it again. One pass and it removed all ballast, glue, and other crap. The track was like new. I can’t see why turnouts would be any different.
Yikes!
Rich
Thanks for the tip, Brent. I tried it this afternoon on some flex. In the case where the ballast was still affixed to a layer of homasote, I pre-treated by spraying both sides with 99% alcohol. It worked great and is a real time-saver (once you get set up for the job)! Rather than expose the rails to the concrete when doing the underside, I did both sides against a 4-foot piece of 2x8. As I recall, my pressure washer runs about 2300psi nominal. Wide spray nozzle, about a foot above the board.
I have about a dozen more sticks to do tomorrow that escaped my notice first time around. That might include one or two of Atlas code 83 that was affixed to cork with Liquid Nails. Perhaps a bit more problematic as it’s some sort of gummy resin. While I’m at it, I’ll hit up a couple turnouts that will likely be trashed for other reasons. An Atlas can probably handle it. A Shinohara, maybe. Blow off the excess water and let 'em air dry. Stay tuned . . .</
Whatever you can’t salvage is worth tossing. I agree with others about trying to get the turnouts off by putting a damp towel over them and carefully liftingnoff. If they first won’t come up, I would not bother.
Many of these were installations well over 30 years old. I hadn’t heard of the damp towel technique and without excessive efforts, I was still able to lift well over 90% of of the club’s turnouts (188 in total). Very few of them were damaged in the cleaning processes used. A few required a quick alcohol soak. Most were easily done by scraping away the ballast (and removing leads, joiners and excess solder). Granted that it could take up to 15 minutes each to do a couple dozen of them, but being retired, time I have. And with that many, I fell into production line mode pretty quickly. And the experience was worthwhile, not to mention the savings.
Attuvian1 John