Is there any reason not to place a re-railer (atlas) directly behind/ in front of a #6 turn out? (or any #)
It’ll be just in front of the points on the turnout
I’m laying hidden track today so help a.s.a.p. is greatly appreciated.
For some reason I can’t access the old posts/ archive today… Thanks!
There is no reason not to place a rerailer track immediately beyond a turnout. In fact, it is probably the best location to place a rerailer track since that is where most derailments occur.
Rich
From my experience having the rerailer attached to the turnout doesn’t help as much as 1 placed a car length or 2 away. Not sure why, maybe the unsettling of a car as it runs on the rerailer and frog at the same time. The extra distance lets the car settle and figure out if it’s going to ground or not.
Or maybe it was just poor trackwork…
The one and (l)only rerailer on my layout is immediately in advance of a turnout.
It has yet to rerail anything.
There has never been a car or locomotive on the ground at that spot.
If you take care to lay bulletproof trackwork, rerailers are as necessary as propeller beanies on pigs.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Hmmm… I’ve been leaning towards keeping the only one near a turn out at least 1-2 car lengths (passenger) away for the reason described above. I am not using rerailers anywhere on the visible layout only on the hidden main, against the back (of the benchwork’s) wall.
I’m being careful to lay the best track I can everywhere. I was planning originally on using one about every 3’ section joins of flextrack but the mainline was already drop fed and wired to the buss so I’ve spaced them a bit differently so that I didn’t have to clip, resolder, etc.
Doesn’t a (shinohara) turnout have a minimal rerailing function anyway?
Thanks guys. Having coffee, wakin’ up before I go into the layout room. Also waiting for a fridge repairperson, so if anyone’s got more experiences to relate, they might still be helpful and timely.
Oh yeah…any tips on getting the rerailers to lay flat? They float a bit and that’s not helpful.
Should I calulk or glue a drop jut to hold 'em down until I solder rail joints?
Thanks
Forgot to mention that I’m using track nails with track to be glued down when ballasted later.
Hence the floating rerailers. Thanks again.
Just use something like Woodland Scenics Scenic Cement. It will hold the rerailer in place securely, but it is easy to lift the rerailer out with a putty knife and the Scenic Cement comes off with warm, soapy water.
Rich
I would say that is major over kill. On my first layout I had a rerailer on every track past my turn out in my rail yard so i would not end up with a mess of derailed cars but I never had any troubles. My new around the garage layout has two sets, one set on each mainline in the tunnel just as a back up and one set on each main line as a road crossing/ place to make it easy to put cars on when I add cars or locos. The few places I had trouble with derailing a re railer would not have helped too much and it is worth the effort to fix the problem, such as my Dash-9 not liking a curve that a little a shiming quickly fixed.
I used to like rerailers, but am at the point where I see them as a crutch for poor track work. I think after doing it several times it’s just better practice to take your time and lay track correctly.
Now if I had a layout that used sectional track that I took down and put up constantly, I might would use them.
I am slowly removing the ones from my layout I had previously installed and opting for taking the time to insure my track work is top notch.
Otherwise to answer the original question I have never had an issue having one right next to a turnout.
As to gluing the joiners. Do not put glue in them. It could screw up the connection.
If you’re comfortable with the track work you could consider not using them at all.
Hi. All track is soldered to each section of flex track. The glue referred only to the ballasting process and this track won’t be ballasted.
I am ONLY referring to HIDDEN trackage. I would never have these pug ugly things in full view.
But, I think they’ll “pay for themselves” in the hidden, hard to reach during a busy ops session.
I have a good friend who uses them in his hidden staging and they’ve helped a lot with steam locomotives with their lead pilot trucks. From watching how things behave even with his excellent track work, I was completely sold. But ONLY when they’re hidden away, out of sight, where I don’t wanna get to if I don’t have to, while the ladies and gents are operating.
My wiring buddy is stopping by tonight and we’ll mull over that turnout/rerailer location and see if
we think it’s going to be helpful.
Thanks for your posts folks.