# Aristo craft rerailer, needed?



## Blk69 (Dec 6, 2009)

New into G scale. Planning first outdoor layout. Have Bachmann Big hauler so far in my inventory. Using old stock LGB brass rail. My LHS suggested adding on Aristo craft rerailer to my loop. Said all the fellas from the garden railroad club have then on their layouts.

Went to Dayton train show this weekend. Ask folks from the Cincinnati railroad club what they thought. They did not have a rerailer on their display (looked like 150 to 200' track. big display). They said you could connect aristo craft brass to LGB, but difficult.

Looked at LGB for rerailer, all the offer is a roadcrossing, that does not appear to be a rerailer. LGB not making them makes me think they may not be needed? Sounds like a good idea to me, but I get all kinds of good ideas that go south now an again.

This is the aristo craft rerailer I am referencing. Would approach you option on this matter. Am I apt to make a derailment issue joining the two types of track in my attempt to make layout more bullet proof.

http://www.wholesaletrains.com/Detail.asp?ID=200509856


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## JEFF RUNGE (Jan 2, 2008)

Splitjaw makes what I think you a looking for : http://www.railclamp.com/#!/~/category/id=3572110&offset=0&sort=normal


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

We have the SJ rerailer in stock.


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

LGB made/makes a rerailer ramp that just sets on top of some straight track without needing a special track piece. It does the same job as a rerailer does.


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## mickey (Jan 28, 2009)

I have one at what worked out at a good place coming out of a 8 foot radius S with a 1 foot between (which can be an issue making the S) and a perfect sitting place for putting (loading) cars on the track. Nice thing about rerailers is they can be used to put cars on track quickly without fuss. Just set car close and push it back and forth over rerailer and it gets wheels on track fast and easy. In my case, it performs double duty. Some people here don't like them saying get track perfect and no need, but for me, easy loading of cars justifies it alone and backup for the S and I'm good. Just my opinion.


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## mickey (Jan 28, 2009)

Posted By vsmith on 03 Nov 2013 07:49 PM 
LGB made/makes a rerailer ramp that just sets on top of some straight track without needing a special track piece. It does the same job as a rerailer does. 


I thought the ramp was just for loading cars? The aristo is always there so loads and rerails.


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

I would say no. In over 30 years of garden railroading, derailments aren't that common. If there is a problem the derailment will happen at the same place. THAT IS A CLUE THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG THERE. In my thinking a rerailer might mask a more serious problem with the track. You need to pay attention to what is going on. A derailed car or engine shouldn't travel very far before you notice a problem. Failure to detect a truck off the track could lead to a major derailment long before it gets to the rereiler that could cause damage to the rolling stock. Chuck


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

FYI the ends of Aristo center rerailer part sits a tad higher than the rails. 
Low hanging items like KD coupler trip pins can catch and gasp ... derail on the rerailer. 
Also it's another 2 flange ways to keep clean... 

I have one and other than keeping it clean, I haven't had any issues. It's my lazy man's road crossing. 
Chuck ran on my railroad and if I remember correctly, derailments weren't invited. 

John


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By mickey on 03 Nov 2013 08:03 PM 
Posted By vsmith on 03 Nov 2013 07:49 PM 
LGB made/makes a rerailer ramp that just sets on top of some straight track without needing a special track piece. It does the same job as a rerailer does. 


I thought the ramp was just for loading cars? The aristo is always there so loads and rerails. 
The track rerailer is only useful if your train derails withing a couple feet of you rerailer and you have to be going towards it. Otherwise your going to have to either rerail it by hand or your going to pick it up and put it back on at the point of derailment. The LGB ramp allows you to do that where or near where the derail occured, if you only have a track rerailer you'd have to carry the whole consist back to that point of the layout. If interested the LGB # is 10020


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

I use the Aristo rerailer, but I remove the rails and insert a washer where the screws attach to the rail to raise it up a little.

Now the center plastic is effectively lowered and couplers do not hit the plastic in the center.

Also, LGB, USA Trains, Aristo, train-Li brass code 332 track all connect just fine, and so do the switches. The new Bachmann brass track should be OK also.
And there are other code 332 manufacturers. Even Lionel made solid brass switches in code 332 in the past.


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## Ted Doskaris (Oct 7, 2008)

Posted By Totalwrecker (John) on 03 Nov 2013 09:25 PM 
SNIP
FYI the ends of Aristo center rerailer part sits a tad higher than the rails. 
Low hanging items like KD coupler trip pins can catch and gasp ... derail on the rerailer. 
SNIP

I have experienced this, too.
What I did was to file a crescent shaped path down the center of the plastic ramp from end to end using a rasp and file. 



















Whilst fixing this, and since I use track power, I added redundant jumpers to the under side - replacing the tiny factory connections.
(Early re railers versions like this one were all electrically isolated at the center of the rails so they could be used in applications with automated reversers. Later versions include solid rails from end to end; hence, no jumpers needed.)









-Ted


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## CLBee (Dec 11, 2009)

Rerailer section arent needed, most derailments are in and around turnout normally caused by misalgned points. I have even seen turnouts rerail wheels, but derailed wheels should be stopped as quickly as safely possible.


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

I ended up taking mine out becaue it caused too many derailments with the Kadee couplers. If you're going to run Kadees, you need to do something like Ted suggests to reduce the center height.


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