# How do you install guard rails?



## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

I have a 15' long, curved deck bridge planned for my railroad. I'm using Aristo 332 brass track for the most part...some LGB. What is the best way to attach two guard rails to the ties? Since this bridge will be in the sun, how is rail expansion accommodated? And, what size rail is recommended?


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Not sure of the name, but Garden Metal Bridges has some guard rail kits, has a longer tie that fits in-between the ties and they just clip on. If you are making your own, could rip down a piece to fit between your ties and attach your rail support to it.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Jerry, guard rails not railings.. I think 

I'd pre drill the ties and spike them down, epoxy might be necessary if you have a lot of heat, but because, hopefully, they are just decorative the spikes should suffice. I'd go with a smaller rail, the 1:1 boys did too. 
They weren't meant to keep the wheels on the track, they were to keep the train on the bridge. 

John


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

PS; Expansion; leave the ends free to float, not being compressed by the rest of the layout they shouldn't kink.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I think Mike is looking for a way to affix the rails to the PLASTIC ties on the Aristo track. 

My opinion would to not use Aristo track, use wooden ties, and then you can spike down the guard rails as well as the regular rails. 

With what I am sure will be a beautiful bridge, I'd go the extra step. 

If you wanted to use plastic track, you might find some of the rail clamps that Train-Li uses in it's Aristo switch kit, and they come with pretty much self-tapping "bolts" that you can attach from the top right into the plastic ties, you might only hook them up every 4th tie or so. 

Regards, Greg


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

There are several ways to attach the guard rails to the bridge. You should use the same rail size or you can do as RRs did years ago and use a smaller size rail. Lay the rails to be the distance use for guard rails in switches. You need not worry about the expansion of the guard rails as these are just short sections any way. 

One way to attache is to drill holes in the base of the rails and then screw the rail down to your plastic ties. You only need a few holes per rail length to hole the rail in place. You could also use a type of glue that is weather and water resistant to hold the rail down. If you are going to hand lay your track then just spike the rail down as you would the main rails. Make sure to bend the ends of the rails to form a V at each end of the bridge. Hopefully you are doing this for cosmetic looks as most of the time the guard rails really do not due what they where intended to do. Later RJD


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## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By aceinspp on 29 Jul 2009 12:09 PM 
... Hopefully you are doing this for cosmetic looks as most of the time the guard rails really do not due what they where intended to do. Later RJD

In what way don't they DO what they're intended to do?


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Scale weights aren't holding the cars down, so our cars will go over them and off the deck bridge...... 

1:1 they are intended to keep the cars bouncing on the ties and not taking a header....


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## Richard Weatherby (Jan 3, 2008)

The plastic ties are hollow undeneathe. I would screw up from the underside. With all my trestles, I had very few accidents. Only one serious accident where I had 3 locos tied together when plowing snow. The guard rails may have help keep them from falling. If you are real concerned, I have seen ceiling layouts with uprights with monofilament or wire runnig at 2 or 3 inches high.


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## noelw (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Mike Reilley on 29 Jul 2009 08:52 AM 
I have a 15' long, curved deck bridge planned for my railroad. I'm using Aristo 332 brass track for the most part...some LGB. What is the best way to attach two guard rails to the ties? Since this bridge will be in the sun, how is rail expansion accommodated? And, what size rail is recommended? ..........................................................................................................................................................................

Mike. This shows some i've done.. Very simple .. I'm using Aristo ties and sliding in 332 rails links you want..
Just cut the ties with a razer saw. and slip them in and the rails will hold them in place. 

I did one Trestle that is over 20 sum-foot long. Ya they do help on derailments and sure did helped if I lost a wheel or somethiing on my Swing bridge... Saved me from having to jump in the Koe pond to retrive some cars.

I've had a bunch of Alum Rails that I painted red primer to but found out they were just a little higher than the Aristo.. so some photos shinie tops on the rails form track cleaner cars.









'


I'm doing a show this on Jerrys broadcast fri. night on how to and how we insert it. 
http://www.livestream.com/crazyTrai...er=mogulus

This is some gurad rails on some of my bridges..
/1stclass/noelw/Guard rails/SN852969.JPG

Another photo..








/1stclass/noelw/Guard rails/SN852965.JPG


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Just to be clear, you put 332 joiners in the ties, and then ran the rails through them? 

However you did it, the effect is very nice! 

Thanks, Greg


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## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By noelw on 29 Jul 2009 07:13 PM 
.......................................................

Mike. This shows some i've done.. Very simple .. I'm using Aristo ties and sliding in 332 rails links you want..
Just cut the ties with a razer saw. and slip them in and the rails will hold them in place. 







'



OK...so if you just cut a lot in each tie...what holds the guard rails in? The photo above is exactly what I'm look for. I'll be there Friday to see you do this for sure. I may take Greg's advice...and just put in wood ties on the deck...and hand spike all the rail. Still looking for tips from anyone.


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## noelw (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Greg Elmassian on 29 Jul 2009 08:38 PM 
Just to be clear, you put 332 joiners in the ties, and then ran the rails through them? 

However you did it, the effect is very nice! 

Thanks, Greg 

Hi Greg.
No on Railjointers.. They show up to bad and the rails should butt up against each other. 
The ties will hold them from sliding.. If on a curve, I bend rails in the last few inch's with a Chanel locks to align them so looks like one rail..

I 've done a lot of this on my town crossing the streets and on S curves on my Ho Modular layout.. Then Hydrocal up to them and between the two guard rails.. The cost of Guard rail track was expensive in N.S. Peco track. About 10 bucks for a 3 foot pc. If you could find it. 

In the Garden railroad towns area where we are using our street cars, I just use Half washed sand and Half Mortar in a dry mix between the Guard rails and part of the street, Up to the street backerboard...Then after it set for a few hrs..Spray it lightly a few time to set it up... Looks good except for the bugs sometimes that get stuck between the two rails and ran over them .. Bump- tee- Bump... laf. Then have to take a screwdriver tip to dig them out of the rails.

Mike... Ya that not a bad idea on wooden ties as long as it look same as other ties.. Next time i do a Trestle, I going to cut all of the spacer on the ties that Aristo has and just shove all ties up against each other then put in the rails and Guard rail ties where need with them.. Look more real. I'll show that on Fri night.with a short ps of stock track. later noel


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## SE18 (Feb 21, 2008)

Noel, 

Nice. The only thing different I might have done is to leave the guards rusty as wheels wouldn't polish them. 

I use guards in a very small section of my track, which has a particularly nasty tight radius, due to my property being too small. The short stretch of guard eliminates derailments. I spike with half-inch wire nails.

You can see the guards in the first few seconds of this vid and near the end. The line is pretty overgrown with plants; much more than the video, so my trains are made of steel to add weight and push the brush aside, as it is supposed to be a lightly used industrial line 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iL6FUkobhmI


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Mike what I was revering to as far as drilling holes in the rail. Go to the outer edge of the base of rail a dril your hole all the way threw. Do about every 3 inches and alternate between the outside rail and gage of rail. Make sure that the screw you use slips through the rail and then you can screw into your track tie. Later RJD


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## rgolding (Jan 2, 2008)

Since most bridges have twice as many ties as regular road bed, why not put wooden ties between each plastic tie and spike the smaller guard rail to the wooden tie. The attachment of the rail to the wooden ties above the plastic tie should hold the rail to the plastic ties. Does that make since?


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

I think Noel is notching for rail joiners and spiking them down, then slipping the rail in. The rail should be pre-bent to match it's desired spot. 

The shorter sleepers in his last example pic link made it easier to see. 

Correct me if I'm wrong, won't be novel to me. 

John


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Dang.... I should read better...never mind the above post 
J


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Saw Noel on the live show last night. 

He puts ties in between the existing ties. He cuts these ties in half and then trims them so butted together, they hold the guard rails in the right places. 

Regards, Greg


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## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Greg Elmassian on 01 Aug 2009 07:17 PM 
Saw Noel on the live show last night. 

He puts ties in between the existing ties. He cuts these ties in half and then trims them so butted together, they hold the guard rails in the right places. 

Regards, Greg 
Got it....


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## StanleyAmes (Jan 3, 2008)

Mike 

If you are building a 15 ft bridge it is likely to be one of the focal points of your layout. If so I would tend to recomend building a wood deck with wood times. The effect is much more striking. 

Over the years I have found that spikes come loose so I not solder brass plates to the underside of the rails ever foot or so and screw the rail down. I then use spikes inbetten for visual effect. 

Place the scred on the side of the rail that will have the gaurdrail and it becomes invisable as it will be between the gaurd rail and the stock rail. 

I use 332 for the track but am using 250 for the gaurd rails again for a better visual effect. 

Stan Ames 
http://www.tttrains.com/largescale/


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## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By StanleyAmes on 02 Aug 2009 08:57 AM 
Mike 

If you are building a 15 ft bridge it is likely to be one of the focal points of your layout. If so I would tend to recomend building a wood deck with wood times. The effect is much more striking. 

Over the years I have found that spikes come loose so I not solder brass plates to the underside of the rails ever foot or so and screw the rail down. I then use spikes inbetten for visual effect. 

Place the scred on the side of the rail that will have the gaurdrail and it becomes invisable as it will be between the gaurd rail and the stock rail. 

I use 332 for the track but am using 250 for the gaurd rails again for a better visual effect. 

Stan Ames 
http://www.tttrains.com/largescale/ 
After Greg mentioned this earlier....I have decided to go with all wood ties and hand spike all the rail. As you say, it will be a focal point...especially looking down on the bridge. I like your idea of soldering a brass plate every foot or so and screwing the rails down in addition to the spiking.


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Mike: If you have decided to use wood ties and spike down then the effect of soldering a brass plate to the rail will not in hence the over all stability of the track guard rail as when the ties start to fail all will go even with the brass plate drilled and spiked. Just some un needed work. I'd go with the spiking and be done. The detail will be there. Later RJD


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