Model Railroading > Wear and tear on long running layout

I have posted about the wearing off of the plating on loco wheels and the problems that causes.

I am posting images of facing point frogs this time. These are on the Christmas display I set up each year at a local bank. The trains run during banking hours from Thanksgiving to New Years. Photos one and two show the results of about 15 years running. Photo 3 is a little used yard switch installed at the same time. The points get pounded down and lose the sharp point.

If you look carefully you can see the gunk that accumulates in the track in the flange way. We set up the layout today and I will clean track tomorrow.

I am going to post the wear on the curves next.

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One more frog photo. This is the yard lead to the main line. It is used a lot, but does not get the pounding the facing points get.

We used a micrometer to measure the wear of the inside and outside rails of the 24 inch radius curves we use. The outside rail is also a little rounded. It does not show up well in the photo, but it is there.

I am guessing we will replace the curves in a year or two. Before we rebuilt the layout 15 years ago three axle locos on the first layout sometime rode off the rails due to wear. The first layout had 11 years on it. I am guessing the newer three axle locos are a little better built and haven't shown that tendency yet.

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Neat, I see the same kind of wear happen on the prototype railroad. The inside the head gets worn away on the outside curve rail as the flanges bite at it. You also see the wing rail of frogs get worn down exactly like you show.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/21/17 20:09 by funnelfan.

The ware may also be out of gauge wheel sets or guardrails not being in proper place.

Who made the track and turnouts?

The wear would be the same regardless, I just don't recognize the mfgr.
tia.

Our model railroad club regularly puts fingernail polish on our switch frogs.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

TCnR Wrote:
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> Who made the track and turnouts?
>
> The wear would be the same regardless, I just
> don't recognize the mfgr.
> tia.


The turnouts and track are Atlas.

I keep the wheels in gauge. In fact tomorrow (Wednesday) I will be checking every thing out in preparation for the long run season.

Another day in the life of a Roadmaster....
Building up worn frogs? Not arc welding but epoxy or paint to restore the point, happens all the time.
0.002" of wear on the high rail (0.038 vs 0.036)? That is 87x0.002=0.174" or about 3/16", kind of well worn but not at condemning limits for rail wear.
The big boys plan to replace rail every year. Maybe if you actually get some wheels to all in to the resulting wide gauge you'll have to finance a rail gang too.

Worn out frog showing typical wear.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

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Bob3985 Wrote:
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> Our model railroad club regularly puts fingernail
> polish on our switch frogs.

Please elaborate. Does this only serve to SHOW where wear is occurring (as it removes the polish? Or is this effective an reducing wear on the frogs?

Wow!  Ted, that's some detail, bordering on overdone.  It reminds me of the time that Jim Tagney scratchbuilt a railroad spike in 24" to the foot scale.  His theory was two fold.  Achieving twice the detail of the prototype, and winning the Levity Award at the Coast Division Meet.

Here's a picture from our O Scale railroad.  It was a facing point turnout at the top of a yard ladder.  It had been in place for a couple decades.  It is not the first one to be replaced, but it was kept to show the members that frogs do wear out.  The second photo is an enlargement in order to show detail. 

ʎɹɹɐl

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