I just got a hold of some gargraves track from a dismantled layout. Some is salvageable and some not so much. Thinking about removing the wooden ties. Is there any re use for these that others may have used them for as some of the track has too much rust to bother with.
Appreciate any thoughts or ideas.
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Rusty Gargraves phantom rail track with dried out ties is worthless. You can't bend it without kinking the rails and you can't move the ties because of the rusty rails. If you have a magnetic crane on your layout cut the track up into small pieces for scrap in a scrap yard.
Cut pieces to populate along the track as debris.
If it’s straight, you could use it on a shelf for storage of rolling stock. You can use ties that have lost their color for trackside debris. You can stain old ties with ebony stain, bundle them up and deliver to your track gang.
Before you give up on it completely, try spraying a section with WD-40. Let is soak a bit, then see if the ties will move. Of course, you will need to remove the WD-40 before running trains.
Chris
LVHR
Many railroads used rail to protect crossing signals and gates. Don
Remove some wooden ties and save them. I've used a few for "spacers" on odd jobs. Even used a few to support a flat roof on a city building.
Joe seems like you could use the rail as support for roofs on larger building. Don
If the track is rusted and straight use it on a siding. Many lightly used sidings in real life have rust on the rails. Just get some emery cloth and a wood block to sand the rust of of the rail surfaces. Then apply some cold gun blue paste to blacken the center rail again. There ya go a realistic looking siding.
Thank you for the replies
Don't forget your M.o.W. Dept. For loaded gons with ties.
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