O gauge "re-railer" track sections?

I do not believe a comparable product exists for O Gauge. (at least not 3 rail O Gauge, I can't pretend to know if 2-railers may have re-railer sections)

There is a "ramp" style unit that Lionel made a while back, but it's only useful for adding cars to the track, it's not part of the track.

-Dave

So far as I know there have never been any produced, though an obscure product may well have been offered at one time.

Why? Because O gauge/scale is big, and the primary reason re-railers are used in the "junior scales" is that the equipment is much harder to re-rail. A simple fingers/eyeballs/model size issue. 

I can see one more likely being used by 2-railers (closer to scale flanges; closer to scale wheel tread widths) than by 3-railers. Seems unlikely there, too, though.

@Mannyrock posted:

Hey Guys,

50 years ago, when I was doing my HO layout, I was able to buy what we then called a "car re-railer".  At least, this is what we called them back then.  It was just a section of straight track, with more or less a fake crossing platform built into it, but it had wedge or v shaped pieces of plastic in each end, so that you could just take a car and roll it by hand back and forth across the track section, and it would put the wheels correction on the rails.   You could also just space these around the layout, so that if one car became derailed, you could just have your engine keep pulling it until you got to this section, and it would put it right back on the rails, without stopping the train.

So far, I have not been able to find a track piece like this for O gauge track.  I am probably using the wrong word for it in my searches.  Any idea whether they make these and what they are called?

Thanks,

Mannyrock

Search (using re-railer) brought up some threads that may be worth reading:

https://ogrforum.com/...ailer-track-section-

https://ogrforum.com/topic/railerre-railer

I've never seen or heard of one.  The closest thing I know of is the Fastrack Railer.  I've always wondered who the target audience for this piece is.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

I've never seen or heard of one.  The closest thing I know of is the Fastrack Railer.  I've always wondered who the target audience for this piece is.

 

I could understand it being an advantage for anyone with physical issues with their hands, such as significant shaking of any sort.

It's probably easier to get the trucks over the wider ramp and then let gravity do the detail work than to try to get both trucks on perfectly while at the track level.

-Dave

True Dave, that's a fair point. 

I don't know about the re-railer track section however, the large pizza cutter wheels would likely really resist being pulled back onto the track properly.  It might work for scale wheels.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

I've never seen or heard of one.  The closest thing I know of is the Fastrack Railer.  I've always wondered who the target audience for this piece is.

I bought one of these years ago when I first got into this gauge and bought some FasTrack.  It is now well worn and used.  Make sit easy for kids to put cars on the track, and it even works with Atlas track.  I always pull it out if I'm putting more then one or two cars on the track.  It just makes it that much faster.

I've never seen one, even in 2-rail O scale. Properly weighted cars tend to stay on the rails unless the truck is distorted and a wheel is riding high (or the flange has worn off a plastic wheel). Making one would be a matter of enlarging one for H.O. and making it out of a durable material.

I think the Lionel product is useful, as was said, if you have difficulty putting locos and rolling stock on the track.  

However, I think the reason there is no equivalent to the N and HO gauge re-railer track sections, is that there is no need.  When I had N, such a section was useful and I had one on every loop, because occasionally that would happen on any loop - just seemed to be random, and the rerailer section "took care of it automatically" soon after it happened.

But I can't recall the last time I had an O-Gauge loco or train car, that was put on the track correctly, ever de-rail itself.  

Good point Lee.  O scale 3 rail trains are simply just not prone to derail.  Operation in general is more reliable.  One if the reason I left HO behind.

 Aristocraft made them for G scale.

Thanks for the info guys.

In working with HO cars, it was incredibly useful.  No setting the car on the track, then bending over and squinting at t the first truck, trying to get the wheels on the track , and then the second truck, trying to get the wheels on the track.

I swear, that when the rerailer was in place, one swipe of the car forward through the section, and then back through the section, by hand, put it right on the rails.  I don't think it was ever used for putting your engines on the tracks, just the cars.

I may try to get an HO rerailer, and see if I can fashion one for O gauge.  It was a very simple device.  I seen no reason why it wouldn't work just as well for the 3 rail O gauge,  because the two wedges on each end would only force the two wheels onto the outer rails, not the smooth center roller.

These weren't used by pressing the car down hard on the track. You simply "floated" the car gently back and forth over the section while holding it in your hand, and suddenly the car was on track. 

Thanks,

Mannyrock

OK Guys,

I took a close look at the FastTrack railer that Sinclair posted.

See the end of the device, with the wedges built in, which put the wheels on the track?    Well, the HO re-railer had a piece exactly like that, made out of plastic, built into the track, on each end of a straight track section.  They were positioned in opposite directions, so that the car would be re-railed no matter which side of the section the car came in on.

I see no reason why I couldn't buy two of the Fast Track railers, cut them in half, take the two half sections that have the wedge configuration, gently bend them flat, and then just install one on each end of a 10 inch section.   From what I can see, these sections already have slots cut in them, so that they will sit down right into the track itself. 

If I undertake this, I will certainly keep you posted and put up pictures. Manufacturers are crazy not to sell this for O gauge.  You can put a car right onto the rails, while looking straight down on the top of the car, without even tilting your head.

Mannyrock

Ooops.  It the dang this is metal, following my plan would short out the track.

But, no reason one couldn't be made of wood. Or better yet, use the existing Fast Track sections as molds, and pour Accra-Glass into it to make the pieces out of plastic.  Accra-Glass cures in 24 hours, and is incredibly strong. Used to repair gun stocks and glass bed actions.

Mannyrock

The FastTrack Railer works quite well.   We used it on the modular layout.  It saves a lot of time building up a long train.   It can even be used with passenger cars by holding one end of the car and rolling the other end down the railer and onto the track.   Then lower the second truck onto the railer and roll it onto the track.  It also helps to open one coupler on each passenger car.   

The OP's question about a track mounted re-railer is a good one.   It shouldn't be too hard to make one out of styrene using the HO version as a guide.

Bob

American Flyer had them years ago.  They looked like the ones you see for HO.  You might be able to modify a 6-12036 grade crossing.  It can be used to rail cars when you are working on the floor and don’t have one of the Fastrack railers pictured earlier.  However, the grade crossing won’t re-rail a moving car.  It would need to have a more gradual approach like the AF ones.

I have one for O gauge track used for putting cars on the track, not for "re-rail".  It is about 30 years old, made of plastic and orange.  It is not a Lionel product, or at least there is no manufacturer identification. It actually lays on top of the O gauge three rail track when used.

Works great for little kids. Especially,  with kids playing with fixed voltage rails and forgetting to turn power off before adding cars.

I'd throw a pic, but away from home on business. 

Something like this?

I'm thinking the orange railer came with a shelving system.

It's not as hard to make it all the way around a loop of HO with a derailed truck. ... 1. the O tie count leaves gaps that cause harder wheel strikes and bigger bounces     2. O is more likely to short because of the center rail and outer rail gets bridged by a metal axle.

Using the rerailers as road crossings in ho was pretty brilliant.(they really do need them )  Im thinking inside a girder bridge would be another decent place to hide one.

I'd go with a hardwood to make one, I think it would work out ok. You might want to use a roller truck in design to ensure it works for the rollers too (otherwise why bother really, lit cabooses are probably the worst offenders.)

I doubt 2rail O folks would be interested because of a lack of prototypes. It would have to be hidden; like on a bridge not easily seen.

Ive gotton to the point I can often rail things without touching a wheel; including steam. (that trailing truck is pure luck though) On cars I tilt/rol it way to the side to rest the wheels on the far rail until all four wheels on the other side car are sitting on the rail head, then roll the car to flat. OR I hold one truck and hook the opposite end coupler to a train and pull gently to straighten that truck, then drop that end, fingers ready to guide the remaining end down accurately, sometimes pulling the next car right into position with my pinkie.

  Gramps would yell at us all for not scooping them by the wheels and railing them the same way, then straightening with one hand on each side of a truck. You didn't touch the bodies unless necessary. (or touch his best at all without white gloves on)

Dang Derrell, that type of thing looks great.

What's it called?  Who made it?  Where can I get one?

Making one out of wood as a rail crossing  would probably be easier for me than plastic.  I would use a really hard wood like walnut or white oak, readily available in 3/4 inch plank, and then run it through a planer to shave it down to 1/4 inch thickness.  Then I would trace out the pattern, using one of the Fast Track sections as a guide, and cut the fine angles with an oscillating tool and crescent blade.

I wouldn't try to glue it into the track. I would just set it on the track, and screw it straight down into the plywood base.

Thanks

Mannyrock

Found this 0 scale two rail flange alignment version at a large gauge train show at the York fair grounds maybe 10 years ago.  Very similar to one they make for G "scale".

One can set a couple dozen regular freight cars on the track in a minute or two.

It is great for two truck cars but a tad too steep for four truck flat cars.   OK for moderate length steam engines but not for GG-1,  PRR T-1, Centipede or other out sized rigid wheelbase item.  The first axle and last axle tend to suspend the mid wheels and fail alignment. 

And you even wrote "Rerailer" on the bottom of it!

Once you have used one of these things, you can't imagine ever going without one again. They are that handy.

Mannyrock

Some non train person must have written that.  Those words were there when I picked it up.  I'm sure someone might think it was a door stop wedge.

Just something I came across on the bay, the link was in my post :-)

Thanks Darrell.  I didn't understand that the word  This, in blue, underlined, meant that it was a link.  :-)

I'm going to buy one, and I will let you guys know how it works out.

They come in black and gray.  I'm getting black.

The ones I see on ebay are listed for 027 profile track, curious to see if they would also work for the taller O profile track.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

I've never seen or heard of one.  The closest thing I know of is the Fastrack Railer. 

I've always wondered who the target audience for this piece is.

It's very useful when you take a couple of boxes of trains to run on a club layout or a friend's layout.

check out this new item re-railer from Lionel:

"Lionel Trains | Lionel 12039 Fastrack Railer- (Also compatible with 0 & 027 track)" https://www.trainworld.com/man...le-with-0-027-track/

There are several files that you can down load for these on thingyverse for free if you have a 3d printer.

@Mannyrock posted:

Ooops.  It the dang this is metal, following my plan would short out the track.

But, no reason one couldn't be made of wood. Or better yet, use the existing Fast Track sections as molds, and pour Accra-Glass into it to make the pieces out of plastic.  Accra-Glass cures in 24 hours, and is incredibly strong. Used to repair gun stocks and glass bed actions.

Mannyrock

If you want to make one on 3 rail you could by using 2 rail track, take out the rails from the ties and like a guardrail on a rr bridge, bend the end rail in then spike the rail to the Ties with h.o. spikes.

Repeat on the outside of the track but bend the end rails out and away from the track forming a "y' to push the derailed wheels back onto the rails.

@Z-man posted:

check out this new item re-railer from Lionel:

"Lionel Trains | Lionel 12039 Fastrack Railer- (Also compatible with 0 & 027 track)" https://www.trainworld.com/man...le-with-0-027-track/

While the thread brought up references to that above, the real thing the OP is looking for is an O gauge version of what RRDOC had in this post.

-Dave