Using Fastrack, making final layout plans, Do I need railers/re-railers ? If so, where are they generally placed? I guess I don't know much about them. Thanks JA
Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
The FasTrack railer is a nice item. We have one at the club and use it occasionally to quickly set cars/locomotives on track in the staging yard.
A RE-railer is an in-track piece that puts derailed equipment back on the track just like the real thing except that it's done at running speed. They're available in H.O. and N scale, but I haven't seen one available for O scale. Basically, it looks something like a grade crossing fill, except that there are tapered ramps on the ends outside the rails to raise the flanges outside the rails and tapered points inside the rails to guide the wheels back to where they're supposed to be. They work quite well most of the time. For three-rail purposes, they're pretty much unnecessary under normal circumstances, but I think they'd come in handy for layouts with a lot of turnouts or for people who like running scale-wheeled equipment on flat-top three-rail track.
A RE-railer is an in-track piece that puts derailed equipment back on the track just like the real thing except that it's done at running speed. They're available in H.O. and N scale, but I haven't seen one available for O scale. Basically, it looks something like a grade crossing fill, except that there are tapered ramps on the ends outside the rails to raise the flanges outside the rails and tapered points inside the rails to guide the wheels back to where they're supposed to be. They work quite well most of the time. For three-rail purposes, they're pretty much unnecessary under normal circumstances, but I think they'd come in handy for layouts with a lot of turnouts or for people who like running scale-wheeled equipment on flat-top three-rail track.
Matt;
Good post on the differences.
I grabbed a Fastrack railer a while back. It works great for the Little ones, they often have trouble getting the wheels lined up.
And it works great to impress newcomers to the layout. I have far more rolling stock than sidings at this point, so I'm always swapping out cars.
Pop the couplers open, set it on the railer and let go, they couple up nicely if you keep the consist pushed a bit over a car length away.
Even More impressive is if you set an engine to creep away and load the cars fast enough to catch the rear end of the train.
As for O guage re-railers, I may just build in a few, now that they are mentioned.
Seems like I've always got something derailed on a switch at the far side of the layout. Usually the lead wheels on a steam engine.
Doesn't matter where I stand, it's always the farthest one from me !
Good post on the differences.
I grabbed a Fastrack railer a while back. It works great for the Little ones, they often have trouble getting the wheels lined up.
And it works great to impress newcomers to the layout. I have far more rolling stock than sidings at this point, so I'm always swapping out cars.
Pop the couplers open, set it on the railer and let go, they couple up nicely if you keep the consist pushed a bit over a car length away.
Even More impressive is if you set an engine to creep away and load the cars fast enough to catch the rear end of the train.
As for O guage re-railers, I may just build in a few, now that they are mentioned.
Seems like I've always got something derailed on a switch at the far side of the layout. Usually the lead wheels on a steam engine.
Doesn't matter where I stand, it's always the farthest one from me !
I too would appreciate a rerailer. Anyone have a picture? My eye site isn't what it used to be and neither is my reach for those danglers on the far curve.
Surely someone has made these for the marketplace.
Surely someone has made these for the marketplace.
I'm pretty sure if you look at an Atlas H.O. catalog, they'll have a re-railer track section. Just enlarge that and make it out of styrene and you'd be good to go. The center would have to be two pieces and just shy of the height of the center rail.
