You know, there is a scarred chunk of soft, thick, black belt leather epoxied on at each end that I had at first assumed was a crude repair attempt. Epoxy would be tough to squeeze thin; gravel in the gaps, etc. I dismissed it as irrelevant.
Walking past, I noticed the leather scars again. They are a match to the ho track. Added to work the ballast down with the soft leather dropping below the rail height when under pressure.
From the depth, condition, and number of the scars, I can tell it was used to clean track too.
The glue seam failed from a grain splitting warp in a center piece. When hardwood wants to move, joint pressures build fast. Like busting ice cubes out of a plastic tray, the top popped. I think it is done warping, and has no gaps that wont fill when I re-glue it. The top just had no give at all.
5⅝x2¼x2 and 1lb2oz.
If anyone needs it's yours for the shipping ....once the glue is dry.