Has anybody replaced the track on the Kato truss bridge? I am using Atlas code 55 and want to use the Kato truss bridges on my layout. So far, I have removed the Kato track from the bridge but I found that they use little nubs that stick up to hold the track in place. I am thinking that I need to remove all these nubs before attaching my code 55 track. Has anybody else run into this? What did you do? BTW..It is the single truss bridge that I am working with (very limited access to the center of the bridge).
We mount a 32 tooth hack saw blade to hang down as far below the rail head as needed to clear the long flanges on Rivarossi engines. About 2" long for curves, 3 to 4" long for straight sections. Make a pine block that will rest on the rails when the saw blade is down to the level you want and have it sit next to the inside on (we do the right hand rail) one rail, with an offset milled on the other side to keep the saw blade next to the rail head, but not cut it. We tilt the blade so it starts out just at the top of these nubs, and ends up at the full depth we need. Make sure the "high" teeth are just below the top of the rail head so they do not try to "climb up" over the rail. Make sure the teeth are sharp, we even file them with a jeweler's three cornered fine finishing file. File slowly, the teeth are hard, but not as hard as the file. By "sawing" back and forth gently, the teeth cut the nubs down slowly without breaking any off, nor jumping up over a rail and damaging it. Then we turn it around and do the other rail. It also works well on switch frogs. The fine teeth work much better than a courser set. Don't push down too hard, and vacuum up the plastic saw dust when finished. This method works better for us than the hot wire method, and leaves the nubs intact to hold the rails as before. We applied a lead weight, and fastened a stick to work under over passes, and through covered bridges. Take your time, and you have solved the problem neatly.
I understand what you are saying Watash but... Kato uses a piece of sectional track glued to the bridge. I have already completely removed this track (rails, ties, and all). What I am left with are some thick plastic nubs that helped locate the sectional track. These extended up into holes in the bottom of the sectional track ties. These nubs are on every cross support of the truss bridge. I would guess that there are about 40 of them that stick up about an 1/8 of an inch. I will rephrase my question: How can I sand down all of the nubs on a single track Kato truss bridge and still do a neat job? Or, should I just not worry about it and glue the Atlas code 55 flex track right on top of these nubs?
Considering the difficulty involved in sanding it down...I'd either just lay your Atlas track across them so that the stubs fall between the ties or go get a Walther's truss bridge kit and build your own.
I just cut the whole bottom off between the side trusses, sanded the insides flush with the trusses, and glued a piece of styrene in its place. You can get creative and cut out a ladder formation if you like. I laid down my flextrack right on top of the styrene, and cut some wood strips to represent wood walkways on the sides of the flextrack. This kept the track centered. You can kind of see the wood strips on the sides of the track here:
