"Would something like these

On the old Southern Pacific a dump truck load of dirt at the end of a spur was quite common. I've also seen ties buried in a X pattern , and in industrial areas some nice manufactured steel bumpers  so  I'd build them to match the area involved. Maybe google earth some nearby towns and see what's used there? ........DaveB

Nearby towns

I am modelling CT - MA in New England - unfortunately, I live in Old England so 3000 miles is about the distance - so no nearby towns - big grin. Seriously, I don't need a definitive answer, I am not that committed to full accuracy but a general feeling would be good. I like the pile of dirt solution, actually.

Thanks for the contribution.

Might be able to use them

Found this article dated 2009, bumpers likely in use way before that.  The PECO (I believe) bumpers appear similar, besides, if you can't travel to New England to research this, will people viewing your layout?

http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=65&t=64979&start=15

"I am modelling CT - MA in

Googe earth street view and "walk" some streets along new england railroads and industrial areas.....DaveB 

Depends...

on what is on the other side of the end of track.  (At least, that is how it was once explained to me.)  In more urban/industrial areas you may be more likely to see the built-up bumper you show above or a wheel/car stop ( http://www.westernsafety.com/wch-railroadproducts/wchpg7.html for examples) to provide 'insurance' that the car will not go beyond the end of track.  If there is something important to protect at the end of track - like a building, street, etc. - that you would not want the car to run in to, these 'positive' stop solutions would be more likely.

For less critical areas, or more open, rural/suburban areas, crossed ties or a dump truck load of dirt would do the trick.

End of track devices might more be the decision of the industry served by, and building, the siding - it's their money, and usually not the railroad's, that will determine what acts as a car stop.

As has been suggested above, use Google Earth or Maps to view some New England rail lines (B&M/Guilford, NH/CR, CV, P&W) in your area and zoom in on some of the industries in different areas to give you some ideas.

Hello, I've attached a couple

Hello, I've attached a couple of images, one is a bumper from the Maine Central Railroad, I'm sure it's very similar to the B&M bumpers, as they were pretty closely tied as far as operations and equipment, etc. The other image is of a sketch up model of a bumper I made. One of my many projects is to make a mold to produce a bumper as shown. It appears to be a difficult mold to make-I've never done any molding. Years ago I bought several white metal bumper kits mfr by a Maine company that has since closed its' doors and they are no longer available. I have a few assembled, they are really wonderful models,no pics, sorry, but they are exactly what I want to model. It's on my list, when I get to it (201?) I'll post some images. In the meantime, hope the picture  helps you somehow,

S

This is the sketch up model S

This is the sketch up model

S 

Natural bumper

Of course you could also use a large strategically placed boulder - Have seen it done near a quarry 

I'm not sure what was there first -  the track or the boulder?

Looks...

If it's near a place the general public will see--especially a passenger station--they'll want it to look professional. 

Good point Irish Rover. In

Good point Irish Rover. In places I use piles of dirt as well as crossed ties and, in a more industrialised spot,  wheel stops cut from card.

Track bumpers are actually fun to make. I made this one from matchsticks [front legs] scrap of timber [central pad] and rail [rear legs]

 Its rear legs are lost in long grass, just beyond the rails so as not to cause short circuits, although the legs don't quite meet at the top anyway. It would be easy to add some sort of bracing between the rails at the foot of the front legs.

This one's front legs are strip styrene warmed in hot water and bent around. Rear legs are again rail.

Nice and Easy Bumper

Thanks for that. It looks a good solution for a run down yard that has seen better things.
Thanks

Here is a picture of the

Here is a picture of the white metal bumper kit I mentioned the other day. Also, a quick review of my on going attempts at making my own. Very much a work in progress. I hesitate to show you these after seeing Mike C.'s beautiful job on his bumpers.

S     

End of track bumpers

Davidpen:

Walthers made some plastic bumpers very similar to the ones described here; several of them come on a big sprue & there is "some assembly required" but they work & they're cheap & you can assemble one in a minute or two. I'd suggest epoxying it to the track as only the adhesive holds them in place & you want to be sure it'll stop the car/train if you don't stop in time & ram into it.    Bob

The white metal kits...

...represent Durable Model D's. I picked up several of these kits at a show last year.  Stephen - seeing them built and painted is nice!  I always liked the chunky, rivety, cast looks of these, as opposed to the fabricated ones made of I-beams like in davidpen's photo.  Another favorite is the Ellis bumper, of which several ancient ones are still around here in the Philadelphia area, protecting the ends of coal spurs that haven't seen a carload in 60 or 70 years.  On that type, the rails angle up at 45 degrees and come together on a cast steel block behind a heavy wooden upright. David, I would think the Ellis would be right at home in New England in your modeled era too. Google will give you plenty of pics - just be sure to include "railroad" in your search or you'll get lots of automotive bumper diagrams!

Cheers,

Andrew

Modeling the Reading Company's Newtown Branch 1958-1966 in HO

looks or function

One thing to ask yourself:  Do they need to really stop a runaway train?  That will be a major consideration; if the floor is the next stop for a train that runs through the bumper, it needs to be much solider than if it just ends up obliterating the little people's Pepsi machine...

HON3 bump stops

A big rock

Sometimes it is just a pile of dirt and a big rock.  Zoom in on the switch back to the right, parallel to the mainline near the entrance  to the company.  This is from another thread asking about crossovers.

https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=29.778923,-95.144426&spn=0.00000

Bumper

How about this:

https://maps.google.com/maps?ll=29.778126,-95.1465123&z=18&output=classic&dg=ntvb

​A bulldozer and a big rock.

No matter how hard I try I can't get a url link.  Try Google Maps then 485 West Brentwood St. Channelview Tx.

Go to street view.  Look to the left of the RR tracks and you will see a BIG rock on top of a pile of sand.

All that was needed was a dozer, a bunch of sand and a BIG rock.

Tomar H-803 wheel stops

I used the Tomas H-803 wheel stops on my yard tracks. I plan to add grass and weeds around them later.

Tom

There is always the cheap option -

one railway sleeper(aka tie) and some u Bolts around the rails - something like this...

Depends on the

amount of traffic a stub end track will see as to what device is used. Hayes wheel stops in a "yard" track probably will find them but can not imagine they are very popular. rock and gravel was a common one at Inman yard for all the engine ready tracks at the north end. X ties are used on one engine track at the south end. My favorite was the bumping post on the two indoor tracks 12&13 at International Paper Krannert, GA. a solid block of concrete molded into the loading dock. Had to be 20' x 15' deep with a large metal plate on the business side of it. Sorry no pictures, did not want to get fired at the time!!

track bumpers

Hello all,

A while ago I posted some pics of a Durable type bumper and some study models of, well, H.O. models I was playing around with to replicate the Durable.

I think I've been able to capture the spirit of the Durable with a combination of 3D printed components, ME rail and some styrene.

Here are some images-it has only taken about 3 years, but who needs deadlines.

S

track bumpers

A few more images.

The 3D model is quite crude some cleaning helps. I also added an oval target/stop on the bumper. Also shown is an assembly jig.

The final product with excessive weathering. I think they will work fine for the use intended...is the rule 3 feet for viewing? Only about 24 more to go.

S     

A little reference