How do I make smooth track joints?

[Anonymous]

I'm using Ross and Gargraves on my layout and would like to keep the track connections as smooth as possible. How do I keep the gap to a minimum or smooth over rough joints?

[Geno]

If you're bending your own curves with flextrack, I'd recommend making a bending jig out of 3/4" plywood-then you would keep the bends as consistent as possible. I use a rotozip-type tool w/ a cutoff disc to smoothly cut the track ends- it cuts very clean for smooth joints.

Geno

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the tip. When the track is together should the pins be showing at all? I having trouble getting some of the joints completely flush.

[Dave Connolly]

 A little gap between the railheads is fine. The Gargraves pins have a small knub built in thats designed to keep the pin in place in the rail. This is probably all you want showing. I installed mine years ago and cut the rails on curves to match the stagger that was created in bending the first section. Eliminated having a kink in the curve but you can achieve good results by flush cutting the sections as well.

 To tighten up any rail gaps that are wider than the knub on the trackpin after the track is in place. Make sure you fasten the ties to the roadbed with nails or screws you try this. Before you lay the next section of track. Tap the offending rails with a block of wood and a hammer. Gently with light blows. One rail at a time. The wood block will keep the railhead from being damaged. New track aids greatly doing this. If not new or the tracks been sitting some time. WD 40 sprayed where the rails and ties meet should get it slippery again. The rail should slide along the ties where the web is. With a light blow the rail will move. The ties should remain in place that are fastened down. The others can be repositioned afterwards. The joint will tighten up. You can actually with the hollow design of the Gargraves rail drive the rail over the knub completely flush. Living in the northeast and seeing changes in the basement I'd recommend leaving a slight gap to allow for expansion of the rails or the benchwork.

[phillyreading]

After cutting make sure the top of the track is smooth and the side of the rail that the wheels go over has to somewhat smooth also.  Another problem that I encountered with Gargraves and going to 027 or O gauge track is be sure to put some distance(about two feet) between the adapter pins and a switch.  At switches make sure the track is level with the switch.

Another reason for me going to Gargraves is that Lionel switches(from about 16 years ago to today) kept messing up on me, and not the post-war 022's.

Lee F.