Solder vs Rail clamps

[sclairfan]

Do any of you solder track? I read an article about it in a Garden Railways publication "Getting Started in the Hobby". I was wondering if many of you take this approach with the rail joints or do most of you use clamps?

[Capt Bob Johnson]

I use SS track, so it's clamps for me.  I find the Split Jaws are the cadillac these days.  If you can find any, the Hillmans are good but he's retiring and not making any more.  The Aristo jobs aren't too bad and are a good budget choice!

[SNOWSHOE]

It is much cheaper to solder wire to the tracks rather than rail joints.  When I start laying track down soon I will be soldering my track and using the screws provided with my Aristo track..  Rail clamps are too expensive for me.  For the price of rail clamps I would rather buy more track.

[ttrigg]

Solder or Clamps? I do both. I use LGB "flex" rails, I was lucky and got a big batch before they shut down and the price of rails went through the roof. I solder the 5-ft sections into 10-foot sections. I use Split Jaw Clamps to join the 10-ft. sections and to bring in power. The Split Jaw "non-conducting" clamps work really well for isolating sections of track, yards and sidings etc. The isolator clamps allow me to run a switched power line to that rail section, using a small eyelet wiring connector soldered to the wire. I know several other people who have soldered longer multiple sections of track but the two times I have tried it I ended up destroying the plastic ties. When soldering rails it is very important to ensure that the rails are properly aligned. In my case I have a 4 ft 2x4 that I have rung across the table saw to cut a grove that is just wide enough to fit the rail, and a 3 inch notch cut out so I have full access to the rail joiner with the solder gun. I leave it in this jig for about 30 seconds so that it firms up in correct alignment.

[Dick Friedman]

I use aluminum rail that carries current, so it's clamps for me.  Hillman's work great, and I've laid in a small supply.  I've got a ton of 332 splitjaws I can't use.  I also had some short pieces of aluminum rail welded together so I have no joints in the tunnel.  Very good rule, IMHO.

Son-in-law using short pieces of LGB and Aristocraft track.  He solders joiners to several short pieces to make a long piece, then uses the slip joiners to hold them together.  He may solder jumpers around the joiners later. 

[jerryl]

  I solder most joints except at turnouts...may want to remove them for servicing some day. I use rail clamps on those. People don't want to solder because of expansion, but I've found that the whole railroad expands & contracts as a whole. I haven't had a broken solder joint or warped rail in 8 years. Our temp. ranges between about 10-95 degrees F.   Also it is by far the cheapest way to go. I remove 2 ties on either side of the joint & reolace them after the solder cools.   Jerry