Eliminating banking in curve??

[Gobbler]

I am laying some new track and have a short "S" curve made with Aristo 5' diameter curve (the minimun for U-25).  The roadbed is strickly granite-chip ballast on soil.  The track refuses to lie flat in the curve.  I have removed it and taken it to the concrete floor of my barn to reinstall connecting screws and it lies flat there.  Return it to the layout and connect it on either end and, voila, that banking returns.  Anyone have suggestions for correcting this headache?

[altterrain]

I am laying some new track and have a short "S" curve made with Aristo 5' diameter curve (the minimun for U-25).  The roadbed is stickly granite-chip ballast on soil.  The track refuses to lie flat in the curve.  I have removed it and taken it to the concrete floor of my barn to reinstall connecting screws and it lies flat there.  Return it to the layout and connect it on either end and, voila, that banking returns.  Anyone have suggestions for correcting this headache?

Creating a S curve out of the absolute minimum diameter curve is just asking for trouble. That said... I'll suggest two things you might try. Use landscape pins (wire metal U's) to hold the track in place. I use them on my layout and the work fine but you have to check them regularly as they can work themselves up. Suggestion two is you could mount that section of track to a solid base like pressure treated lumber, concrete pavers, sections of hardibacker cement tile board, etc.

-Brian 

[EMPIRE II LINE]

You don't say whether your using rail clamps or not, if so, sometimes as you force the uneven ends of each section of track together it causes a rise/banking in the curves, I alleviate this problem by taking my Dremel grinder and grinding the ends even, usually if the inside rail is a bit shorter this problem will be evident....

A suggested rule of practice in any "S" curve, to place a strait section of track between the transition as long as your longest car/engine.

You say U-25 Boat, that means a two foot section of strait should be used---MINUMUM...  

Byron  

[ttrigg]

Got to echo Byron's comments.
"A suggested rule of practice in any "S" curve, to place a strait section of track between the transition as long as your longest car/engine."  Reversing the direction of curvature without a straight section is an absolute invitation for derailments by "jumping off track".  If you are using rail clamps, I have had a bit of the same problem.  Solution was to simply loosen up the screws on the connectors after several feet of track was down on both ends of the curves.  Tighten each joint slightly starting from one end to the other, then going back to tighten a little more, then going back and doing it again, for a total of 4 times.  (i.e. Say you are tightening to 4 ft lbs of torque, on the first trip tighten to 1 ft lb, wait a few minutes and tighten another ft lb, etc.)  This way the track has a change to settle down from the disruption of the act of tightening the screws.  If you are using one of those tracks that has the miniature screws in the rails then disregard everything I've said as I do not use that type of rail.

[Gobbler]

Thanks for the information, y'all.  Looks as if redesign is in order because I DON"T have a straight section between the curves.  FATAL FLAW!!  I am using the Aristo rail joiners.  Thanks, Brian, for suggesting the landscape pins.  They sound like something I might want to use in places other than the curves just to keep the track more secure.  I guess they are available at Lowes or Home Depot.

[altterrain]

Yes, the pins are usually near (or should be) the landscape/weed cloth.

 -Brian

[Gobbler]

UPDATE:  It's been so hot here that I'm doing very little on the RR.  I have replaced the 4' diameter "S" curve with a sweeping 8' diameter one.  Works much better.  Thanks for all the help. 

[Greg Elmassian]

You might be getting compression on the curves from track expansion in the heat. You might check to see if you have enough gap between sections.

Rail clamps might aggravate the situation, believe it or not.

You might screw the track down to pieces of hardibacker and hide this in the ballast.

Regards, Greg