Tom Trigg
The Dixie D Short Line "Lux Lucet In Tenebris Nihil Igitur Mors Est Ad Nos 2001"
QUOTE: ... but don't make the gaps so large that a piece of ballast will become lodged in the gap rendering it useless.
Is it REAL? or Just 1:29 scale?
Long live Outdoor Model Railroading.
I live in San Diego, like Tom, but only a mile from the ocean, so my temperature swings are even less. I have Aristo stainless, and lay the track with a credit card in between sections that use the Aristo joiners. No gaps where the split jaws are.
On the Aristo forum, there are several people using the expanding sections, now made by Split Jaw, and Hillman. On long straights, the people in Arizona and Nevada get about 3./8" to 1/2" of expansion.
I would definitely recommend using these sections on long straights. Curves in free floating ballast are almost always fine, all the problems reported have been on straights.
Regards, Greg
Visit my site: http://www.elmassian.com - lots of tips on locos, rolling stock and more.
Click here for Greg's web site
Ray, I'm in Carlsbad, about a mile from the water. I butt the rails together, and float the track in ballast. I have one 60 foot long straight on a concrete wall and the tracks are pinned to a piece of wood embedded in the concrete. On this track, I used a credit card to set the gap. No problems this last summer at all.
Where do you live? Do you belong to the SDGRS? You and Mike and I should hook up sometime. Maybe meet at Reeds one day? I need some Kadees and will go there tomorrow.
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