Joining Different Codes of Track

[Anonymous]

I'm enjoying the article "Laying the Perfect Track" in the 07/04 issue of Model Railroader. The author is using 3 different codes of track. As a complete novice I need advice as to how you join these. I started my layout with N gauge 55 but have decided it's way too hard so I'm switching back to Code 80 but don't want to rip out my work so far. Thanks for anyone's input
SEDurham

[orsonroy]

You've got three choices:

1) use transitional rail joiners. I know many styles are made in HO, but I'm not so sure they're made in N. Check Peco and Micro-Engineering, who make them in HO.

2) shim the smaller rail to the height of the taller, and solder the rails together. Probably the best method.

3) Join the track normally using rail joiners, and file the taller rail down to the level of the shorter. Thre will still be a hump, but it won't be as bad as the old joint, and most rolling stock SHOULD navigate it OK.

[88gta350]

I believe the article said he filed his together, if I remember correctly.

[DSchmitt]

I saw an add for transition joiners in the latest issue of a major Model Railroad magazine (I don't remember which one) . Rail joiners are rail code specific, not scale specific. If there is a 55/80 joiner available,it will work.

If you want the look of code 55 with less hastle use Peco code 55. It is functionally code 80, but looks smaller. I use Atlas code 80 and Peco code 80 for main tracks and Peco code 55 for sidings ans spurs.

[Anonymous]

If you can't find any transition rail joiners, what I did was slide a standard rail-joiner on the code 80 rail as normal, set the code 55 on to top of the joiner, bent the joiner to get the tops of the rails even, then soldered everything together. I have Atlas code 80, Peco code 80 and 55, and MicroEngineering code 55 and 40 track on my small layout, and that's the method that I used to connect all of the different track, including going from code 80 to 40.

If you simply connect them with a standard rail joiner and filed the top of the code 80 rail down, then you could file the rail past the railhead into the webbing. Even if you didn't, you would have to file down a good length of the code 80 rail so that you don't create a steep "ramp" that will cause problems. Just something to consider.

---jps

[Anonymous]

In the Carsten's book The V&O Story Allen McClelland describes a method for joining dissimilar sized rail. He shows slipping a rail joiner on the larger rail and flattening the half of it which would go to the other rail and then soldering the smaller rail in place. The pictures in the book make it quite clear. This explanation doesn't. See the book. It's worth reading for all the other info and pictures in in.

[snowey]

a popular method that I used in HO (I'm now into N, also) is put joiner on the larger size rail like you normally do, in your case, on the code 80), flatten the end that's sticking out, lay the smaller rail on it (again, in yor case, code 55), then solder the 2 rails, & the rail joiners, ttogether.

[dknelson]

In HO, Walthers offers a transition track between rail sizes. The prototype uses a transition railjoiner rather like the Micro engineering ones advertised in MR which I intend to buy and try out
Dave Nelson

[snowey]

QUOTE: Originally posted by DSchmitt

I saw an add for transition joiners in the latest issue of a major Model Railroad magazine (I don't remember which one) . Rail joiners are rail code specific, not scale specific. If there is a 55/80 joiner available,it will work.

If you want the look of code 55 with less hastle use Peco code 55. It is functionally code 80, but looks smaller. I use Atlas code 80 and Peco code 80 for main tracks and Peco code 55 for sidings ans spurs.

that add is also in the July issue of Model Railroader.

[mvlandsw]

I do it by filing about a 1/4 inch long section of the larger rail down to the base, and soldering the smaller rail on top of it.