Like most MRRers, in order to install rail joiners, I'll remove one or two crossties from the end of each of the track sections I'm connecting. This leaves the chore of inserting some loose ties under the rails to fill in the gap.
Because the rail joiners add a bit of thickness to the bottom of the rail, the replacement ties must be shaved a bit thinner and have the molded spikes removed so they can be easily inserted under the rails without causing a hump at the rail joint.
In the past, I've sliced off the spikes, then sanded the bottom of the tie by pressing it down with my fingers and working it back and forth across the sandpaper. Inevitably, some sanding would also occur on my finger tips.
Then I found a better way - leave the spikes on, and place a large (pink) rubber eraser on top of the tie as a handle to slide it across the sandpaper. Once the sanding is done, then trim off the spikes. Much faster and easier... and my finger tips appreciated it too!
Like Attila the Hun would say, "Plunder, then burn!"
Jim
I give a quick swipe with the Exacto #11 to knock off the spike heads then slide the ties under the joint. Sometimes I have to slightly raise the rail to get them to fit under. Usually two ties but sometimes three.
Since I'm already soldering the joints I have the iron hot, handy and ready.
With the joiner already soldered I simply apply a little heat to the joint until the plastic softens enough to "settle" the joiner into the tie and this also holds the ties in place.
I use mostly Shinohara/Walthers code 83 track which has pretty soft tie strips. The Atlas is a little stiffer plastic but I still use pretty much the same method.
Regards, Ed
Don't slice off the spikes on the side of the rail you will see.
So slice only one spike (if using two spikes per plate or two spikes if using four spikes per plate) on each tie plate, the spikes on the right sides of both tie plates. Then slightly lift the rail so the first spike going under clears the first rail it goes under and slide the tie in place and the spikes you left in place will be on the side of the rail you will be looking at. So you will have the spikes on the outside of the close rail and the spikes on the inside of the far rail with the rail running left to right in front of you. Cross over the track and look back and you will see no spike heads on those ties.
Do this after you sand the tie thinner of course.
I sometimes cut off the lip of the spike, the part that goes against the rail to hold the rail down, so the rail joiner will not lift that spike lip up over the rail joiner and break off that lip. If no rail joiners at that location, leave the spike lip on.
For curves, I solder long runs of track against a straight edge, on all curves the joints will stager themselves, one rail will slide in the ties (the inner rail always for me), more then 4 ties will need to be removed. No kinks on the curves, and then I may have to place maybe 7-8 ties back under the rails.
My layout is mostly around the walls, anywhere from 12'' to 30'' deep. Now the yard is 48'' deep, no need to keep any spikes on the tie plates there.
Hi guys,
There is a better method that doesn't involve replacing ties at all. Our club's master track layer, Brian, has done dozens of track joints that are essentially finished when the rail joiners slide into place.
It involves shaving some material off of the first tie, including the tie plate, so that the rail joiner can slip between the shaved tie and the rails. Here is a picture with the first tie shaved. The same thing has been done to the other end of the tie where the rail joiner is installed:
This method is quick and easy, and it saves a whole lot of fussy work installing missing ties later on. No sanding finger tips.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
hon30critterThis method is quick and easy, and it saves a whole lot of fussy work installing missing ties later on. No sanding finger tips.
Not to be the one who throws the proverbial monkey wrench in the works, but —
What happens when you solder the joint?
I estimate that at least 95% of all my rail joints are soldered. My ties don't withstand that kind of heat.
Just sayin'
gmpullmanNot to be the one who throws the proverbial monkey wrench in the works, but — What happens when you solder the joint?
We don't solder the joints, and so far all the joints have stayed put including the ones on the curves. We are using Homasote as a subroadbed (on top of plywood) and with the track only nailed in place it hasn't moved over the past two years. That is without ballast being glued down.
I was sceptical at first when Brian said that he does not solder his rail joints, but some of the track has been down for close to two years and there are no kinks in any of the curves. In fact, we made a point of regularly examining the track joints very carefully because the very first couple of pieces of flex track that we laid did warp. It hasn't happened since. We attribute the initial warping to the fact that the benchwork was only a few days old, and it pretty much straightened itself out as the benchwork settled.
As far as melting ties, I think it is the same thing as when track feeders are being installed. We put track feeders every three feet and very few ties went up in smoke. We made sure that the feeder was shaped and positioned so that it was tight up against the outside of the rail, and we always added a bit of flux. If the iron is clean and hot, the solder flows before the ties will melt. If there is any melting it is marginal.
There's your monkey wrench right back atcha Ed! Like I said, I was sceptical but I'm not any more.
Cheers!!
The proof's in the pudding, as they say!
My Shinohara track was tough to keep smooth curves at the joints so I soldered the joints while the track was pretty straight then gently coaxed it into the curve. I just got used to having most of the joints soldered.
Feeders are quick to apply so I never had any problems with melted ties there.
I have used a technique similar to what you show when making up close-fitting turnouts by sliding the existing rail out of the spikes and slipping the new rail in place.
Amazing what we learn along the way!
Fun Stuff! Ed
Most of my track is from Atlas, and all of it is soldered together. I use a triangular-shaped needle file to file-down the portion of the tieplates upon which the rail will sit, which also removes some material from the bottom of the spike heads.I then lift the track and slide the ties into place, lowering the rails into the prepared ties.
Once the rails have been painted and the track ballasted, it's not all that easy to detect...
While I had some more Atlas flex track around for the partial upper level of the layout, a friend gave me some Central Valley tie strip material, and I also go a bunch more from a nearby hobbyshop at a very good price. I had some code 83 rail on-hand, but after using it up, immediately got more, as I really liked the look of the track.However, the store didn't have any code 83 rail joiners so I bought some code 70 ones instead.In order to fit them onto the code 83 rail, I used a cut-off disc in a motor tool to narrow the base of the rail at each end, and also remove a small amount of material from the bottom of the ends.With this method of track installation, the tie strip is first secured to the layout (I used cork roadbed, and cemented it to the plywood layout top using gelled contact cement, then installed the tie strip atop that, also with contact cement. After soldering together 3 or 4 lengths of rail, contact cement was applied to the bottom of the rails and to the mouled-on tieplates, and after an appropriate drying time, the rail was added atop the ties, using waxed paper to allow proper positioning of the rail without accidentally putting it in the wrong place.
When I ran out of rail joiners, I returned to the hobby shop (five minute drive away), only to find no code 83 joiners, no code 70 joiners, and only code 55 rail joiners. I bought all that was in stock, and while it required a little more trimming of the rail ends, it worked very well. I'm not sure if the photo below is of a code 70 or 55 joiner, but in either case, it's appearance is very innocuous...
(The ballast on which the track is sitting is there only to provide support for the track, as it's transitioning from cork roadbed down to the plywood layout top. It's an industrial track and will be ballasted as such, with mostly dirt and weeds, and not much of the ties visible.)
I still have a fair amount of industrial track to add, and will definitely continue to use rail joiners intended for rail smaller than code 83.
hon30critterWe don't solder the joints, and so far all the joints have stayed put including the ones on the curves....
I solder all track joints except those joints filled with an insulating material. The reason for soldering is not to keep the track in place, but to ensure good electrical conductivity. Otherwise, once the rails are painted, some paint may get into those joints and disrupt continuity, and likewise for the diluted glue used for ballasting.
hon30critter....We put track feeders every three feet....
Your feeders every three feet will take care of that issue, but it seems like an awful lot of work. I use one feeder wire for each rail, although recently added a second pair as insurance for the partial upper level - simple wiring is one of the benefits of DC operation.
Wayne
doctorwayneI use one feeder wire for each rail, although recently added a second pair as insurance for the partial upper level - simple wiring is one of the benefits of DC operation. Wayne
Feeder per rail per block no? How else can you control your track so you can control more than one train?
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
i don't mess with a soldering gun, or sandpaper ....
i use plain wooden ties, just a bit thinner so they slide under joiners easily ... a bit of dap caulking to hold them in place before ballasting ..
riogrande5761Feeder per rail per block no? How else can you control your track so you can control more than one train?
No, one feeder from the power source to the north rail, the other to the south rail. Where I want to control train movement, those tracks are gapped and controlled by a toggle switch, fed from a wire off the always-live rail. I suppose that such wires could be termed feeders, but they originate from the adjacent rails, not from a bus wire or directly from the power source. Long sections of track, such as the 50' grade from the main level to the partial upper level have a wire feeding the rail, but no intermittent ones, as the soldered joiners provide the continuity.When the power source (an MRC Controlmaster 20) is on, all of the single track main line is live, while each of the double track mains (through all towns) is only live when a toggle switch is flipped to activate one track or the other.
All tracks in the five staging yards are also controlled by toggles, as are some industrial sidings. It's not as if there's no wiring needed, but it's very basic and easily done with common rail.
As I'm the sole operator, only one train is in motion at any one time.
I use 60 by 100 styrene strip and slip it underneath the joiners.
.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
I remove the 4 ties solder the joint, Sand the ties down, puut a dab of tack glue and slide them back in.
Joe Staten Island West
One way to "hide" the joints is use craft marker in burnt umber or burnt sienna. This way, you make the joiner look like the train itself. You do solder the joiners to the track? Don't ask about the annyoance of not doing that with DCC!