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For the best soldering, you need a HOT iron. Most 30 watt irons won't get hot enought to do a quick (but good) soldering job. The secret to soldering track is to get in, solder the track, and get out before the rail heats up enough to damage the plastic ties. I use a 100 watt gun preheated until it brealy starts to smoke, and a daub of flux on the rail (for a feeder) or inside the rail joiner. I put a drop of solder on the end of the tip, and hit the rail with the iron. The rail heats up REALLY fast, melts my fine solder that I apply to the OTHER side of the rail, and I'm done is just a couple of seconds. It takes very little solder to make the connnection. I've never had a connection fail, and almost never melt a tie, even when soldering a connection between the rails. Mark in Utah P.S. I don't remove a rail when I solder a connection as long as I have the room to fit the iron between the ties.
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