track laying/joining question

[Anonymous]

How important is it to have the ends of each rail connect flu***o the next layed rail? Does the majority of the electricity flow through the joiners or through the ends of the rails? On my layout, on the 18" radius curves I have a couple of spots where there is a 1/16" gap between the rails. Will this work? I have secured my track to the roadbed using latex caulk.

[cacole]

Electrical current passes through the rail joiners, so if they are tight a slight gap between the ends of the rails is no going to matter. What will be more critical is if there is a kink in the rails at the joint because they are not properly aligned, which can cause derailment problems.

[ndbprr]

If you have one or both of two situations it is a problem:
1. your trains are visibly slowing down in that area indicating lack of power due to the break
2. You are having derailments at a particular joint. Linn Wetscott had a great idea years ago of every time something derailed put a marker of some type at the location to see if it was a fluke or something that needed to be addressed.

In either case a 1/16" gap is easily corrected with a little solder and some files or some epoxy and some files if you don't have the electrical issue.

[2021]

You should always run a minimum #14bus wire under your benchwork and connect the rails via a short #22 wire (or #20). If you count on unsoldered rail joiners, you will have problems eventually (probably sooner rather than later). I always solder the joints to prevent kinking and then when the ballast is applied, I cut both rails with a rail saw and epoxy in a small strip of styrene (after dry, file styrene even with rails). This will allow you to set up track blocks. If your layout is small and you don't want blocks, still solder everything and don't make any cuts. It is a bad practice to rely on joiners only to conduct electrical current.
Ron K.

[nbrodar]

A 1/16" gap usuallly isn't cause for concern. If you get a constant derailment at that location you should fix it. Some gaps are needed for expansion and contraction. In addition rail joiners are a poor way of transmitting power. I make sure to use feeders every 6 feet or so.

Nick Brodar

[Pruitt]

QUOTE: Originally posted by 2021

It is a bad practice to rely on joiners only to conduct electrical current.

Not really. That's one of those urban myths of model railroading. In HO And smaller gauges, the weight of the locos and rolling stock isn't enough to "work" the rail joints (make them move as the train passes over - if you have ties near each end of the rail joiner).

What IS key is a properly installed rail joiner. An improperly installed one may start having conductivity problems - a properly installed one won't.

In 25 years I've never had a problem with my unsoldered rail joiners.

My approach isn't the conventional wisdom, but it is true. Still, a lot of people will tell you that you HAVE to solder your rail joints, or add feeders to every single piece of rail, be it three feet or one inch long.

[Anonymous]

i enjoy using the backmann tracks that connect under the rails, and have the built in roadbed, that way ur sure the track is connected, but the plastic roadbed makes running the trains alot louder. i think with these tracks u have a more sure connection and not as many gaps.