Trackwork question

[jeffrey-wimberly]

I use Backmann's sectional EZ nickel-silver track. It's easy to work with (a plus with arthritus). Even then, I have occasional problems with uneven track joints, particularly around turnouts or changeovers. I use a fine file to file the joints until their perfectly smooth. Your fingernail makes pretty good gauge. It will snag on and uneven joint. If you have one, use an NMRA track gauge to check the joints. You can get one for about 10 bucks from a hobby shop or buy it online at Walthers.com.

Jeffrey Wimberly, Leesville, La.

I'm out of my mind, but leave a message anyway.

[soapbox]

[Medina1128]

If you plan on soldering your track in place, sand the roadbed surface. I use an inexpensive sander from Wal-Mart with 60 grit sandpaper on it. It makes for a nice smooth base to lay my track on. When soldering flex track on a curve, let the new piece go straight until after it's soldered. This will help prevent lateral kinks. Then, once the track is soldered, you can form the track around the curve.

[bob@osd]

Sometimes, when I have squeezed a rail joiner to make sure the 2 ends of the rails are held laterally in place I have actually put a curve in the bottom of the joiner itself. If you squeezed it to tighten up the joiner on one of the rail ends because it was the only one loose the buckle (which is hidden underneath the rail) can cause a joint which looked fine beforehand to go low or high depending on whether that end of the joiner is over a tie or not. As stated, soldering the joints beforehand solves both problems.

[Modeloldtimer]

The Kadee Coupler height Gauge also checks the track rails and will snag at unlevel
track connections as you slide it along your track. The price is only around 4 or 5 bucks. Many times it found spots where a rail joiner was installed under a rail by error.
I'll say it is one of the Gauges you should have.

[selector]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tomikawaTT

In future construction, take the time to clean up every single rail end. I have found burrs on the ends of rails on flex fresh out of the box. Also, every kind of rail cutter leaves a less than perfect end (even Xuron cutters and Dremel wheels.) Time spent in dressing rail ends during tracklaying translates to time not spent cleaning up after derailments that didn't happen.

Chuck

You have stated this a number of times, Chuck, and I am paying attention. I am doing spline roadbed because I want good looking, sweet running track, and I try to make a mental note each time your warning comes up. It sounds like a very good investment of time, as little as it would take, to have really slick rails.

Thanks for the reminder(s).

-Crandell

[tomikawaTT]

In future construction, take the time to clean up every single rail end. I have found burrs on the ends of rails on flex fresh out of the box. Also, every kind of rail cutter leaves a less than perfect end (even Xuron cutters and Dremel wheels.) Time spent in dressing rail ends during tracklaying translates to time not spent cleaning up after derailments that didn't happen.

Chuck

[Bob grech]

The trick is to solder your flex track sections together before you bend them. Solder enough pieces to allow you to start on one end of your curve, all the way around to your next tangent (straight) section of track. Then clean up with a file.

The reason: flex track has a tendency to want to straighten its self. This is what's referred to as lateral springing. In addition, adding spikes at splice points to alleviate tension loads on the solder joint should give you a smooth and trouble free joint for years to come.

[oleirish]

Jarrell

Fileing is fine!I use a real fine file to fix the problems like that and yes it happens every once in a while.I also agree with every one ulse.
JIM

[jacon12]

Thanks fellas for the tips. I'll check joints out in the future and look for the things you've mentioned.
Jarrell

[selector]

Rail tip is slightly bent up? That could be it. Simply bend it back downward, carefully, until it only springs back to where you'd like it.

Rail has popped out of the plastic "spikes"? I would try to get it pressed back in , but maybe just use a knife edge and snip those spike heads to let the rail lie flat again...unless it is the sliding rail, in which case you withdraw it past that tie, and reinsert in under the spike heads.

Rails improperly seated in the joiners? That happens more often than I'd like to think.

Joiners are splayed, and no longer hold the rail ends tightly. That, too, is an easy fix.

When you line up the rail ends, either at the top or the bottom, is their an obvious difference between the rails in terms of overall height? Maybe a mixed batch by mistake? Code 83 vs. Code 100?

Those are things I would check.

-Crandell

[Anonymous]

[#ditto] to what Brad said

I would just add that sometimes the joiner appeares to be connected to the rails when in fact one end is actually under one rail. Or if you are using track nails, it is possible to pu***he nail in too far and bend the ties. Or, if you're using cork roadbed, you used staples or tacks to hold it down a tack / staple could cause the problem. Or, if you're using cork roadbed and didn't sand it even.

[twcenterprises]

This can happen if you mix and match brands of track, or if the rail joiners are slightly loose. The rail joiners might join well side to side, but have some slop up and down. It also can have something to do with how you cut the rail. Make sure there are no burrs or anything on the bottom of the rail, these can push down on the rail joiner causing problems. Also be aware that the rail joiners have thickness to them, so you need to allow for this when putting (or leaving) ties under the joints. You may need to thin down the ties to prevent a small hump. I usually sand or carve away a little plastic just under where the rails will sit, so the track will lay level.

Brad

[jacon12]

I'm kinda new at laying track so I have a simple question. Every now and then I get a very slight, maybe 1/32th inch 'bump' or mismatch in rail height where two sections of flex track meet. This usually happens on a curve on an incline. Isn't that always the way it works! :)
Spots like this are sure to get either the lead or trailing trucks on my steamer off the track. I can usually find the problem when I run a fingernail along the top of the track. The only way I know to remedy this is to carefully file the higher rail down and also look for a mismatch on the inner or outer side of the rail and smooth that down also. So, I guess I'm asking if this is fairly common, you're gonna get spots like this now and then, and if I'm fixing the problem the only way I can, since I'm NOT a master tracklayer (heck, I'm not even a real GOOD one) even though I try to get it right every time.
Jarrell