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Hello again, John. I should have been more complete in my first post... When I solder flex track I usually have about 1/2" of rail clear of the ties. You need this in any event to allow the joiners to slide on. Don't bother with a soldering gun - the heat is uncontrollable. I use a 25W soldering iron from Radio Shack and 3/32" solder also from RShack. Apply heat to the inside of the rail joint and when the rail is hot enough apply the solder to the outside. When applying heat I rest the iron on the ridge where rail joiner meets the rail web. You want the solder to flow into the space between the rail joiner and the rail, and make a nice smooth junction on the outside of the rail web. The cooled solder should be shiny. If it's dull or looks crackled, the joint moved when the solder was cooling; reheat the joint until the solder is liquid again, then allow the joint to cool properly. After all is said and done I touch up the joint with a needle file and an eraser to remove any excess solder and flux from the rail head. I've also recently learned that once the rail is painted (weathered) the shiny solder joints are indistinguishable. Finally, this method can be used to attach feeder wires to the track, as well. I use #28AWG solid tinned wire pinched from the telco's scrap cable bin. Hope that helps, Later, Dwayne A.
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