Best way to connecting Atlas Track and Ross Switches???

[ActonDad2]

Hello,

I'm new to the hobby - less than a year.  I've read all the advice on this forum and others and I'm starting to build my third layout.   The first two were simple loops using Atlas O three rail track and a couple of Atlas switches.  Now, I trying something complicated.  I just bought some more Atlas O three rail track and a Ross Switch Double Crossover which I hope to connect with O54 and O72 loops.   My question for the forum is:  what is the best way to connect Atlas track to a Ross Switch?  Just using the Atlas rail joiners leaves a big (1/8") gap.  I would appreciate any suggestions?

Thanks,

[csxt30]

They make a railjoiner connector for just what you need. They're made either by Atlas or Gargraves, although I couldn't find them on either web-site, mine came with a single track Atlas bridge that Atlas sells. It's like an Atlas rail joiner at one end that goes on the Solid Atlas track & the other end is a blade to slip into the Gargraves track.  One of those companies sells them but you may have to give one of them a call to purchase them.

Thanks, John

[enginear]

I believe I saw them in Atlas track section at the hobby store.

[Anonymous]

What you are referring him to are what he has and he doesn't like them because of the 'gap'.

What you need to do is press the track together. you can get the 'gap' to reduce, the reason for the 'gap' is the slight difference in height between the Ross Track and the Atlas track (about 1/32"). If you shim the Atlas track just slightly you should see the 'gap' disappear. You can not solder the Altas track as it is nickle silver.

[csxt30]

Hello,

  Just using the Atlas rail joiners leaves a big (1/8") gap.  I would appreciate any suggestions?

Thanks,

It sounds to me he is using the regular Atlas railjoiners which is leaving the huge gap he's referring to.  He does not have the transitional railjoiners.

And, as far as soldering to nickelsilver rail, it's done everyday. I've soldered wires across Atlas track & all the HO track is nickelsilver. It's solderable .

John

[Anonymous]

John,
The transitional joiners leave a slight gap as well, they are close, but not spot on.

Thanks for the correction on soldering nickle silver.

[Dave Connolly]

 I joined an Atlas bridge to Gargraves with no gap issues. First off. If you can get the 2 joined using the special transition joiners from Atlas. My hats off to you. The pin breaks off very easily no matter how you try to put it together. In the case of Gargraves. The web portion that fits into the ties must be removed with a Dremel. Just enough to allow the stock Atlas joiner room. The railhead is close enough to Atlas'. With Ross track. The rail is spiked to the ties and the cutting is not required. What I think is happening and I noticed it on my last purchase of Ross turnouts. There is a slight height difference between the Ross turnouts and Gargraves flextrack. With the pins this really isn't and issue. My Gargraves mated fine with the Atlas bridge heightwise. Brent is on the right track with the shimming. It sounds like the Atlas track as it drops slightly at the connection is causing it not to be tight and leaving a gap.

 The only other thing I can come up with. Are you using sectional track ?  The Ross turnout may not be an exact fit. If you are running a oval type layout. Some trimming on the opposite side may pull everything together better at the turnout. I think if you stick with the stock railjoiners and with a little shimming the gap should go away.

[ActonDad2]

Gentlemen,

I followed up on many of the suggestions I received.  Here is what I learned.

Atlas three rail track and Ross rails line up perfectly (height wise) if the tradition atlas joiner is used.  There is however a 1/8" horizontal gap (gap between rails) as I attempted to describe in my first posting.

If I use an Atlas Transition Joiners for Gargraves Track (Part #6096) to connect an Atlas track section to a Ross Switch, there is a small (>1/16") height difference, but very little horizontal gap.

Reading the Ross Web site reveals the following:

"Can you mate with other track systems?

Yes, you can mate with just about any system out there.

            .....

-Atlas O- The standard Atlas rail joiner will attach to the bottom of our rail.

-GarGraves- We use the same pin as they do. Directly compatible.   

....  "

What this apparently means is that the bottom of the Ross track lines up with the bottom of the Atlas track and the top Pin connector of the Ross track lines up with the top pin of the GarGraves track so the height is correct in both cases.  However, something needs to be done to make Atlas rail fit snug against the Ross rails.  It is on the Ross switch side where the Atlas rail joiner hits the tie preventing the rails from touching.  First, I will attempt to trim an Atlas rail joiner.  As a last resort, I will attempt to move the first tie on the Ross Switch.  I'll let the forum know how this works out.

Thanks for all the ideas.

[ActonDad2]

Gentlemen,

BINGO!

I trimmed a 1/16" (essentially the beveled section) off one end of the Atlas rail joiners and the Atlas track and Ross track fit together perfectly.    

Thanks again for all the input.

[Anonymous]

Any chance you could post a pic of the modification?