Ok folks, I have searched the forums repeatedly and cannot find any references so here comes the question and just for the record, I feel really dumb asking this one!
I have code 100 nickle silver flex track, not sure what brand and I have a supply of PECO Streamline nickle silver code 100 rail joiners.
I cut the rail with rail cutters (good ones) touch up the rail ends with a file including the area inside/outside the rail head and the bottom of the rail and cut back the ties that may be in the way.
IF I'm real lucky, I can get the rail joiners on one piece of flex track, usually with a lot of fiddling but there is no way I can get the other piece of flex track to slide onto the rail joiners. They just seem to be way too tight.
Any suggestions would be gratefully accepted with great thanks. This is driving me nuts as I've never ever had an issue with rail joiners before.
Choo Choo Willie
CDN Dennis
Modeling the HO scale something or other RR in the shadow of the Canadian Rockies Alberta, Canada
You probably need to use Atlas rail joiners instead of Peco.
When I was building my HO scale home layout using Peco code 83 track, I discovered that Peco rail joiners will not fit onto Atlas track because the Peco rail is apparently narrower at the foot than Atlas rail.
It's easier to gently squeeze an Atlas rail joiner narrower to fit onto Peco rail than to spread a Peco rail joiner to fit over Atlas rail.
There are times when I will slightly spread both ends of the rail joiners with a small flat edge screwdriver. When installing the rail joiners on a turnout be very careful as it is possible to pull part of the rail clear off the ties.
Wayne
Modeling HO Freelance Logging Railroad.
Tried that, created a "custom spreader" from an small old screwdriver but the PECO joiners seem too hard for it to have much effect. Oh yes, it's really easy to detach the ties from the rails, thankfully not on a turnout.
Thanks for your suggestion
Ah Ha, I wondered if that wasn't the case. That is exactly what the problem is. The track is Atlas NS Code 100.
Off to the hobby shop for some Code 100 Atlas NS joiners.
Thanks very much for the tip. I've never ever had problems with rail joiners before. Thought I was loosing it but then I remembered, I lost it a long time ago.
Cheers
Also, when cutting track with rail nippers cut top to bottom not side to side.
Springfield PA
Too bad that no one makes fishplate for model railroad track just like the prototype.
Rich
Alton Junction
Willie--
Standard sectional track has a short piece at the end where the rails are not attached to the ties, allowing room for the rail joiner to slip on the end of the rail.
This is not the case with flex track. You have to remove a couple of ties to slide the rail joiner on. Once your track is down and the rail joiner solidered, file the little clips off of the ties and re-insert them under your rails prior to ballasting.\
A rail joiner should be a rail joiner. I doubt that's your problem. Good luck!
Connecticut Valley Railroad A Branch of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford
"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." -- Henry Ford
richhotrain Too bad that no one makes fishplate for model railroad track just like the prototype. Rich
These track/ turnout detail parts are available, I can't remember just who offers them. Maybe someone can help out.
Modeling B&O- Chessie Bob K. www.ssmrc.org
You mean these?
http://www.1stplacehobbies.com/cgi-bin/p_235-921_n.asp
Hamltnblue You mean these? http://www.1stplacehobbies.com/cgi-bin/p_235-921_n.asp
Are they functional or merely cosmetic / esthetic ?
They are cosmetic - for 2 reasons.
Another alternative is to use track without a natural spring in the rail - Peco, Walters, ME, almost anybody but Atlas. Pre-curve the track/rail so that it holds the curve. Then, model (or any) rail joiners are unnecessary. I've proven this with handlaid track - rail joiners just aren't needed in HO if the the rail is pre-curved.
my thoughts, your choices
Fred W
Yes they're cosmetic but if you want the look they're available.
Yes Sirree that is exactly the way to do it. THX
Choo Choo
I don't know much about Peco code 100, but Peco code 83 rail joiners are a pain to use, even on Peco track. Most of them come extremely tight. I tried to pry them open a little but ended up using quite a few extra and discarding the tight ones.
Peco rail joiners are great if you're ONLY using Peco track. I found this out the hard way when I mixed code 83 Atlas track with code 83 Peco turnouts in my rail yard. It's much easier to tighten the Atlas rail-joiners than it is to 'open up' the Peco. The same goes for the Peco turnouts on my Atlas/Sinohara Code 100 main.
Get some Atlas. And I think they're less expensive, also.
Tom
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!
I have just accepted that the ends of a length of cut flex track need a lot of work before slipping on a joiner and placing in position. The top and inner surfaces of the rail head ends must be beveled slightly to make them act as cams for smooth rolling, but often the joiners below them need filed and more wedge-shaped ends over which to slip with ease. This isn't the case with Atlas to Atlas almost always, but when mixing codes and manufacturers, joiners are often an invitation to a freely bleeding finger tip...or a very sore thumbnail bed. I keep needle files handy and routinely give all the working surfaces a few medium-hard scrubs with the working surface of a file, file surface at a shallow angle to the surfaces of the rails' head and foot. By the time I reach for a joiner, if I have done it right, they will slip on snugly, but not in a risky way....the freely bleeding way.
Crandell
Hamltnblue Yes they're cosmetic but if you want the look they're available.
To make them look more realistic, just make a small notch with a few strokes with the edge of a small triangular file across the top of the rail where you place them in the web of the rail. This will simulate a rail joint from a distance and will be even more realistic with a little "rust" coloured paint in the notch.
Blue Flamer.