Hi Guys
I have a turnout that is on its last legs and want to replace it. The problem is I dont know how to remove a turnout in the middle of a piece of track. Im assuming that I could do this
step 1) Wet down ballast to free up glue
step 2 ) Cut in the middle of the damaged turnout, lifting it out ( along with the other half of it )
step 3) Keep rail joiners on the remaining ballasted down track and insert new turnout
Now the problem I see is how do I get the rail joiners on the other end to connect it up, Would I just cut the tie's on the new turnout so the rail joiners slide all the way back and just slide them into position when the track is down? Or would I open the rail joiners up on the track that is still on the layout and drop the new turnout down in and bend the joiners in place? and maybe solder them in?
Hopefully I didnt confuse you guys,lol
Jeremy
The way I do it is to slide joiners all the way back, and clear, on the rail ends that stay in place. Remove the turnout, insert new one, slide all four joiners back over to the turnout, and continue to reballast.
Crandell
Are your turnouts soldered in? What I have seen explained is to slide the railjoiner onto the track or turnout, you needed to have cut the ties out so the joiner could do this when originally installed. If you didn't leave it so they could slide, cut the rails on the turnout, remove it, pull out the short section of left over track. Prepare your replacement so that you can slide the joiners fully onto its rails, then, when in place you can slide the joiners onto the adjacent track.
Good luck,
Richard
You're pretty much on the right track (yuck, yuck).
Here's what I'd do:
1) Remove ballast from approximately 1" of track at each joint of the affected turnout.
2) Using a razor saw or rotary cut-off tool (Dremel or similar), cut out the rail joiners between the turnout and the adjoining track.
3) Remove the old turnout. This may involve wetting your ballast to remove it and probably prying it off with a putty knife.
4) Remove the old rail joiners from the existing track. This can be a little tricky if you've soldered them on. Desoldering braid or a solder sucker may help here. Refer to the thread entitled "Solder" for more detailed discussions.
5) Cut two ties from each end of the new turnout and slide a rail joiner all the way on. Open it up if necessary so it slides fairly easily. Put the turnout in place, gluing it and being very careful with your alignment.
6) Use a small screwdriver to slide the rail joiners onto the adjoining tracks. Solder your joints. You don't really need to tighten the joiners, because the solder will provide conductivity.
7) Reinstall the ties. Reballast.
Good luck, and may your turnouts last 100 years.
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
Thanks for the help guys, good to see I am on the right,um Path,lol. I figured I would have to cut the ties a bit to allow the rail joiner all the way on
Instead of having to cut ties, would I be able to cut the rail joiner in half making it smaller to allow to fit on the rail without cutting ties?
Also, how would I go about replacing the ties under the track, Use the piece I cut off to slide back under? or dont worry about it? I know I could by ties but I dont think they would match the atlas code 83 color would it?
Again like I was saying the track still wors but I wanted to make sure that when I replace it Im doing it right. Im glad to be a prt of this forum, without you guys to help out I would be lost.
Worlds greatest hobby, but also some of the greatest guys who are always willing to help people out :)
JeremyB Instead of having to cut ties, would I be able to cut the rail joiner in half making it smaller to allow to fit on the rail without cutting ties?
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cheers Jeff, are the ties easy to cut with a dremel, they dont melt do they?
Cutting ties really isn't that hard (see below). While this would probably work ok, I think you'd have a devil of a time getting things to stay lined up while you soldered.
JeremyB Also, how would I go about replacing the ties under the track, Use the piece I cut off to slide back under? or dont worry about it? I know I could by ties but I dont think they would match the atlas code 83 color would it?
You're not talking about all the ties, just a couple at each end.
Underneath the track, there are little plastic pieces holding the ties together. Snip these with a sprue cutter or wire cutter and slide the last three ties off the end of the track. The little plastic spikes have an overhang to create a slot on the inside for the track. Carefully file this off, leaving just the upright pieces. Once you've got the track mounted again, you can lift it up slightly (or compress your roadbed) and just slide the ties back underneath until the rails drop into place. After ballasting, no one will ever notice. You can also cut the spikes completely off. While slightly more noticeable, someone would have to be looking for it to see it, but if you do that, the ties will just slide back under, and you just have to center them (approximately, prototypical ties are uneven anyway).
JeremyB cheers Jeff, are the ties easy to cut with a dremel, they dont melt do they?
thanks ctv valley, thats what I meant the couple at the end of the track. Did you think I thought I would have to cut all the ties
You don't have to remove the ties at all. On the sides of the rails you'll find small plastic molded spikes that hold the rail on the ties. Simply use an exacto knife to cut the spikes on one or 2 ties. This will allow you to slide the rail joiner back away from the turnout. We used this approach to allow removal of tarck between our modular layout. Works fine and looks good to.
Springfield PA
JeremyB thanks ctv valley, thats what I meant the couple at the end of the track. Did you think I thought I would have to cut all the ties
Always pays to be sure.
A while ago, I was helping someone with plaster cloth technique, and he just couldn't get it right, it kept getting all wadded up on him, or being too short, and otherwise messing up his layout. I couldn't for the life of me figure out what he was doing wrong. After 3 or 4 exchanges, it turned out that he was trying to lay one 4' long piece over the entire width of his layout.
Jeff answered your question about the Dremel. It will work, but it's overkill for the job. Very good for cutting the rails, though, should that become necessary.
CTValleyRR Jeff answered your question about the Dremel. It will work, but it's overkill for the job. Very good for cutting the rails, though, should that become necessary.
It is best to remove the last tie, not necessarily the last two...it depends on their spacing and on the length of the joiner being used, and also how cleanly the ends of the joiner have been nipped to get rid of the 'webbing' between joiners that come in rows of four.
Removing the last tie is best because you can use a needle file to increase the depth of the rail foot surface on the top of the plastic tie relative to the spike head so that the thickness of the joiner slid between the tie top and the foot of the rail doesn't cause a hump at the join. You want as smooth a grade along the rails as possible, not a hitch at every join. IMO.
Im trying to replace a piece of track today and have the scale spikes removed allowing the rail joiner to go all the way back. The problem im running into is that I am having some issues trying to get the joiner over to the next piece of track. I think that the joiner is a little on the tight side so am wondering is there a way of spreading the joiner slightly allowing it to move it on the rail a little easier?
JeremyB Hi Guys Im trying to replace a piece of track today and have the scale spikes removed allowing the rail joiner to go all the way back. The problem im running into is that I am having some issues trying to get the joiner over to the next piece of track. I think that the joiner is a little on the tight side so am wondering is there a way of spreading the joiner slightly allowing it to move it on the rail a little easier?
I'm just a little confused which is easy for me to be. If you can get the rail joiner all the way back onto one rail then it should be loose enough to slip onto the adjoiniing rail. In any event, I've had success by inserting a small flat blade jeweler's screw driver into the rail joiner and just twist it back and forth. This idea works best when the joiner in not already on the rail as the twisting motion has the potential to break the small plastic "nails" holding the rail in place.
Wayne
Modeling HO Freelance Logging Railroad.
yeah I thought the same thing,lol. If it goes all the way back how the heck is it not going on the other piece.
I think I am pulling on a angle, I have to get a stool so I can get to it a little better.
Jeremy, at my age I have to use magnifiers over my prescription eye glasses to see what I'm doing. If you are pulling at just a slight angle then that may be the problem....these little things need to be lined up pretty straight for the joiner to ease onto the rail.
Good Luck,
Cheers Wayne, Im only 29 but I have always had a "shaky hand",lol so Im sure that comes into it,lol. Im going to look into a better step stool or small ladder to get at the track in a bit better.
Jeremy,
I was 29 once....and the once was a long time ago. Good luck with everything and I'm betting the new stool will probably make things easier for you.
Someone suggested using a file... I use a jeweler's screwdriver. Same idea.
You want to be very careful that your new piece of track is correctly aligned with the old, though, otherwise you will create a kink that will give you trouble during operations.
Use a straight edge and magnifiers to be sure.
BTW, I'm with you.... my hand never was that steady, and it's no better now, even though it's been almost as long since I've been 29 as it took me to get there.