flex track....
- Thread starter brubakes
- Start date
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Yes thats what I meant. Thanks for the answers.
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Selector
Well-Known Member
There are a couple of issues with flextrack when you have to mate one end to another, particularly on a curve.
The safest and surest way to maintain a fine curvature when you must make a join on a curve is to solder both ends together while they are lined up very straight on a workbench. Then, fasten the one end to what track is currently in position, hopefully it is on a tangent, and then form the curve using track nails or caulking to hold the ties in position (weight the caulked ties with tin cans on their sides atop the rails for about an hour). (go really thin on the acrylic latex caulking...you don't want it oozing up between the ties!)
If you do have to make this join along a curve, you are strongly advised to bevel the leading edge flange faces of all the ends so that when trains are at track speed the flanges don't tend to pick at slightly uneven joins.
Finally, keep in mind that if you are using wood to make your layout, wood expands and contracts with changes in humidity. Some gaps must be left in layout trackage or you'll find nasty buckles and wows one morning.
The safest and surest way to maintain a fine curvature when you must make a join on a curve is to solder both ends together while they are lined up very straight on a workbench. Then, fasten the one end to what track is currently in position, hopefully it is on a tangent, and then form the curve using track nails or caulking to hold the ties in position (weight the caulked ties with tin cans on their sides atop the rails for about an hour). (go really thin on the acrylic latex caulking...you don't want it oozing up between the ties!)
If you do have to make this join along a curve, you are strongly advised to bevel the leading edge flange faces of all the ends so that when trains are at track speed the flanges don't tend to pick at slightly uneven joins.
Finally, keep in mind that if you are using wood to make your layout, wood expands and contracts with changes in humidity. Some gaps must be left in layout trackage or you'll find nasty buckles and wows one morning.
Brubakes,
I'll assume, like Larry that you mean the problem of filling the gap after you remove ties to make room for the rail joiners. The most common method is to trim the spikes and plates off the ties you cut off so that you can slide them back under the track after it's mounted. I personally use a little more time consuming methed.......I use a cutoff wheel on a cordless dremel and "slot" the track by sliding the cutoff wheel between the rail and the ties. This removes enough tie material to slide the rail joiners onto the track without actually cutting the ties off. It works very well for me and the finished joints are invisible (except for the joiner of course). You just have to be careful that you cut the plastic ties, and not the rail.
Either method works and is pretty hard to detect once the track is ballasted.
I'll assume, like Larry that you mean the problem of filling the gap after you remove ties to make room for the rail joiners. The most common method is to trim the spikes and plates off the ties you cut off so that you can slide them back under the track after it's mounted. I personally use a little more time consuming methed.......I use a cutoff wheel on a cordless dremel and "slot" the track by sliding the cutoff wheel between the rail and the ties. This removes enough tie material to slide the rail joiners onto the track without actually cutting the ties off. It works very well for me and the finished joints are invisible (except for the joiner of course). You just have to be careful that you cut the plastic ties, and not the rail.
Either method works and is pretty hard to detect once the track is ballasted.
brubakes
Member
Yes thats what I meant. Thanks for the answers.
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