HO Flex Track

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frolf_king

frolf_king

Train Roll on
Newbie here....:confused:

1st question...I bought some HO flex tack and am trying to connect it to some existing Atlas track that I have. What type of connectors do I need to accomplish this? I tried several ways the other night and was only able to connect them on a straight line. When you curve the track one rail shortens and you are unable to use regular track connectors to join the existing track. The flex track is supposed to have a minimum of 18" radius but I don't see how it will connect.

2nd question... Some of the track that I am using is very old. My mom found my old HO train set in their attic and I am trying to fix it up for my nephew for Christmas. I bought some new track to add with it and the train will run fine on the new track but stops on the old. I cleaned it up with alcohol the other night and the train runs better but still slows down on the old track. What can I use to clean it up or should I just buy all new track. This track has been in that attic for every bit of 25 years.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.
 
If you start with a straight section and expect the flex to make a curve you will pull out the rail from the joiner. (same joiner as sectional track). The easiest thing to do is to solder the flex to the straignt section, make the bend, then clip off the flex so it is even on the end.

Take some 400-600 grit sand paper and sand the rail heads until they are shiny. Try it again. You need to restore both the top and the inside of the rail head as contact is made by the wheels in both places.
 
Ok, I see now. I was going to cut the track but was unsure if it was necessary. So join the two tracks with a connector and solder the connector to the outside of the rail, right? Is there any certain type of solder I should use?

Ok thanks I will get some sand paper today.
 


Do they make a crimper for the track connectors? I tried to use needle nose pliers but I trashed several of them.
 
Do you mean for the rail joiners? You really shouldn't need to crimp these, even for soldering. Just slide them on both rails and solder. Why do you feel the need to crimp these?
 
Say FK,
From what I always heard in the past it's a bad idea to solder all your connection due to expansion and contraction that can take place. It's much better to solder a connection or two and then leave a small gap so the track can contract and expand without getting kinks due to everything being too ridid. Use a jumper wire soldered to the outside of each section at or near the new joint and then continue on with soldering for a section or two and then repeat the gap process. I'd say a gap of at least a 64th" or slightly larger should do it.

As far as crimping, what you may be running into is a deformed rail base and web after the rail has been cut, if using rail nipers, and that deformed area is expanding/deforming the rail joiner when you connect the two tracks leaving the connector loose as it passes the deformed area.

You need to file any areas like that so they are down to the original profile so the rail joiner goes on essy.

HTH
 
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When I join the two tracks the joiners are loose and the track comes apart when I am laying it out. These are new joiners that came with the track I just bought. I am trying to get it setup for my nephew. I don't want to solder anything right now because I will be moving the track after Christmas. I want to get it all laid out and make sure it all works before he gets it.

I guess I could just nail them down for now. What do you think about that?

Just to make sure here are the joiners I am using....


View attachment 7759
 
Listen if you want a fast track that you want to put up for Christmas get some Bachman EZ Track or Life-Like with the roadbed . It all snaps together and you have fast and easy track system. After Christams you can always take your time and set up some Atlas Track the right way !!
 


Rail joiners by themselves will not keep track together, especially flex track, unless the track is secured to something so it won't move. You can certainly nail the track to plywood as a temporary measure to get the train running by Christmas and that should solve the immediate problem.
 
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I have tried that fast track and I do not recommend it. I have an O scale train that runs around my sons room (up near the ceiling) and it runs on the fast track. It is so loud it sounds like it is raining. I have tried padding it, screwing it down and even filling cars with washers to weigh the cars down.

I will keep working with it and I may just have to wait until I get it to his house to set it up.

Thanks for everyone’s help.
 
Getting the track to stay in position.

Say FK,
I may have been mistaken in what I told you prior by assuming you were working with 3ft sections of flex track?

In any case you don't need need to solder any of the connections you just need to ensure that your not trying to bend/force the track in a tighter radius
than it meant to be bent to usually a minimum of 18" radius for a total half circle diameter of 36" which is a center line between the rail measurement.

If your using sectional track just but the sections together and tack or pin it lightly to to the board your putting it on. CAUTION if the current track has a small nail hole in the center of a few of the ties and you use a small brad to fasten the track to the board using these nail holes be sure that the brad only just barely comes in contact with the top of the tie without pushing the tie downward as what happens is the track and plastic ties tend to take on a 'V' shape be it ever so slightly and the rails are pulled inward causing tight spots.

A simple way to ensure the radius of your track is at least 18" is to measure about 20 to 22" in from the end of the board on the center line of the length and draw an 18" arc and then lay your track so the ends of the ties wrap around this arc on the outside.

To quiet the trains down use Woodland Scenics Foam Road Bed first, laying it around the arc you drew and then lay your rail fastening it in place as you go with some pins/tacks lightly. If you are using flex track one side of the 3' section might have a more solid strip on the under side of the ties, if so you'll probably find it easier if you keep this solid strip to the inside of the curve and pin/tack the rail down lightly as you go again, you can probably aleviate your problem this way. Also as your track will be held in place you'll tend to aleaviate the problem of the rail comming out of the rail joiners but you do have to watch to ensure that while flexing the track one rail doesn't tend to pull out of it's joiner. Also ensure that joints are as streight a possible with no sharp bends.

Your probably aware of all of this but I figured possibly I ought to mention these different things to maybe help you along.

Good luck,

David


If you are using

frolf_king said:
When I join the two tracks the joiners are loose and the track comes apart when I am laying it out. These are new joiners that came with the track I just bought. I am trying to get it setup for my nephew. I don't want to solder anything right now because I will be moving the track after Christmas. I want to get it all laid out and make sure it all works before he gets it.

I guess I could just nail them down for now. What do you think about that?

Just to make sure here are the joiners I am using....


View attachment 7759
Click to expand...
 
Thanks David.....

I worked with the track again last night and I think I see where I went wrong with the new rail joiners. The first ones that I worked with I bent them up and down until they came apart. In doing this I bent out the center of the joiner causing it to be loose when connected. Last night with some new track that I bought I cut the joiners and they held up like they should.

Newbie’s always learn the hard way.

I also took some 400 grit sand paper to the old track that I had and the train ran great on it. Still need to go over some spots and get down inside the rails but at least the train ran all the way around the track.

I still need to work on a layout. I read Space Mouse’s page on layouts (very informative) and I guess I need to find a vision. I know what I want but will Noah (my nephew) like it. I bought an up and down bridge set and was going to use it in the layout to make a figure 8 but after setting it all up I realized that the bridge set was not made to do this. It was not tall enough for the train to pass under. Again the Hard Way…. Maybe I should change my screen name to Hard Way......:D

Anyway thanks again for all your help. This forum is filled with knowledge and that is just what us newbie’s need. Thanks.
 
It only took me a few weeks building my first layout before I realized that cutting joiners with nippers instead of breaking them apart by bending made the track work correctly so you're a faster learner than I was. :) Now, if you want to learn a lesson that it took me about a year to get, buy a pair of rail cutters like the one at http://e-hobbyland.com/railcutters.html. It will do a nice, clean cut when you're laying flextrack and save hours of frustration. Good deal for $11.:D
 
Those cutters must do something special because the side cutters I tried didn't work too well. Now I cut mine with a cut-off blade on the dremel - cuts and dresses the edge all in one shot, works great.

Mark
 
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The ones at Harbor Freight are cheap knockoffs that won't do a clean cut...or any cut for very long. :) I've tried them an it's not worth saving 8 bucks.

If you have a Dremel tool (which every modeler will get if they are really into modeling), Mark's suggestion about using a cut-off wheel will work also. The only advantage of the rail cutter is that it's cheap compared to buying a Dremel tool and you can do a more precise cut when needed. Those cut-off wheels tend to jump a bit.
 


Ok, I will go for the better one then.

Yes, I do have a dremel tool but I do not have a cutting blade. May have to get one and try it out.

Thanks again
 
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