Modular track connection

[kylewoody]

I was wondering - when you have a modular layout, and there are two sections that meet up. How do you get the track to have a good physical path for trains?

I know it sounds simple, but I know how critical the joints are for flanges and all so there will be no derailments - and I can't imagine how it could be done reliabley. Seems some people will run a couple inches of straight track between the permanent track, but that seems like a pain, as you can't drop the track down vertically. You'd have to slide it on either end, and slide the whole section up against the other.

I was looking for more like a total liftout section. Are there any good photos/ideas for this?

Thanks!
Kyle

 

[kbkchooch]

NMRA Modular standards call for 9 inch sectional track "bridges". So the track stops 4.5 inches from each end.
The club I am in, the FCSME uses 6 inch sections to join modules for 2 reasons. #1 asthetic, 6 inch sections look better than 9 and #2 a lot of steamers and almost all diesels can bridge a 6 inch section electrically by themselves, just in case the power connection failed to either rail.
I've tried flush fitting modules before with no rail joiners, but they are too prone to damage for the real world as the rails seem to snag on anything they can.
One thing that has worked for me on my sectional modules (modules that can only be assembled in one configuration) is to cut the rails 1 inch from each end. Shave down the ties a little. Cut 2 inch pieces of rail and put 2 rail joiners on each pushed to the middle. Drop the rail in place and push a rail joiner onto the next rail in each direction. The rails are sturdy enough to stay in guage.

 

[UP2CSX]

You might also want to check out http://www.ntrak.org/. They've been operating modular layouts for a very long time and have some good standards for how to make two completely different modules work together.

 

[WT fan]

Here at the FREMO we have this way:

The modules are simple connected:

Wolfgang