Trouble building an ez track oval

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BedroomDJ

New Member
Hello,

I am trying to build an oval using EZ track. I am using eight (8) 22" curves on both sides of the oval and straight pieces ofcourse. No matter what I do, I have gaps between some of my rails. And that's why my DCC locomotive doesn't run good. It derails most of the time. Any suggestions? Thank you.

Mikhail
 
What do you mean by gaps? The angle between the pieces isn't right or the rails aren't the same length? What engine are you trying to run? Are all the curves full curve pieces? Bachmann also sells 1/3, 1/2 and 1/4 pieces of curve. Are the straights the same length? Just trying to figure out what the problem is exactly.
 


kjd said:
What do you mean by gaps? The angle between the pieces isn't right or the rails aren't the same length? What engine are you trying to run? Are all the curves full curve pieces? Bachmann also sells 1/3, 1/2 and 1/4 pieces of curve. Are the straights the same length? Just trying to figure out what the problem is exactly.
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I have gaps between the rails where the joiners are. The curves are 22 inch ez track curves. My straights are 9 inch straights. My engine is a Bachmann EMD gp38 Norfolk Southern (DCC Sound) and I am using a DR5000 command station plus a ESU 2 Throttle unit. Using JMRI ofcourse. Any more questions?
 
I think the best approach is to carefully assembly all the curves and tangents tightly, the curves forming a consistent radius (this is important, no widening or closing which causes one of the two joints opposite each other to widen somewhat). At some point you can either close the oval or you'll need a 'filler' piece of indeterminate length. Your supplier will have such a piece, but you need to determine what it is.

Note that if you are using one of Bachmann's longer turnouts with a #5 or higher frog number, I don't believe (not certain) that the diverging route is a curved route as it is on their #4+ frog of 18" radius. This will confound your efforts to form a nice 'n tidy oval because the diverging route runs tangent through the frog and beyond if I recall. If not, disregard.
 
Selector said:
I think the best approach is to carefully assembly all the curves and tangents tightly, the curves forming a consistent radius (this is important, no widening or closing which causes one of the two joints opposite each other to widen somewhat). At some point you can either close the oval or you'll need a 'filler' piece of indeterminate length. Your supplier will have such a piece, but you need to determine what it is.

Note that if you are using one of Bachmann's longer turnouts with a #5 or higher frog number, I don't believe (not certain) that the diverging route is a curved route as it is on their #4+ frog of 18" radius. This will confound your efforts to form a nice 'n tidy oval because the diverging route runs tangent through the frog and beyond if I recall. If not, disregard.
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Hello,

So what you're saying is start building the curved ends of the oval first? Maybe I misunderstood you. Let me know please. Thank yoy.
 
Sorry, I wasn't clear. It doesn't matter where you start on the process of generating a sectional track oval. What matters is that all pieces allow you to actually build one.

Even one turnout in the mix might throw things off if the length of the through route, the straight route, is longer than any of the tangent pieces. But in my experience, you can get a sectional track oval to close with a little finnagling, maybe it won't be perfect, but it will work. If you build it as it was engineered to be built, the gaps across the two rails are fairly tight to each other, and each section of the curve maintains the curve radius with strict fidelity. One section with a smaller or a wider radius will not allow you to close the curve well at all.

It seems to me that a certain number of curved lengths should complete the end of an oval. It might be five, it might be six, or even seven, but if a tangent length runs parallel to the edge of the table, and you put six or seven lengths of curved together attached to one end of the tangent, it should come back at 180 degrees. You then add the same number of tangent lengths to fashion the same length of tangent track as nearest the table edge, and then assemble the rest of the other curve using the same number of pieces as the other 180 degree curve. It should close nicely.

The problem might come from the manufacturers and importing company not designing curve lengths of a certain radius to make a 180 degree turn, which would be bizarre in our hobby. That's why I think it might be you. Those joints from piece-to-piece have to be correct an tight to each other, as little slop as possible.
 
Listen, if you can make a complete 360 Deg. perfect circle with the 8 curves you have, do that..IF you can then split that circle with matching length tangent (straight) track sections of 1,2,3 or more on one side, and 1,2,3 or more on other side,..do that..
If it still comes out lop sided or with huge gaps over rail joiners, one or more of the sections HAS to be an odd length..Otherwise there should be a snugly sitting oval with no gap or kinks in it.
Another test: What happens when you stack the curves on top of one another, and straights on top of one another ? Are they all the same ?
If yes, you've been plugging them together wrong. If no, then.........
 
DJ, like you, I have a few hundred in EZ Track. When my wife is out of town, I've been known to set up a large enough layout on the floor to run 100 car trains. The only issue I have is it takes some care to make sure the metal track joiners fit together correctly. Sometimes one will try to slide under the rail causing a bump for the train to navigate. A small space between the ends of the rail shouldn't cause any problems. I've seen modular layouts at shows with gaps nearly an eighth of an inch and the trains didn't care.
 


BedroomDJ said:
Hello,

I am trying to build an oval using EZ track. I am using eight (8) 22" curves on both sides of the oval and straight pieces ofcourse. No matter what I do, I have gaps between some of my rails. And that's why my DCC locomotive doesn't run good. It derails most of the time. Any suggestions? Thank you.

Mikhail
Click to expand...
Eight curves for a 180 degree turn is certainly the right geometry. Are you certain the railjoiners are aligning properly, that is the rail has slid into the joiner and not over the top of it?

Perhaps a photo of one of the gaps would help us diagnose the problem.
 
Mikhail - Double check to see that all of the sections are 22" radius. Use the test that PowrCab suggested by laying the sections on top of one another.

​

 
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