Help! I have code 100 switches and code 83 flex track. An Atlas rep. suggested that I use # 551 transition joiners to connect the switch to the track. I ruined 4 of these connecters trying to attach them to the track. There is no way that they will attach to the track. Am I doing somthing wrong? Aren’t they connect to the track just as regular connecters are? Do I realy need them?
They do help, but ya gotta prep the rail foot end that has been nipped, either commercially or by yourself. You need a metal file, a needle version, and you must bevel all the surfaces, included the blades on either side of the foot. This really does wonders, for all the pain of it, in helping those flimsy, floppy, weird transition joiners to slide the way you’d like 'em to.
In view of my prior comment, probably. Once you figure it out, it is the same, routine, mechanical process as are so many we follow in the hobby.
Note that many guys just crush half of a regular joiner flat, and solder the less-tall rail to the flattened end of the joiner. That has the effect, if you do it right, of lifting the less-tall rail up very close to the taller code when you use the good end of the joiner.
Otherwise, you will find yourself doing a lot of shimming with mismatched rail manufacturers of different codes. I understand, for example, but have no direct knowledge, that Atlas purposefully makes their Code 83 with taller ties than it does the ties for their Code 100. When matched up with regular joiners, the rail heights have been compensated…pretty nifty.
-Crandell
This is something I’ve done on past layouts. Put a rail joiner on the end of the code 100 rail and smash the other end of the joiner flat. The code 83 rail can then be soldered to the top of the smashed joiner.
I have faced the same problem and decided that even when properly applied, the transition joiners leave much to be desired. Over time they tend to need maintenance, probably due to expansion and contraction caused by varying temps in my basement. I finally gave in and changed all my switches to code 83. Yes it was expensive, but well worth it in the long run. Now I am in another transition stage, from insulfrog switches to electrofrog. Again expensive, but it pays off in better operation.
Walthers makes a short 6" transition track, code 100 at one end, code 83 at the other (948-897).
They also make a Code 83 to Code 70, 948-898.
Dave Nelson
Slip railjoiners on to the code 100 rail. Squeeze them flat as you can with pliers and solder the ends of the code 83 rail on top of the squashed code 100 rail joiners. Dress with a file. With care, it’s a dead simple method that can be use to join any two close codes together. Code 100 to code 83 or 70, code 83 to code 70 or 40 etc., etc…
If you can make the connection off the layout, it’s an easy task. using either a standard flattened joiner or transition. Put the track on your workbench upside down, (rails facing table) and the tops of the rails have to match up evenly, unless, your table is in really bad shape.
Square up the rail alignment and solder in place, turn the track back over, confirm alignment, and instsall on the layout