Hi I an new to the train hobby, and would like to know how to fasten the ends of flex tack together. The rail joiner will not go between the tracks and the ties. this is my first time to posr a topic, can anyone help me/
http://www.trains.com/Content/Dynamic/Articles/000/000/000/110kfhum.asp
http://www.trains.com/Utilities/get_galleryfile.asp?idOLG={BB7D95BD-F7D8-4A89-BAF3-C7D38E36F710}1
Here are 2 articles on the MRR web site. All you do is remove the offending ties, join the rails and when it is all in place, go back later and slide ties under the rails where they are missing. Normally, you will need to trim off the detail, or sand the replacement ties a little to get them to fit.
Welcome to the forum.
Welcome. On a curve, solder and then lay. Removing some ties it helpful. If you remove more than two, becareful to keep the rails in gauge. On straight, you can trim the plastic spikes and slide the rail joiner in there. If you find this difficult and tricky you are doing it right. Sometimes you have to solder straight joints but if you are using DCC it is not necesary if you have a feeder wire for each section. There is a learning curve for this and reading may shorten it, but probably not much. Plan to do some over and you will be less frustrated. Be SURE the track runs smoothly before covering it or making it hard to reach.
thanks, that info is what I needed to know. I have orderded some more flex track and am planning to lay about 100 ft. or so. I am building a river that the train will cross over on a trestle. Has anyone ever built or seen a trestle that supports 2 tracks side by side? Mike
Yes. Wood, metal or masonry? Kalmbak has a great book on bridges. There are great kits. You need to look and see what you want, and then we can be more specific. If you want a wood trestle, scratch building is an easy way. Metal and masonry or more difficult.
Also when soldering the joints be carefull not to melt the ties. I remove a few and use a solder alignment tool. Another thing to think about is if you heat the rail a bit too much it will stiffen and you could end up with a short streach of straight track in the curve. So solder quickly.
It is a easy taskto do. Just remove the ties at the joint and replace them after you have laid the track. You will have to trim the ties a bit so you don’t get a high spot at the joint.
AS SAID HERE:
1.Remove 2 or3 ties from ends.
2.Champher (file) the rail end surfaces so rail joiners slide on.
3.Replace support for missing ties.
Some file down plastic ties enough to compensate for added Joiner thickness - most don’t. I use NE Lumber that slides underneath. (Cheap).
I only recommend soldering the rail joiners when forrming a curve - the only place joint soldering is needed.
A quick derailment-avoider. Take a quick acute-angle swipe at the inside edge of the railhead at every joint with a file or emory board, to remove the hard corner (and any burrs from fabrication.) That way, if your tracklaying deviates from perfection, wheel flanges won’t have anything to ‘pick’ and climb over.
Don’t take off a lot of metal. a hundredth of an inch is probably too much.
Chuck.