I need some advice on how to repair my track joints when they start to separate and cause derailing.
More information would be helpful (brand of track used, sectional or flex, type of layout etc.). In general, unless you’re using “click track” like Kato Unitrack or similar products from Atlas or Bachmann, you can’t expect the rail joiners to hold the track together by themselves. The track needs to be secured down with small nails or spikes, preferably on roadbed and then ballasted. Personally after many years in the hobby I changed to Kato for my new layout and am very glad I did, it eliminates a lot of hassles with tracklaying and maintenance.
This sounds like you have not soldered your rail joints and the glue from the scenery is pushing things around. I once missed a set of joints with solder and little gaps developed. I fixed it eventually by building up solder in the gap and polishing it smooth.
Model railroader had a segment with David Popp replacing swtiches, I used a similar approach to replace a section of track I wanted to move. If the gaps are too large you can replace the track with a longer piece of flex track.
I agree, to totally eliminate the possibility of your track moving you need to solder the joints. With the constant changes in temperature and humidity it will happen if you don’t.
Whether or not you solder your rail joints, take a second or two and file a little bevel in the top inside corner of the railhead on both sides of every rail joint. That way, even if they are not butted solidly together there won’t be any little ‘step’ for flanges to catch on and climb over. That little bevel should be about 1.5mm long, and perhaps .2mm at its greatest depth (measured across the railhead.) NOTE - the exact dimensions are not critical, but the long taper is.
HOWEVER - are you sure that there aren’t other issues? Squared rail joints (as in sectional track or most flex track applications) are a natural home for kinks. Kinks WILL cause derailments! Are your ties solidly anchored to the roadbed - and is the roadbed solidly anchored to some kind of subgrade structure? Have you butted two different brands of track together, without assuring that the railheads are the same height across the joint?
Contrary to the opinions of the preceding posters, it is neither necessary nor desirable to solder rail joints. If I did so my rails would buckle in the extreme temperature range found in my layout space. Rail joints which are solidly butted at 3 PM on an August afternoon will be open by more than a millimeter at dawn in February. One (fortunately short) curved stretch where I failed to leave adequate gaps when laying track in the cool times actually broke the latex caulk bonds between the tie strip and the roadbed when the temperature climbed to midsummer normal.
I do solder jumpers around every rail joint. That way, I am not depending on a sliding connection of dubious reliability to carry power from the power drop to the locomotive wheels. Since I will have well over a scale mile of hidden (and relatively inaccessible) main line, bulletproof electricals are essential.
In final analysis, trackwork meets the test of the old cliche - take the time to make it as close to perfect as possible, or wa
The solution is to solder your track joints. Don’t depend on the joiners to transmit current from rail to rail or keep the rails aligned long term. As the locos go over the joints the joiners get a little looser each time. Solder those joints.
One thing I learned over the last 8 years doing it a variety of different ways is, solder the joints, solder the joints, solder the joints.
For the reason stated of conductivity alone it is a must. The rail joiners are meant to keep the track joints from getting a kink and have smooth uniform joints, however soldering is critical to allow good electrical conductivity and to hold the joints together securely.
My layout is indoors and climate controlled as it’s too humid in Houston to do otherwise with HO. In this the track still flexes but not much. I solved that issue by using silicon adhesive to secure the track to the bed. This creates good adhesion but still allows the track some expansion and contraction without causing problems.
To make it easy I use a good soldering station (yes I move it around with me to where I need it) and .022-.032 60/40 solder. I like the smaller diameter solder because it heats up and get’s into the joints quickly. The soldering station means I can adjust the temperature to where I need it and guaranteed a good solid joint. Make sure and heat the joint so that the solder flows freely and does not ball up. This will guarantee the best joint possible. Also make sure the tip of the iron is clean and tinned at all times.
I theory I partially agree with what most other have said about soldering but it seems to me you have other issues a foot. If track is properly secured it will not move period. I don’t care weather you solder it weld it or put jumper cables on it the main purpose of soldering is for electrical conductivity.There are many that subscribe to the school of thought to not solder track section together other then on curves for obvious reasons to allow for expansion and contraction. There are some as mentioned daisy chain each section of track together. At our club track is never soldered together except on curves. Each section of flex track has a pair of feeders soldered to it that are connected to the track buss. Each line main and branch have their own separate pair of buss wires.and track boosters etc.
I have seen layout where the track work has been down for at least two years without any ballasting or scenery and only held in place by spikes into Homasote and it never moves. the builders method of securing track to roadbed is strictly the glue used in ballasting. So what ever method you choose to partake in soldering or not your primary focus should be on securing your track to the roadbed. I now exclusively use DAP Latex adhesive caulk, some like yellow carpenters glue or even straight white glue, some track nails only through roadbed and right into the subroadbed. all good it’s a matter of personal preference but if your track work is loosing up causing derailments you need to start there first then think about weather your going to solder or not.
Thanks to all 7 who were kind enuf to give me some advice. The soldering concept won hands down, although tomikawatt suggested filing a bevel on the inside of the tracks. Will do both. Thanks again.if
My current layout dates its beginnings back to 1984, and uses handlaid track along with flex. I seldom solder rail joints, because I like to be able to remove a section of track for whatever reason without a lot of fuss of breaking solder joints loose. But each 3 ft section of track has track feeders about midway down through the road bed to the DCC buss lines running below and are soldered to the busses.
Bob