Is it necessary to solder rail joints? I am considering switching from Power-Loc track to Atlas Code 100. The only thing really discouraging me from the switch is I dont know if you really need to solder the joints. Any advice at all would be very much appriciated!! =)
Thanks everyone!
No you don’t. You need to weigh the problem of soldered and then needing to change or adjust with the problem of occassional loose connections and having to replace the connector. I soldered most of mine and am occassionally sorry. However by soldering curved flex, I keep the bends more consistant, and in places where it is hard to get at, soldered will produce less breaks in the contact. Nothing is perfect and you get to choose which problem you prefer.
I’m the same with Art.
I’ve only soldered the curves where I’ve laid flex track. I did this before I laid the track keeping both pieces straight while soldering.
The rest, I haven’t soldered any of it as I might be having to take it down next year.
Not sure yet, will have to see if we can sell the house & afford to buy one that we want.
Gordon
If you were to conduct a poll, based on my reading here for the past 10 months, the general consensus would be yes, but never the turnouts. As you can see above, there are notable exceptions.
Generally, hard-to-reach, or tricky track, that has to be done right if it is to provide satisfaction should be soldered for the best continuity. If you can live with occasionally trouble-shooting metal joiner problems where you have relied on them, fill yer boots. Certainly, due to their inherent lack of solid reliability, most manufactured turnouts should not be soldered into place…you’ll end up prying them out after a while.
I solder all of them because I use N conectors on HO track so they don’t stand out like a sore thumb.
Mine is a DCC layout so I have feeder wires every 6 feet which is two sections of flex track. I solder the feeder wires at every other joint which means every piece of track is getting power from a feeder wire at one end or the other. I don’t think it is necessary to solder the unpowered joints. My last layout was a DC layout and I never bothered to solder the joints and I can’t remember it every being a problem. I figured if a problem came up, it would be easy to locate the spot and solder it on an as-needed basis. I don’t think it was ever needed. As long as your joiners fit snuggly, they should conduct electricity sufficiently.
No. But it helps keep things aligned and eliminates a potential source of electrical problems (so do feeders)…
Jeff
[#ditto]
When I was using DC, I soldered all connections between tracks. Now with DCC I have a lot more feeders to the rails. I will still solder at least every connection that is between feeder wires (ie: does not have feeder wires directly soldered to it). I want a good solid electrical connection to every piece of track. I will generally solder at least the point end of turnouts to the track connected to it. That way it will have solid power with no problems. It is not that hard to unsolder one end for repair or replacement if (when) necessary. With that, I know I will not ever have to troubleshoot the rail network for lack of power. Soldering is not rocket science and is easy to learn. Jump in and learn it! You won’t regret doing it.
Nope…In the 54 years I been in the hobby I never seen the need to solder the rail joints except on curves…Another thing to remember is rail expension…Solder all the joints and you’ll will need to cut gaps for this expansion.Why do the double work? By using feeders you will have good solid electrical connections.
Soldering rail joiners
This is one of those perennial questions that pop up on model railroad forums. Every time it does, you get five different opinions, all of which are 100% correct, so with that said, here’s mine:
I run feeders to every single section of track, including the frogs and the stock rails of turnouts. I also solder every single metal rail joiner, including those on turnouts. It’s the most bulletproof way I know of to assure electrical continuity throughout the layout. Rail joiners lead to open circuits for several reasons: they bend, they get paint in them if you paint the rail and you get glue in them if you ballast the track. Air, paint and glue all make fine insulators.
For those who say you should not solder turnouts, I can tell you that since 1965 or so, I have had to replace exactly one turnout. All I did besides unsolder the feeder wires was unsolder the rail joiners and rip that puppy out. Not a big deal. If you have to repair or replace turnouts so frequently that this concerns you, you may need to try another brand of turnout.
The other big concern with soldering rail is thermal expansion. If you use a solid base like ½” or ¾ “ plywood, (or foam), thermal expansion is not a problem. Every single instance I personally know of where track has become bent or mis-aligned has involved some inherently unstable material like Homasote (sorry, Mr. Homasote, wherever you are). [;)] And it usually had more to do with humidity than heat or cold anyway.
My layout is in the garage in the desert. It was 27 degrees outside the other night. It routinely hits 110+ degrees in the summer for weeks on end. It’s air conditioned, but not 24/7 and goes unheated in winter. No expansion or contraction problems in either situation, both of which are about as extreme as you can get.
John Timm
I soldered only the places that gave me trouble with connections being intermittant. You solder ONLY the outside rail, and if necessary is really easy to do, but more difficult to undo! Otherwise most of my layout is unsoldered.
You are absolutely right! My layout is in the basement and while the temp remains fairly constant, humidity is high for much of the year. Using a good solid foundation is the trick to preventing a lot of problems. I am using handlaid and completely soldered track in some places that is over 20 years old (held in place with Walthers Goo) that is still in guage and have suffered no problems from expansion. I would rather go for a solid electrical system.
I had a group from my local club over the other night and while the meeting was in progress one of the guys had a little steamer pulling a train around the track. I guess it ran for about a half hour or so on my small 85 feet of mainline, through the turnouts etc.
Someone mentioned how well it was doing unmanned etc and I said it is doing pretty good considering none of the track is glued down yet, none of it is soldered except on one peninsular, and there are no electrical feeders yet, all the power is coming from the Zephyr and those two little wires connected to the track by rail joiners. There was a long silence then one of the guys said, ‘well, that just blew the h*ll outta everything I’ve learned so far’.
I replied no, I’m just lucky so far. It will be soldered on the curves only when I get around to putting in the cork roadbed… 
Jarrell
P.S. It’ll have track feeders also, but I’m beginning to wonder why.
Big No, No for me too. Except on radii consisting of a join within the curve. This is for the same reasons given before. Provides a smooth curve through the join.
Using cab control with numerous isolated sections, I end up with feeders every couple of yards anyway. This helps to ensure electrical continuity for the major part of the layout. Not being quiet as concerned about prototypical looks, after painting and ballasting code 100 track, the appearance is not so much of an issue for me.
In those areas considered to be inaccessible for future service, I drill a 1/32” [or 1mm] hole in the side of the rail, one on either end of the joiner. I then thread a short link of 22 gauge solid wire across the join and spot solder where the wire enters the hole.
Not wishing to rely on an electrical contact through the joiner alone, I use the same method to connect feeders to the inside bottom of the rail, dropping the wire down through a hole drilled in the baseboard.
For over four years now, on my latest layout with about 150 feet of mainline track, I have not had any cause to modify or repair any connection to improve the running of any of my equipment.
As it may be said, time will tell!
Just wait until tomorrow! [:D]
Hi, Yes, I soldered mine because I used flex track with some short sections of off brand track and cheap turnouts. It is in unheated pole barn with all extremes, heat, cold and high humidity. I have some feeders installed. And some cuts for blocks. Have one wire break in about eight years. Some joints are butt joints soldered,( no rail joiners). It’s not all pretty but it functions well.
Flatcar
To solder or not to solder that is the Question.
Personal choice
The only place where solder is a necessity is when I am using curved flex track. I solder the fixed end and then curve the track to fit and solder the other end.
Having said that, Every joint on the new section of my layout is soldered. I have far fewer problems on the new section than the old!
Make your own decision. [:)]
KJ
I’d say it depends on the application. as above soldering straight for flex track then curving it works. for reliable electrical contact, eh, on our club every 3 ft section got soldered to and so on for reliable power. Using the soldered joint alone for electrical contact wasn’t really relied on. Flux in solder was always a potential future problem.
Rail joints were for flexing for track for expansion/contraction, and I have film proof of track warp on the prototype on a streetcar line on a ballasted portion.
can you say S Curve?!!! whoa
I would just use good judgement where/how/why you need or not to solder the joints.