when laying flex track do you lay the space between the back of the rails to the outside or to the inside.
Thanks Billy21
Huh???
Normally, the way this is measured is from one center line to the next. However, the easy (and probably more accurate) way to do it is to measure from the outside rail of one track to the outside rail of the next track. When measuring on the rails, measure to the same side on each track (ie. outside of rail to outside of rail). The width of the railhead should be a constant.
If I’m not mistaken, he’s referring to the spaces in the tie strip, which are under only one rail. I’ve read somewhere that those gaps should all go on one side, although I can’t remember if it was the inside of the curve or the outside. Naturally, I didn’t hear of this until after my track was layed, and I didn’t worry about which side was in or out - the track looks fine and the trains run fine, too - no problems with kinks either, and all rail joints are soldered.
Wayne
I all so am not sure what Billy means but here is what I was told by LHS when I started.
One rail moves, the other one does not. Lets say moving rail on first section is on the left, next moving section will be on the right on straights. I all so remove one tie from each end of staring sections. After in stalled you fill the gaps by cutting off the rail spikes heads that are on the removed ties and slip under the rails where the gap is. You can either glue them down or spike them.
On turns I Lay all the moving rails on the inside of the turn. I in stall the first section to a straight away, then bend and hold down, cut off 2 to 4 ties depending on who tight of a turn it is, from the end of the turn. Trip the rail with rail nippers, file so both rails are even. Hook up the next section, hold down again. Solder the rail joiners where the first and second section of flex track hook up and keep going as needed. Then fill the gaps left with left over ties.
Cuda Ken
I would suggest soldering track joints only if your layout is in a fairly constant temperature environment. My layout is in an unheated garage, up at the cottage. I have a wood stove and gas heater, which I use when I’m there. But when I’m not there the garage is unheated, and can go from below zero in the winter, to maybe a hundred on a hot summer day. I had laid some beautiful trackwork, with soldered joints. In the spring, I had a lot of buckled and bowed track, which I had to relay, with small gaps at the track joints, to allow for expansion and contraction. In the colder periods, the gaps are a bit large, due to contraction, but don’t seem to cause any derailments. And I get a fairly realistic click clack as the train goes along.
It goes to the inside of a curve because it helps the ties to space properly when the track is flexed.
Hi!
I’ve always laid the track side where the ties are not attached to the outside of a curve. I believe this gives a more freeflowing line, and easier to mold. HOWEVER, I really can’t argue the point for others may find just the opposite to work best for them. What I would do if I were you, is to try it both ways on a curve and see which is best for you. Of course on tangent or straight trackage, there is no difference.
Regarding soldering, my layout is in a climate controlled room, and all joints are soldered. Although I currently run DC, I understand that with DCC this is especially important to assure a good signal all over the layout.
Mobilman44