Finally after almost a year, I’m finally ready to lay track on my “Granite Gorge and Northern” railroad. The cookie-cutter benchwork is complete and I’ve added 2" insulate foam to the top over 1/2" plywood. Instead of using sectional Atlas track (which the plan calls for), I’m using Code 83 flex. I’m using pins to hold the track in place so I can trace the track, in order to lay the foam roadbed down. As to soldering the flex track and switches in, can I solder them in place with the pins holding the track down once I glue the roadbed and track down or do I solder them in sections on a workbench and add them in as I go? Any easy tricks out there to help speed things up? Lastly, I was wondering why Code 83 flex (Atlas) doesn’t have holes for track nails…would have been easier to pin the flex down with these holes. OH, I forgot …is the moveable flex rail to the outside/inside…I think it goes outside (?) Thanks, Steve [:D]
I would solder on a work bench. Me personally don’t like to solder unless i have
to.
Ditto on soldering, though I’ve heard everyone recommend to solder all the joiners in and add feeder wires every 3 or so feet.
I am a big no solder person. I never solder turnouts, and on the curves were I do solder the flex track, I do it in place. That way I only have to work with, at most, 4 ties per rail (I never have joints in the two rails directly across from each other). I guess the choice will really come down to your skill and comfort level.
The best trick is to NOT get in a hurry.
What is wrong with the pins mentioned earlier? I found a push pin between two of the ties works a whole lot better than one pin in one tie. Then you don’t have all those holes in the ties to fill in later.
I put the sliddy rail on the inside of the curve. The outside rail takes the stress of the train trying to go straight, so I want the stronger sturdier rail on the outside.
That’s the best tip yet!!
Ken.
Thanks for the help. As mentioned, the Code 83 doesn’t seem to have nail holes like the sectional track…are they somewhere else…just curious I’m planning on glueing it down anyhow. Steve
I agree about taking it slowly!
I was shown how to lay track by an older English gentleman who has a rather large N scale layout. His practice is to solder the lengths of flex-track together on the bench where you can easily hold it firmly and make sure the joints are clean and straight before you put the track down. But he always stresses that turnouts should NEVER be soldered. In fact, he never pins the switches down either! In his experience they are best left floating with just rail joiners holding them in alignment. That way expansion/contraction of track wont misalign the switch and points.
After the track is down and settled (glue all nicely cured and all) he goes around with a Dremel tool and cuts expansion gaps into the rail so that their is never a length greater than about 2 lengths of flex track without an expansion gap. Which of course means he has to use lots more feeders than some folk would. All things considered, I figured that is why he never has derailments!
I am a no solder person, especially when it comes to flex tracks and turnouts. I haven’t had trouble related to the rail joiners and conductivity. Not soldering allows me to make adjustments later.
My one suggestion when laying track is to test it with your touchiest locomotive before pinning or gluing it down. For me, that locomotive is my Stewart switcher.
Soldering in place on foam is very touchy. Use the workbench to minimize the risk of damage. I found that flex track on curves is best managed at the location on the layout. Model Railroader Getting Started in the Hobby, chapter nine does a good job of describing and displaying the soldering of flex track.
My suggestion is to pre solder your wires to the bottom of the rail where you know they will be needed. This has alot nicer apperance when you get the track ready for ballast.
Also (This is my personel opinion) on straight track it doesn’t matter which side the moving rail goes on. On turns put the moving rail to the inside. As you bend the track it will grow longer and allows you to have to make only one cut.
Good Luck
Lane
I think I’ll solder 3 or 4 sections at a time at least to each switch then glue in place. I’ll use the many switches I have on the layout as start/stop points in adding the sections of flex in. I have a variable wattage soldering gun from Radio Shack, was wondering if those soldering pens that heat/cool instantly are worth a darn? Steve
I have used two different types of Atlas Code 83 flex. I suspect they may use different suppliers from time to time. One kind has holes in the center of the ties that you can see from the bottom. You’ll need to drill them out before putting the track down.
The other type has no holes, but I’ve found it’s pretty easy to cut off the molded spikes shove a spike through the tie plates, as there are holes under them. A spike every few inches is probably enough to hold it down, especially if you plan to add ballast later.
I do like to solder most of my rail joiners. On flex I solder it straight and then bend the combined piece around the curve.
But don’t cut it! Slide it into the ties of the next section, and join it wherever it ends up. That way you will only have to cut one rail for the entire curve. This will also keep the rail joints in each rail from being side to side.
This is the method I will be using on my next expansion. I don’t intend to cut the long rail until forced to by a turnout or crossover. It is more prototypical and easier to keep a smooth curve.