i’m handlaying some track. I realize i can’t solder too many lengths together, otherwise temperature expansion will cause them to buckle, but are rail joiners the only option.
Are there any tricks? Possibly placing 2 ties next to one another where the rails join?
since i’ve read that rails are often soldered together, what lengths are ok, and what kind of gaps are needed?
thanks for you time and bandwidth
When soldering flex track together, most folks seem to do two lengths or 6 feet. Most comments seem to indicate rail joiners are the best way to keep track aligned properly, expecially on curves. I have seen a number of layouts where afterballasting and a little weathering it is very difficult to see either wire connections soldered to the track or rail joiners. I’m sue it took the folks some pratice to do that quality work. I would say pratice in yards and other places where the work won’t be as visible and you should be able to do a credible job.
Good luck,
Richard
Rail joiners which are tight enough to hold the rail ends in proper mechanical alignment are the simplest option - just make sure the ties under them are cut down so there’s no hump at the joint.
It’s also possible to simply bring the rail ends into alignment and hold them with spikes. This might work on tangent track, but I wouldn’t trust it on curves.
Some fancy file or Dremel work will allow you to form the kind of tapered or sliding lap joints found on superspeed rail lines like the Japanese Shinkansen. For ordinary model work, this is gross overkill.
Interestingly, I model a prototype that placed two ties almost touching at rail joints. Of course, they also used joint bars. (I simulate the prototype joints with tie spacing when laying track.)
No matter how you secure the rail joints, it’s a good idea to pre-form the rail to the desired radius before anchoring it to the ties (roadbed, if flex track.) It’s also a good idea to de-burr every rail end with a fine file, and to ‘break’ the top inside corner of the railhead by cutting a small bevel into it. Those two tricks will make it a lot more likely that you’ll end up with bulletproof track.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with Atlas flex and hand-laid specialwork)
I’ve handlaid an entire layout (small) without a single rail joiner. I spike every tie for about 3-4 ties before the joint. On curves, it’s much, much easier to get a well-aligned joint if you pre-bend the rail. Then cut off the last 1/2 inch of rail that can’t be easily pre-bent. That 4x8 layout (later cut down to 4x6) lasted through 3 military moves and 1 DIY move. I never had any problems with my track except 2 points coming unsoldered from the PC board throwbar.
I got the idea of doing without rail joiners from a Jack Work article on handlaid turnouts in the April 1963 Model Railroader.
Atlas flex track joints on curves are about the only track joints that have to be soldered to maintain alignment - at least in HO and smaller.
If you don’t use rail joiners, every piece of rail has to have a feeder attached. To me, this is a good practice anyway because rail joiners fail as electrical connectors (and alignment holders) over time. I used 26 gauge magnet wire to a bus underneath the layout. The wire was soldered to the rail base before spiking, and then inserted through a 1/8" hole in the roadbed.
Soldered butt joints are pretty impractical unless silver solder or something similar is used. If you need to solder a joint, a wiser man than I suggested cutting rail joiners in half lengthwise, and using the shortened rail joiner to solder the joint with. Of course, the tie top has to be lowered to
If you are going to the trouble of hand laying your track, I would recommend Micro-Engineering rail joiners as they will provide you with a good mechanical and electrical joint, and they are less visible than some others. ME also makes some good looking insulated joiners as well, and they are a brownish color.