The newbie questions continue… I’m planning my first layout in Xtrkcad, and after attempting to join two sections in a runaround track the join has a “0.125” printed next to it. I presume this indicates that there’s an eighth of an inch gap there. Is there a remedy for this, other than using flextrack to make a better fit?
It won’t translate 100% from plan to layout anyway…no matter what you do. This is just a representation. Once you begin to lay out lengths of track and commercial turnouts, you will find that some of your gaps are going to be tight, some looser, and it will all come out fine. You can always tighten a curve 1/2" radius to bring ends of track closer, or loosen three or four previous joints to take up some space further ahead. Recall, too, that you will want several gaps to allow expansion. Besides, a whole 1/8" gap in HO is no biggy…more cosmetic than anything. Yeah, I know, you know it’s there, and so will knowledgeable onlookers. If it turns out to be the case, and it bugs you, fill in the gap with some epoxy or styrene sanded down to profile. Once painted up and weathered, you will soon forget about it.
-Crandell
OK, so nothing to worry about at the moment. Thanks.
Well, Crandall’s got a lot more experience at this stuff than I do, but I find a 1/8" gap makes for an unacceptable bump in my track, which increases the risk of derailments or uncouplings (especially on curves).
I’d do what Crandall suggested and slide your sections to create several smaller gaps.
Also, what he pointed out bears repeating: all of the layout software assumes that track is manufactured perfectly to millimetric standards, and it just ain’t so. There will always be at least a little “fudging” to get the trackwork
You might get away with 1/8" gap on a straight and level joint ,but you’ll likely have problems on curves or around turnouts. Sometimes depends on how tight your joiners are. As far as track expansion,I’ve never had any problems with this. I sometimes wonder if people who do have problems are using some type of hot lighting such as halogen track lights which would put heat on the layout.
I think more importantly is that you don’t have any kinks at the joints. By which I mean that the joints follow straight through rather than have a shallow angle where they come together. BILL
I have deliberately left 2 millimeter gaps in track laid at the cold end of my layout’s temperature range, secure in the knowledge that they will close up, but not completely, when the July afternoon temperature reaches its desert sun beating on uninsulated wall maximum.
Bill is absolutely right that it’s important not to have kinks in any trackage - especially if you run stiff-framed steam. It’s also a good (economical) idea to substitute flex any place that your sectional-track plan has two or more successive straight sections. One length of flex = four straight sections. The cutoffs will always be lengths that can substitute for straight sections elsewhere.
To assure smooth operation even when the gaps open up, be sure to de-burr every rail end. Then take a quick swipe at the upper inside corner of the railhead, leaving a tapered facet that may be barely visible. It should be about 5 times as long as it is wide. That will keep the flanges of passing wheels between the rails by eliminating the possibility of picking the joint. If you can run a finger along a length of track without feeling any snagging, you’ve done it right.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)