Just wonder what the rest of you do and if you feel it was the right decision?
I don’t solder turnouts. Everything I have read says if you need to service or replace a turnout you can slip back the rail connector until the turnout is free and then replace it the same way.
I solder every joint, including switches. It requires less feeders and you get a solid joint on all these connections and no kinks either.
Some say don’t do that, I don’t understand why not. And un-soldering the joint is very easy if I have to remove a switch or section of track.
You’re going to get a multitude of opinions and “how to’s”. The “right decision” will be whatever you think is best for you.
Over the years, I have learned that electric model railroad engines need a constant supply of electricity to run [swg]. Turnouts are one the most troublesome places to maintain electrical contact. In a turnout (switch), there are many things that can cause a break in continuity or cause the loco to “raise up” and lose contact: point rail, closure rail, frog, guard rail (not to mention any ballast that may get stuck in these small spaces). It is important to maintain electrical contact through these; so, your choices are to run feeders to every piece of rail or solder the joints to maintain electrical supply.
My method: I run feeders to my turnout joints (all 6) AND solder them. [tup]
I solder the joints at the point-end of the turnout. I’m using Peco Electrofrog turnouts and have insulating joiners on the ends of the two frog rails. The other two rails at the frog end are not soldered. This way I can connect power leads to either the turnout itself or the track connected (soldered) to the point end of the turnout. The important thing to remember is not to rely on loose unsoldered rail joiners to carry power from one section of track/turnout to the next. You don’t have to solder every joint as long as you have power connected to those track sections not receiving power from another powered track section through a soldered joint.
Bob
Same here, have been since the 1960’s. Soldered rail joints mean no electrical problems.
Sheldon
If your layout is located in a NASA clean room, where the variances in temperature and humidity are held to optimum plus or minus 1%, then by all means solder every rail joiner that isn’t at an insulating gap.
My layout space is the diametric opposite of a NASA clean room - dusty, outdoor ambient humidity and annual temperature swing of close to 100 degrees F. And, thanks to a gas water heater, climate control isn’t going to happen.
So I let my rail joints slide, lay rail with appropriate gaps (which do open and close with changing temperature) and assure electrical continuity by soldering a jumper around every uninsulated joiner. I learned a long time ago not to depend on rail joiners to conduct track power. The jumpers can flex easily, allowing the rails to expand or contract unimpeded.
As for rail joints at turnouts - I avoid them by using full-length stick rail for stock rails and rails that extend to and beyond the clearance points on the diverging tracks from the frog point. When you hand-lay in place you don’t have those six rail joints located just where they’re most likely to be troublesome…
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Mr Rrebell,
Every piece of rail - EVERY - is connected to the distribution system by soldered or screw terminal connection, or combination there of. If the rail does not have a direct connection of its own, then it is soldered to a rail that has a direct connection. Rail joiners provide alignment only, no electrical reliability.
In the end you pays your money you takes your chances. What is right for you needs to consider many factors, including environment, skill level and resources.
Finally, if you are using DCC ensure that your work passes the quarter test at all locations, including turnout points and frogs.
Have fun. Dwayne A.
LION solders switches in place. LION even solders several switches together on the bench and brings the whole assembly to the layout.
What if? What if LION wants to remove switch. It happens often enough that the LION knows how to do this.
You cut the rail joiner with a motor tool., turnout lifts right out. It is now easy to flick the remaining rail joiner halves away with the soldering iron.
Repair or replace switch, push new rail joiners on to track all the way past the end of the joiner, drop the switch in place and bring up the joiners to make the connection and solder them in place.
ROAR
Why do you have to replace switches so often???
I solder all rail joiners including the turnouts. I found out long ago that the one rail joiner that fails to conduct power is the one that didn’t get soldered. If I need to replace a turn out I cut the old one out, remove the joiners and replace them with new joiners, install the new turnout and solder it in.
I don’t solder any rail joiners except for those on flex track on curves. In addition to being the highest maintenance piece of track, turnouts are most likely to be involved with track changes. Our club used to solder. It became so time consuming and such a nightmare unsoldering them we ruined many in the process. With unsoldered joints it was just a matter of sliding the joiners back popping the turnout for repair / replacement / change left to right / whatever and then sliding the joiners back on - done.
On my previous layout I soldered almost all of the turnout joints. On the more recent layout, I did if it appeared to need it. I guess maybe 20 percent or so are soldered. I approached it individually, and made the decision when I laid the track. Hey, if need be you can always come back and solder.
Mostly because I change my mind on what the layout is supposed to do and how it is supposed to do it. I seldom if ever replace a switch because of derailment issues. Call them “Editors Changes.”
Not to mention the fact that most of these switches are on their third or fourth layout, or at least installation on the same layout.
ROAR
I agree with Texas Zepher and as Mobilman44 says, you can always go back later and solder connections that eventually lose conductivity. Full disclosure: my layout room is environmentally controlled, my benchwork and roadbed is painted to minimize moisture absorption, I use Walthers/Shinohara Code 83 rail joiners which are very snug on their Code 83 flex and turnouts (Atlas joiners are looser) and I treated each rail end with No-Ox before joining. No problems so far after almost 10 months after full operation began.
Dante
For maintenance reasons, I generally leave them unsoldered, but there are a couple of exceptions.
If a turnout is connected to a section of flex track which is curved, I like to solder that joint to keep the sideways pressure from the flex track from forming a kink.
Also, if I’ve got a complex section of trackwork in an awkward space, I’ll solder the whole thing together so that problems don’t show up later after a lot of scenery has grown up aroung the track.
I think I will go with your way as there are just too many joints and being in a garage the expansion factor could come up at a later date. When assessing the situation I did find an unsolder-ed drop on a siding so I now have a reason to break out the iron and stuff!
Many people bring up the electrical conductivity issue, but fewer seem to consider alignment. Alignment around a turnout, especially coming into the points, is critical for ensuring derailment-free operation. A soldered joint is less likely to be shifted and cause trouble later with equipment being able to traverse it properly. If you feel it necessary to leave a lot of unsoldered joints due to expansion/contraction concerns, it’s still worth considering soldering the point ends of turnout stock rails.
why do you need a rail joiner if you going to solder the rails together?
if there is no rail joiner, it is not difficult to unsolder rails to separate them for service
Greg,
I have found that the joiners help to hold the joint in good alignment, especially with flex track, coming out of a curve connecting to a turnout; or on a curve, helping to prevent kinks. As mentioned above, it’s straightforward to cut through or unsolder a joiner when needed - they are rather thin.
Wilton.