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Track Gap Between Connecting Rails
Al is new to model trains and would like help from anyone with some experience in the hobby and asks:
“I am new to this great hobby and having purchased a used layout from another train hobbyist I encountered a slight problem with a bit of track gap. I seem to lose some electrical power where this occurs which causes my locos to stutter before continuing on around my layout. My question: is there something that can close this small gap between the 2 connecting rails. Is there some kind of filler, connector, or insulator.”
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2 Responses to Track Gap Between Connecting Rails
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Hi Al; I had the same problem; I found that by removing the rail joiners and cleaning the rails were they joined, then reasemble using new railjoiners worked for me.If you can not remove the joiners then try slodering the joints. Warning do not use to much heat or you will melt the plastic rail ties or change the distance between the rails. Clean the joint and apply a little solder flux to the area. This will help the solder flow smoothly.Roberts train help book has a good article on this subject in chapter 4 page page 26. Have fun and enjoy your hobby..
Henry
Hi Al, This can be a problem for any model RR. You have 2 or more solutions, one you will become very good at, soldering, we will get back to that later, 2nd loosen up all the track and push it in tight at all rail joiners, and then solder all joints that are not “insulated joiners”. This brings us back to 1, if you dont want to separate all the track (which I dont think you want to), practice soldering on a scrap piece of rail, when you feel good enough, this should not take long, fill in all the gaps in your RR and solder every where track has been joined even if there is no separation. You are dealing with low voltage electric on the traqck side and need good connections everywhere. Solder should be finished so as not to derail the trains, and usually if the joints are tight to begin with you would only solder the outside of the rails so as not to have any high spots on the inside of the tracks where the wheels actually run on, you may have to lightly sand any high spots down wih emory paper. Rails should remain smooth through out the layout. The insulated joiners if you have them are usually some kind of plastic and they separate power to different parts of the layout and must be supplied with electric individually, (do not solder these if you have them). Hopefully this helps, if you need more details you may want to get Roberts book or the like. Dont forget your tracks need to be cleaned every so often no matter what for good contact. Tony P