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6 Responses to Track Joining A New Table Section
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Hi Peter,
I lay the track across the join and pin it down on the outside of the rails using track pins form Micromark. This minimises distortion, I then cut the track verticalky above the baseboard joint using a Dremel cutter disk on a flexible shaft (ensures a vertical cut). Then cut the rail chairs off the sleepers either side of the joint. Fit metal fish plates, 4 off, with the end of the joiner flush with the cut rail end. Then drill a pilot hole under the rail, you will have to tease the rail aside to do this. Then fit a small brass countersunk screw, No 2 size, into the pilot hole, adjust the height of the screw head so that when the rail and fishplate are above it, that the rail is vertically in alignment. Solder the fishplate to the brass screw head ensuring horizontal alignment. Take care NOT to solder the rail!
You will end up with the rails accurately positioned and secured across the board joint, plus the rails will be able to move with thermal expansion/contraction.
I use standard 9 inch snap sections in HO four straight sections and the 22 inch radius sections if I need the curves. Many club modules will use this method especially if you are breaking your modules down very much. Installing these center the piece as required and pin it down. then fit your modular track to that. I am doing this with my main layout and maybe I will never take it apart but it could happen. If I have to move, or it the furnace man needs to get into the furnace, or what ever. Using the sections of track protects the rail on the module by keeping the rail ends about 4 1/2 inches from the edge. This keeps the rail ends from accidentally getting bent if bumped. It is easier to replace the snap track pieces than your module rail.
If you use the 22 inch radius curve snap track and your radius is different it can be adjusted by cutting and removing the tie link between the ties on both rail at every other tie and you can carefully bend the section as necessary for your track plan. Then trim the long rail to evenly meet the module rail end. With the end of your module rails are now away from the end of the board it is less likely they will get damaged. I then clamp the modules together holding the snap track from moving. Using the snap sections also allows you to shift the modules to get the best position before clamping them together. If you use the rails right at the end of the board then they have to be right on and it you have multiple tracks to connect then you might have trouble connecting one of them, but in 9 inches of travel that snap track allows this to shift as necessary
Newman Atkinson.
Peter, I have to places on my layout where track has to be removed. one is section of my bridge and the other is a small piece of track connecting to a line continuing up a grade…I took some strips of 1/2 ” plywood and glued them to the underside of my layout and then another piece of 1/2″ plywood to fill the gap where i need the track and set it in place then take a piece of flex track as it is easy to align, measure and mark it to the right length and cut it with my dremel and then glue the track in place with glue and once it is dry then i can lift it out and replace it when operating my locos.Give it a try.
Chuck
you should start by making the two sections together and figuring out how to make them always go back together in the same exact way!!! try using pieces of PVC pipe or wood doweling.
there is a great youtube video that shows a simple way of laying the track by using 4 screws, one for each end of the rails. screw the 4 screws into the base board where the track goes, adjust the height of the screws to make the track perfectly level and true. once you are satisfied with the track solder the rails to the screws. now they will never move!
great modeling!
Les
I haven’t actually needed to do this but had a second board planned for my Märklin Z scale layout. The plan was to align the two board using metal dowels. Märklin make extendable tracks and I was going to store the board with the track length compressed and then extend it over the break to mate up with a fixed length track on the second board. That way, once the boards and track were in place the joint would be fully fishplated just as if it was in the middle of a single board.
The first thing to do is develop a method to assure the two sections of bench work align the same both horizontally and vertically. I use through bolts as they do allow for minor adjustments. I end the rails on both sections about 4 & 1/2 inches from the ends and I do NOT tack the ends down . I can then use a standard 9″ track section to fill the void after the two sections are bolted together. Trying to install the 9″ tractions between the rail ends can be a problem because of the rail joiners. to solve this problem I remove a section of the plastic ties so the joiners slide full back on the 9″ section.