Comments on: How To Join Track Sections?

By: calvin klein bragas

calvin klein bragas — Thu, 24 Aug 2017 02:05:28 +0000

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By: Bob

Bob — Fri, 28 Oct 2016 13:56:44 +0000

Solder small brass tubing about 1/2″ long to the outside of all 4 rails where the sections are divided. Then use a solid piece of piano wire to fit the brass tubing and bend the wire at one end so you can remove it. This will line the rails up plus give you the track power also. Seen this done at a train show years ago.

By: Gerry

Gerry — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 16:28:14 +0000

WOW! You certainly received a lot of answers to your question. In my humble opinion drop leaf is the easiest, and less wear and tear on your module, to do. It requires a hinge on one endnd a micro switch on the other end. The micro switch is for interrupting track power whenever the gat is lifetd. I saw a series on MRVP where they did this with excellent results.
If it HAS to be a lift out then I would follow one of the excellent examples from some of the others that replied to your query.

By: Martin

Martin — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 06:01:44 +0000

Some of my joins are on curves – which is a pain.
I screwed a 2″ aluminium strip under the track each side of each join instead of the cork underlay. Laid the track over the joins and screwed it in place temporarily. Araldite’d the sleepers AND the track to the Ali strip and finally cut through track, sleepers and Araldite at the joins.

It works fine but is a little messy. Nothing track ballast and weathering can’t disguise though.

By: Peter

Peter — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 05:25:33 +0000

PS make sure you keep the guage correct make one if you have to to sit on the top side of the rails.Also note the there are 8 screws on either end of the lift out section.

By: Peter

Peter — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 05:21:31 +0000

Hi.I have been using brass screws.These can be adjusted till the height is correct (that is with sleepers removed and the screws adjusted till they touch the under side of the rails)and then soldered.On a curved join section you will need four screws ,two on each side of the rail on the lift out section and the same on the stationary section spaced about 25mm apart along each rail.,You need two on each track side after the soldering has been done ( 8 screws for the total job)as the track will try to straigten after they have been cut,.Remove the sleepers where the screws meet the track,also pre solder the under side of the track as well as the screw heads but you must have the screws already adjusted to the correct height.Then solder the rail in place.You will need a good soldering iron to give sufficient heat so you can go from screw to screw,you may need to do this a couple of times till the side you are soldering is properly contacted with the screw heads.Do not cut the rail till all the soldering is finished as you will probably not match them any other way.Some people solder to a peice of circuit board and then fix this in place (make a gap in the printed copper so you will not have a short across the tracks).With the flex track you can slide some of the sleepers back from the work and then slide them forward after the track has cooled.You will just have to fit sleepers across the soldered section as best you can arrange.I dont know of a better way for curved track lift out section to meet.You will need to make the lift out section as imoveable as you can when in place.Wire the section so that at least a good section either side of the join is dead when unplugged as your loco and rolling stock will take a dive down that steep unreversable gradiant to the floor.Hope this helps or gives a thought for a better way.

By: Martin Engel

Martin Engel — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 02:05:42 +0000

Hi Colin,

To keep the ends of my rail secure for alignment I drive a suitable bullet head nail into the timber frame 5mm in from the edge and just shy under the rail. Add solder to the nail head and under the rail section. Place the rail in its required position and solder. Power is supplied via droppers as usual.

To ensure joining section position correctly I use alignment dowels. (mail/female arrangement) For the drop in section you could use vertical alignment dowels or make V alignments (male /Female) to ensure correct position every time.

Regards

Marty

By: David Stokes

David Stokes — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 01:53:15 +0000

I’ll be brief for a change. Don’t join tracks across a lift, drop leaf or module join. Either use the short section as mentioned above, or carry the track over the joint when laying it. Screw paxolin or copper clad to the baseboard each side of the gap. Solder the track to the copper clad and cut it between the rails to isolate each rail. The copper clad reinforces the track at the board edges and ensures the track stay aligned no matter how often it it parted.

By: Jerret

Jerret — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 01:43:21 +0000

I have an N Scale two table layout that is completely separated at the middle, but using hinges and hinge pins to join two layouts when I want to run them as a complete unit. The tables are connected at the “Great Gap” by bridges that are powered through rails joiners at one end of the bridge where it meets the fixed rails of the layout. The other end of the bridge(s) is simply a gapped end which is firmly positioned by using alignment blocks to hold the ties and rails in alignment with the fixed rails of the other layout. Each table can operate independently of the other table, but when the tables are hinged together and the bridges are positioned, turnouts on each table allow operations across the bridges to the other table and back. The bridges are only powered from one of the tables, and never in place unless the tables are operated as a single unit.

By: Newman Atkinson

Newman Atkinson — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 01:25:11 +0000

Colin,
I take it you are adding another module like a modular club does. Most Modular layouts will use a standard section of track such as a 9 inch straight with center right at the edge of the 2 sections. Pin it in place and fit the tracks on each side so when pulling them apart. Your permanent track will be inset from the edge of the board (module) so that the tracks don’t get damaged when carrying them or shipping them to train shows.
On the other hand if you are doing a true lift out such as at a doorway I have seen thema couple of ways. Usually the lift out will have the track extended track over the permanent section. That way if someone walks by they hopefully not brush up on the end of the rail as they walk by and snag one and damage it. As far as connecting it, a tie or 2 are usually removed so the track connector can slide from the permanent section so the lift out can lift clearing everything. Your other choice is bringing your rails to the very edge of your sections and cut and fit the ends of the rails. I know guys that will set the fit close so that you get very little open gap between the rails and not use track connectors. But power your lift out with a wire connection plug (your choice depending on the number of tracks you will have on it). But you will need to have a slot or guide plate that your drop in and will hold your drop in in alignment as it sits in place. But if you are like me I would suggest you not use a drop in IF you will be going through it regularly especially while running trains. Many of my friends have drop ins and they work fine but once set they don’t like to remove them when someone needs to go through. SO you have to crawl under. I am 63 now and as I get older crawling under is for the birds anymore.
I will have a 2 level gate on mine. The lower level is in place now and has 3 tracks on it It is a swing gate and uses no connectors at either end of the gate. Instead I have ground 45 degree bevels on the end of each rail and as the rails close they actually over lap the length of the bevel and you see no track gaps or rough track across the gap. Since I have three tracks, each rail was cut at a different place allowing the closing side to clear the tracks on the opening side. It has worked real well with little maintenance and has been working for over 3 years now. I go through the gate 15 to 20 times a day just to get tools, not counting running trains. I use a thumb tack as my gate stop and can be adjusted with spacers if necessary to keep tracks aligned. I do not use a locking pin as some do to hold the gate. Visitors to your layout will have problems aligning the pin especially if it is underneath. I use a cabinet door magnet to hold the gate in place and a limit switch if the gate is cracked open to stop trains with the tracks insulated on each side of the gate.
It also has a guide plate on the swing side where the gate slides onto the plate to support the gate when closed. A gate will take time to build Mine took 2 months but that time was worth it. Now that level was for my staging level. My main level will be different. These two gate will be one above the other But the top one will be a lift vertical gate and will be counter-balanced for easy lifting. It will also be made of bridges with a river under it. Where the tracks come together instead of the rails cut at a 45 degree bevel from side to side the upper gate will be cut a 45 degree up and down leaving almost no gap when the rails are closed. Both gates have permanent wire loop that handles power the the gate tracks. In my case. to enter the room I lift the upper gate to the over-center stop up. Then push the lower gate open. It will close back to the guide plate and stop so it is not hanging in the wind. When I am going in and out for tools I just leave it sinning on the guide plate without being fully shut. a small shove to the stop and the magnet closes the gate . Then the main level vertical gate can be closed for running with a magnet holding it down in place and side guide plates holding it square with the track alignment. To build this vertical gate I estimate about 2 months of work as was the lower swing gate. So take a look at the swing gate called a counterweight for the pass gate I have on the you tube page. If you are looking for a more permanent gate that is the way to go but if you want temporary do the drop out and hope your guests can crawl under. One last note if you choose te gates, Your whole section will include the area on each side of the gate so it is one unit Then connect to your other sections……I hope I didn’t scare you with the work involved like mine but in the long run you will be a very happy camper. Newman

By: Aaron Black

Aaron Black — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 00:45:27 +0000

I had a bascule bridge that used copper tabs that would make contact to the rails. Basically it was a rail joiner that was flat on one end then curved up. Being removable I would do both ends and run a wire between the two ends so you have a redundant contacts that are stable on the removable section. The contacts worked well, but cannot be trusted to pass noise free power past the section.

By: Ron Scannell

Ron Scannell — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 00:01:32 +0000

If the lift out section is to clear a door, hinge 1 end so it can drop down and maje sure that it stable so that it does not move side to side so the track is sell lined up then you dont actually have to connect the track to track, just run wiring. I hope that makes sense