flex track

[jsmvmd]

Dear Hunt,

Thank you for another great link. I try to save these aritlces, but missed that one!

Best Wishes,

Jack

[Atlantic Central]

Gene,

A few thoughts:

My experiance with Atlas code 83 flex has been that both rails slide with about the same ease. The only differance being the side with the tie gaps is going to be the one that "slides". Atlas flex track has tie sections with all gaps on one side with ony the gaps between the long "sections" of tie being on both sides.

The only differance I can see between flexing it one way or the other is whether the ties close up or spread out. Closing up may be better for a Class one line, spreading out better for a branch line.

I use Altlas's flex track ends in locations with insulated rail joiners and I always position them directly across from each other. On curves I do as you mentioned, shave off the spikes/tie plates and solder the railjoint.

Sheldon

[Bojangle]

Sheldon:
Now I understand why the sliding rail goes on the inside curve,  to let the ties close up rather than spread out.  I noticed also that the fixed rail has a tie gap every 9 inches, a standard length of snap track.  (I'm looking at a piece of code 100).  Very interesting.
Bo

[renniks]

    Gene,

    After curving the track,the outside rail will always be short whichever side you put the flexible and the inner rail will need cutting to match. All switching will do is give you different appearance of ties between sections.

    Eric UK

[SteamGene]

It follows that the outside rail has to be shorter.  Apparently it has something to do with how much shorter.
Gene

[Craig]

After curving the track,the outside rail will always be short whichever side you put the flexible and the inner rail will need cutting to match.

I don't agree. You don't want the ends to match. It is far more desireable, for a number of reasons,  to have the rail joints staggered. This is what I do:



Afterwards I, of course, replace the appropriate number of absent ties and modify some to accommodate the rail joiners.

[SteamGene]

Craig,
So what you are doing is removing ties on either end and leaving some in the middle - is that correct?
Gene

[Craig]

Gene, yes that's correct. I remove a few ties and slide the rails into the ties of the adjoining track section, then solder them up and replace the missing ties. If necessary, I deliberately make the joints further apart than they naturally occur so there is always plenty of solid rail opposing each joint. In that case I choose a specific number of ties to remove from each section of track and insert the rails into a segment of ties as I did in the photo. The track in the photo was one of four that I bench-soldered and installed as a single section. The joints are strong, the rails do not bind or kink, and the rails stay in gauge.

You had asked if anyone soldered fixed rails to floating rails. In the past I've done that on meandering curves but these days I use flex track with no fixed rails. As Sheldon mentioned earlier, the only consideration is which side the ties are molded together on. They will either spread or close depending on which side is inside or out.

Craig

[Bojangle]

Craig:

Very nice work, I noticed you even preserved the "spikes" on the loose ties.  I haven't worked with flex,  hope I can do justice to it. 

Is it possible to "bunch up" the ties to one side, (slide them together) then slide them back in place after joining, rather than completely remove them? 

I have been experimenting with a piece, the spikes on the sliding rail are longer/larger, I'm trying to figure out what keeps the "fixed" side from sliding also, is the rail glued to the ties?  I removed some end ties, had to really pull to get them off the fixed side.

Bo

[Craig]

Bo,

The flex track I use does not have a fixed rail; they both slide with ease. Atlas Superflex is the same way.  I know what you mean about the difficulty of removing ties from flex track with a fixed rail because I used it in my yard a few years ago.

You can't bunch the ties up because they have built in spacers. On one side the spacers are connected in larger groups. This keeps the gauge uniform by preventing the ties from shifting (out of right angles to the rail)as the track is formed into a radius; if the ties shifted, the rails would move closer together. Also, you can't slide the ties past your rail joiners. I have pretty good luck just pressing the rails back into the cleats on the ties after I slide them under the rails, but where joiners are located I grind the cleats off with a dremel and a 1/8" bit.

Craig

[Craig]

Bo,

E-mail me and I'll send you a link you might have use for.

Craig

[r.cprmier]

I have said it before; be careful of this-use a track gauge judiciously, and muchly, as this is a potential for a bucketful of trouble.  Those tie-less rail sections can narrow up and even a little can spell disaster; especially if that joint is tunnel-bound...

Rich

"I've been rich, and I've been poor.  And rich is better!"                     
                                             
                                                          -Sophie Tucker

[Craig]

I always put the ties back so there are no tie-less sections. In places where rail joiners are installed, Rich is absolutely right. I place a gauge on the rails and glue fitted ties beneath the joiners. I leave the gauge in place while the glue cures.

Speaking of gauge:
Super-flex type track tends to have a little play in the gauge because both rails are loose in the cleats. On curves, the tension tends to eliminate that play quite a bit but on straight runs I find myself placing drops of glue on the cleats here and there after installation and gauging.

Craig