HO track questions

[jbrock27]

After the glue dries, the track can be removed from the layout (for what ever reason) and the flex track will maintain its shape.
Rod in PA

That seems to me to defeat part of the beauty and purpose of flex track; after that, you no longer have the ability to form it in another shape, for another layout use, which if you were removing it to begin with, why wouldn't you want the option to reform it?

[rogertra]

After the glue dries, the track can be removed from the layout (for what ever reason) and the flex track will maintain its shape.
Rod in PA

That seems to me to defeat part of the beauty and purpose of flex track; after that, you no longer have the ability to form it in another shape, for another layout use, which if you were removing it to begin with, why wouldn't you want the option to reform it?

Exactly.  I don't see the point of doing that.  Why buy flex track if you going to convert it to set track?  Glueing the rail to the ties as is suggested will not make the track any more stable than just lightly pinning it down and then ballasting it with ballast and your favourite diluted glue.

You are making the flex track almost impossible to reuse or to make any future alterations to your track plan.


Cheers

Roger T.

[electrical whiz kid]

Roger;
The main selling point -to me-is that flex-track will conform to meet the demands of a particular configuration.  If you have a transition from one angle to another, flex- as you know, will fill the bill; but if you want stability if, say for some reason, you have something to do before the transit goes down, securing the configuration will help you.
From my angle, one could just as well solder pieces of wire to the tops of the rails, de-solder when through, and just clean up the excess.

Rich C.

[jbrock27]

...solder pieces of wire to the tops of the rails...

Rich C.

[electrical whiz kid]

R-read it, Brock.

Rich C>

[jbrock27]

I did Cormier, and it still says "solder pieces of wire to the tops of the rails".

[rogertra]

I did Cormier, and it still says "solder pieces of wire to the tops of the rails".

He then goes on to say "de-solder when through, and just clean up the excess." 


Cheers


Roger T.

[electrical whiz kid]

It also says; "De-solder when through"...  Would you care to borrow my specs?

[jbrock27]

(heavy sigh) Yes, boys, I know it does.  But why?  What, pray tell, is the point and purpose of this procedure Mr. C?  What is it supposed to accomplish and gain for someone?

[on30gn15]

You will want to solder the joints together, BEFORE you bend the flex track.  This prevents kinks.  If you are not comfortable with soldering, than I would avoid flex track.  Better yet, get comfortable with soldering.    It doesn't take long to learn and is most beneficial when laying track and wiring.

Illustration of that happened recently at our little model RR club on the DCC-only HO layout; we also have a modular HO DC/DCC layout.

Even on what I think is about a 28 inch radius curve, and even having the rial joints offset by a bout an inch difference between inner and outer rail there was a slight kink.
The members who laid and are the ones who primarily operate the DCC-only layout weren't concerned as all their power went through just fine.

However ...

When other members used that layout there were problems at that joint.

Turned out that the primary group used almost all 6 axle power and the other members' 4 axle power had trouble at that joint - the shorter the wheelbase of each truck, the more trouble.
One fellow's brand new DCC 70 tonner derailed every time at that joint.

He cane and showed me his trouble.
I went and got my soldering stuff - problem soon ceased to exist.

I didn't take up the entire curve, which is not yet ballasted. Pulled enough track nails either side of joint to push track toward middle of curve enough to make joint plus an inch or two each side more or less straight.
Tacked it that way with nails against outside rail. Then pretty much saturated the joints with solder. Had to file a bit of excess solder down on inner face of rail web above joiner, but hey, those joints will hold! After solder had cooled I pulled the temporary nails and re-secured the track.

And David's little green 70 tonner now rolls over that joint like it isn't there  
And so does everything else for that matter.

[electrical whiz kid]

On30;
Sounds like a job well done.  Now...Brock...If you are soldering wires to the tops of the rail AFTER you first form it to your needs, the track will stay reasonably stable whilst you are installing it.  The wire (and I do hope you figured it out that you should be using wire like phosphor Bronze, as it is tenacious enough to hold its shape-and you remove (de-solder??) the wires when completed with said task.  Of course, the other option would be to use the ties made from PC board, as I had previously mentioned.  Although the better option, Both ways have justification for being used.  Just for the record, use rail joiners for connectors; do NOT rely upon solder to hold the rails together; and use pigtails (wire leaders from track to buss) about every six feet.  I make nine out of #18 stranded, usu.  THWN, MTW, et al.  A lot of guys use t'stat wire.   That is probably OK per application; I just prefer stranded conductors.  Do NOT use anything smaller...

Rich C.

[jbrock27]

Thank you Rich, I appreciate your taking the time to explain your concept further.  I am still not clear on why spiking or nailing the flex track as you go along, in the shape you want, would not do the trick and thus avoid having to put solder on top of the rails, which just makes for one other thing to have to take/clean off the rails.   

Where were ties made from PC board, mentioned previously?

Don't worry, I always use rail joiners.  Do you actually know people who don't? 

A lot of folks, instead of pig tails, simply solder their feeder wires to a buss wire.  Seems like one of the more reliable methods to me.

[electrical whiz kid]

A "pigtail" IS what you call a "feeder".  Look further back for P.C. ties.

[jbrock27]

Sorry, when I see/read 'pig tails', I am thinking/seeing wire nuts in use to secure striped wire together that has been "pig tailed".

Sorry, did not look back far enough-Clover House, etc for P.C. ties.  Thank you for broadening my horizons.

And for the record, I don't have need to be overly concerned about feeder wires since I run a rather modest DC layout, with even just one set of wires from the pack to the track and most of the joiners soldered, it is enough to have uninterrupted power throughout.  I completely understand the different need for them with a DCC layout.  I agree with you in preference to stranded wire.

[Ken G Price]

When using flex track make sure the movable track is on the inside of the curve.

Why, you ask? 
Well, if not, you will find very large gaps between the ties, Very un-prototype looking.