Boy did I make a "boo-boo" ! I thought that rails could be joint together by soldering them, it work like a charm, until 5 months later when the heat from the floor heater created expansion on the brass rails, and it made the rails push themselves together creating a bump of solder over the joints, one joint had even lost it's alignment with the other rail since they were touching each other. All this because I did not have enough rails joiners. Did anyone ever made that mistake? Should rail joiner be use always? Or maybe I used the wrong solder material?
I usually solder all my rail joints, and have had little trouble with that. Except for one in a bend that act up now and again. And my modules have bin working since 2003 and on numerous shows and different environments. But never directly in sunlight so I have not been a victim off warping yet anyway.
Ben, Years ago (with N scale) I did my track-work in the winter and that summer the rails were going everywhere. :realmad1up: That darn expansion and contraction stuff! I even used rail joiners and solder. Now I always leave expansion joints (joiners without solder) every few feet. That is my experience.
Anthony, If that holds true, then someday from the Medford area you are going to hear a long, drawn out, anguished cry since I soldered everything solid and left no room for expansion. I've left my modules out in my trailer in sub freezing temperatures before, yet they somehow continue to work. Where's that wood to knock on? Should I begin holding my breath, or just take up model airplanes now? Loren
Oh, Boy -- I thought your Boo-Boo was switching over the HO. Someone here said they use joiners periodically along the track. If you do may I suggest you use drop wires to a buss on each side of the joiner. Not required, but cheap easy insurance. ...don
keeping in mind that I only soldered 2 Peco track together with nothing on both ends. it is not even a loop, only 2 length of 24 inch welded together and glued on cork, then after 5 months they had push themselves together and created some big bumps of solder. So it seems not everyone got this issue on their layout! Maybe it's the Peco tracks!? Ben
Ben... Wow, just two small open ended sections. I can understand your frustration! Wish I had an answer as there can not be that much expansion over 24". Loren... I would have said you will have no problem with your short runs but after hearing what Ben said... I guess anything is possible. My N scale runs were quite long and I thought that was the problem back then.
Anthony. We know you have a lot of z scale stuff, but do you have a z scale layout. If you do, how about posting some pictures.
John, thanks for a good laugh. You guys all keep me so busy that I don't have time for a layout right now. I am living with just the Micro-Track roadbed track on a table. When MTL came out with the Roadbed track I sold my landscaped layouts and planned my new layout which is still in my head. I know I will find time soon!
Hand laid track and painted-in-place MTL flex track (weathering) can really push the limits under +/- temperatures. As posted earlier, EVERYONES layout will see SOME extreme temp at some point, whether at home or travelling. At home, you may go on vacation, forget and leave a door open, etc. over the many seasons and you WILL get expansion and contraction. I make sure that I am laying track on nominal temperatures, always leave some sort of gap (never rail to rail) and I refuse to solder the joints. With Z scales's exceptionally low current and feeders every 3' (1m) or every other MTL or Märklin/Peco flex, you'll have more than enough electrical reliability. Maybe in a tunnel, that joint could be soldered but watch out on curves and where/how you anchor track. MTL's flex is tight enough as it is but once painted for weathering (I spray can after laying), it is VERY difficult to reposition. Drown it in ballast glue and it will really be stuck, forced to give any way it can with temperature extremes, especially quick ones like cold unheated mornings to bright direct sun. Ben, you can razor saw the joint to create enough space. If you can loosen the track (I don't see ballast so it should be easy), you could slip some joiners on. If you get MTL's, they'll fit really well on the Märklin/Peco track. You could also cut the joiner in half to get just enough on there. Place the joiner half way on the end of a rail and saw it off. Push on all the way to clean it up, pull it off and place on your rail. No solder, including silver content solder, will be strong enough without mechanincal support like a joiner. .
