I just bought the MTL roadbed style oval track set. Is it just me, or is their track impossible to put together? I am having so much trouble getting the rail ends to go into the connectors. There is one that I can't get no matter what I try. Any tips? Is Rokuhan track any better?
2K, you may have to spread the rail joiners apart a little bit and file the end of the tracks. If that doesn't work, throw away that rail joiner and try another one. A Drimel motor with a wire brush will polish the tracks and get rid of any burrs that may be around. Edit: Added comment about Drimel motor. Joe
Yes, Rokuhan track is much better, and they have a vast selection of different pieces. It is the Zscale equivalent of Kato. Trey
Wo, wo, wo . Hold on there. Spread, grind, throw away ???? yes, there is some precision here. Spreading the joiner will make it easier to insert and easier for you to have less electrical continuity. You could simply use a small flat jewelers file, to shape the top edge of the rail base, downward. A swipe or should be more than enough. I know Z is small and detail is hard to see. If you have a magnifying visor, you should clearly see what is creating the problem or at least help you line the rail end to the joiner's gap. These visors are as low as $5, typically $15. They have built-in magnification plus a flip down within that provides MORE than enough to see any details. Get the one with a twist knob on the back, rather than the velcro style.
I've laid a fair amount of the MTL track and have had no more problems with than with Rokuhan or Märklin track. I check the rail joiners to insure that they haven't been bent or pushed in during shipping or handling. I join sections on a flat hard surface, keeping both sections flat on the surface and the section ends parallel. Push them together with a slow even force. Don't worry about the roadbed joiners they will take care of themselves, just watch the track joiners. The two joiners need to contact the rails at the same time. In my experience when the joiners ride under a rail, as your example, it's due to the track pieces being joined at an angle. Hope this helps, Mark
