I was interrupted by a telephone call before I got everything said. Some thoughts on track laying for you. Atlas Flex Track: I learned along time ago how to "offset" all rail joints with exception to the ones at a switch or as some of you call it a turnout. I never ever solder a rail joint or rail joiner before I bend the track. Never! Don't recommend it. The sliding rail always goes to the outside of the rail or the outside of the curve. I seldom if ever purposely remove a tie or as you guys call them a sleeper. I need it awake and actively holding the rails in place. The only place I allow the rail-joiners to be spotted across from each other or as some have said butted up at the same location, is at the switch. You can't (can not) move the rail in a switch and I don't recommend you attempt to do that. Years ago, I learned the hard way from experience. There is a BETTER WAY to lay track. Yep! Now take what you want from here and leave the rest behind. I promise I won't do an "I told you so." Although many have sworn, I said so audibly, even though they were hundreds of miles away from me. True story. Don't like what I've shared here? That's ok, as there is a DGAS Committee out there who would more then welcome you into their group. That is if they GAS. Grin! That's my two cents. Now go have some fun and get some track layed.
Thank you for this!!!!!! Just started laying the track on my layout. I would be kicking myself if I had seen it after the fact.
Cutting flex track joints even is MUCH easier imo. Once you paint the track, it will matter little anyway. If you want to be super prototypical, cut rail into scale 39' sections. Thankfully there is more than one way to lay flex track and we get to choose what works best.
Basically there is no right way or wrong way to connect curved pieces of flex track. As you can see some like to stagger the joints. For me this is way too much hassle. I simply curve the track, mark the rail that sticks out even with the other rail and cut it. Then I connect the next piece and solder the joints together while that section is straight. Then when you curve it, it's like curving a continuous piece of flex track and so on and so forth. Here are some photo's where I've installed Atlas code 100 in my staging yard. Since this is staging I am not bothering with inserting ties in where the joints are. Visible track I I would add ties back in so there is no gap. For beginners, it seems the easiest method would be to cut the rails flush rather than do offset where you gotta thread a rail(s) through an adjoinging pice of flex track and also solder the joints over plastic ties (for me a recipe for melting ties unless you are real good with soldering).
Of course, with real broad curves like 30+ inches, kinking is going to be much less likely. Get down to 13 - 15 inches, and the problem is much more likely with opposed joints, even soldering the joints. Solder is not as strong as the rail it is connecting and will bend. With rail joiners, there is a bit of track that will tend to want to stay straight at the joint. Either way, it can be tricky with tighter curves. And, to avoid one of the most common sources of derailments, you want to avoid kinky rail. Doug
