I don't like the look, the feel or anything else about track joiners. So I had an epiphany and wondered since I am using n scale code 55 flex track, why can't I cut the track out of, oh let's say, the first 1/4" of one piece of track and the ties off of a second piece of track, and thread the two together? Maybe stagger the joints? this would mean a feeder every 30 " but no joiners, especially on the more visible sections of the layout. It would also cure the expansion and contraction issues I have read about. Would this work?? Knowing just how seldom I get an original idea, there is probably a whole book on how to do this that I have overlooked.
It would seem to me that the lack of joiners would make alignment less than perfect @ best, and the lateral pressure on the "spikes" without joiners is probably going to cause issues when track is flexed for curves. I would think that the joiners in C55 are small enough to be inconsequential.
Check out CSX Dixie Line blog or Jim Resing thread. I think both of them do the same type of track connection as you describe. JSL
To alleviate the side to side pressures solder the joints in the curves with the joiners and leave them off in the straight low stress areas. This should leave plenty of room for expansion and contraction. My version of this was to solder all the joints and go back and cut gaps in the low stress areas. I never considered leaving the joiners completely out. I have to many thumbs and need all the help for reliability I can get.
The CSX Dixie Line not only shows what I was looking for (I knew I didn't have an original idea) But I just move from his neighborhood three years ago, or at least close to his neighborhood. I'm going to give it a try on some spare code 80 and see what happens.
For Code 80 I find Atlas joiners too bulky, but Peco joiners are nice and slim. Perhaps it's the same for c55.
Another option is using Z Scale Peco joiners. These I have used on ME C55 but not Atlas C55. They are a tight fit but nearly invisible.
I don't use rail joiners for the reasons you state. I gap every piece of flextrack .015 inches and glue it down making sure to maintail alignment. On curves I will solder two pieces of flex together and then gap on the straight sections. Each section needs feeder wires which are soldered to the bottom of the track.
