 Joined: 05/10/2019(UTC) Posts: 76 Location: Pennsylvania,
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Hallo out there, how would you close gaps in the K-track?  Pfalzbahn
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 Joined: 04/04/2013(UTC) Posts: 1,291 Location: Port Moody, BC
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Is this flex track or sectional track? Quite unusual to have this big a gap on sectional track.
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Joined: 05/10/2019(UTC) Posts: 76 Location: Pennsylvania,
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It's flex track and I have several of them.
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Joined: 10/02/2006(UTC) Posts: 3,997
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well, I presume you have already pulled the rail all the way to one end, so there is only one gap to fill...
Glue something in there, or drop some solder in there. When it has cooled, file off the excess with a hand file.
It does not have to be conductive.
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 3 users liked this useful post by DaleSchultz
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Joined: 04/04/2013(UTC) Posts: 1,291 Location: Port Moody, BC
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OK since it is flex track and it appears that it has already been ballasted, what I would do is go to the next joint and insert a thin screw driver or utility knife to separate that joint a bit. If you then can get the gaps at each end of the rail to be about the same, I would then fill the 2 gaps with epoxy so that the rail doesn't shift again. This is what I do for the gaps I cut for my occupancy detection sensing.
Peter
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1 user liked this useful post by PMPeter
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Joined: 01/06/2016(UTC)
Posts: 2,465
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Originally Posted by: Pfalzbahn  It's flex track and I have several of them. Don't you have on the other side an overhanging piece as well, when you straighten the track? I do not have these flextracks, but the barns on the tie must move a little bit, otherwise you cannot build a curve with this track. But the more you bend it, the bigger has to occur a gap as you show in your picture. How massive did you bend the flex track? I think this is really a big gap. Both flex tracks connected at this spot must be massivly bended. And the lenght differences between the outer radius from both tracks seems to be added up at this point creating such a big gap. On the opposite site at this track you see both ends of the bars are a bit longer. Either you shorten them, make less massive curves, change this section against inflexible tracks or do it as it is done in real life at the real tracks. Connecting gaps are regularly welded and then abraded. But @PMPeter mentioned a possibility you may fill up the gap. To fill up the gap by soldering you must try and test it on your own, which result you will achieve. I think @PMPeters solution is good and more flexible as soldering.
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 Joined: 15/12/2005(UTC) Posts: 3,597 Location: Spain
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Ahem... Thats not such a big gap!  -At least it wont give any operational problems. Edited by user 16 October 2019 14:29:21(UTC)
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 Joined: 22/01/2009(UTC) Posts: 14,878 Location: On 1965 Märklin Boulevard just around from Roco Square
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Send it back to the engineers, just a drop of hot glue will do the job |
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 Joined: 04/02/2011(UTC) Posts: 3,578 Location: Paris, France
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Hi
A small gap like this may be filled with a short section of rail held by the joiner.
Cheers
Jean |
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 Joined: 31/12/2010(UTC) Posts: 4,000 Location: Paremata, Wellington
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Originally Posted by: JohnjeanB Hi
A small gap like this may be filled with a short section of rail held by the joiner.
Cheers
Jean Problem is it's already across a joiner and has been ballasted so any repair will do damage to that in which case it might as well be redone. I agree with the advice to firstly try to gently shift the entire length of short rail to centre it so that there is a smaller gap at both ends rather than such a big gap at one end. If this is not possible then filling it with solder or simply hot-glue will at least make it less obvious. |
Cookee Wellington  |
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Joined: 15/10/2006(UTC) Posts: 2,319 Location: Washington, Pacific Northwest
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Consider first why the gap formed. If it formed from temperature reasons - so the cooler temp resulted in rail contraction and shortening and this created the gap, then filling it will cause you problems when the weather heats up again.
If its just a gap that was there from the installation not being ideal and it really bugs you (visually or the clack sound of wheels) one can glue in a small bit of polystyrene or other plastic, shape it to size then paint. |
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Joined: 05/10/2019(UTC) Posts: 76 Location: Pennsylvania,
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Thanks to all of you for the advise!
I can't move the track any more; it's firmly ballasted. I'll try to fill it with solder. If that's not satisfactory I'll resort to epoxy.
Pfalzbahn
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1 user liked this useful post by Pfalzbahn
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Joined: 21/05/2004(UTC) Posts: 1,774 Location: Brisbane, Queensland
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modelling era IIIa (1951-1955) Germany |
1 user liked this useful post by applor
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Joined: 15/12/2005(UTC) Posts: 3,597 Location: Spain
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Originally Posted by: Minok Consider first why the gap formed. If it formed from temperature reasons - so the cooler temp resulted in rail contraction and shortening and this created the gap, then filling it will cause you problems when the weather heats up again.
I agree. -Also to what applor says; Just leave it!!! I have these "gaps" in quite a lot of places. They move around with temperature and humidity!!! If you absolutly HAVE to fill it up, do it with something soft, so that it can at least still be slightly deformed if the track decides to shift again. |
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Joined: 10/02/2006(UTC) Posts: 3,997
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Small gaps are fine and even provide a nice click clack that is prototypical... but if a loco or train can be seen to lurch as it goes over the gap, it is too big for me.
Small gaps are also good as expansion joints as suggested.
Possible gap source: Laying flex track requires that the two rails are often cut to different lengths if there is any curve present, and this can be difficult to do until one has got the technique right. |
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Joined: 04/02/2011(UTC) Posts: 3,578 Location: Paris, France
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Originally Posted by: Pfalzbahn Thanks to all of you for the advise!
I can't move the track any more; it's firmly ballasted. I'll try to fill it with solder. If that's not satisfactory I'll resort to epoxy.
Pfalzbahn
Hi An easy action would be to cut a section of rail of the proper length. Then remove / file the rail "foot" sides so that the rail piece can be inserted vertically in the joiner and glued in place without changing anything in the existing track and ballasting. Cheers Jean |
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1 user liked this useful post by JohnjeanB
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Joined: 05/10/2019(UTC) Posts: 76 Location: Pennsylvania,
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Thanks to all of you for your comments.
Most of the gaps I left since they were very small. A few larger ones (~1 mm) I filled with epoxy.
Cheers,
Pfalzbahn
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4 users liked this useful post by Pfalzbahn
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