 Joined: 23/01/2013(UTC) Posts: 161 Location: New York
|
Hello.
It seems that after a few years my c-track layout has probably “shifted” a bit. I’m seeing a few places where the rails are touching ever so slightly thus loosing the isolation. The connection under the track is fine, I use the small red isolators and cut the connectors under the c-track.
I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions, tips, techniques to prevent this. I screw down my track and ballast it so when this happens it takes a bit of work to fix.
Thanks! |
Marklin HO, CS3+, Train Controller 10 Gold, Any era. Like Swiss Locomotives. |
 1 user liked this useful post by garben
|
|
|
|
Joined: 10/02/2021(UTC) Posts: 3,887 Location: Michigan, Troy
|
Yes Garben, with expansion and contraction tracks can shift, much in the same way as life-size tracks do.
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Joined: 07/02/2008(UTC) Posts: 198 Location: Lindome, Sweden
|
Some paint or add a tiny droplet of hot glue in between the rail joint. You may also grind the rail a bit shorter.
|
|
1 user liked this useful post by LeoArietis
|
|
|
|
Joined: 19/08/2008(UTC) Posts: 1,049
|
You can widen the rail gap with a fine hacksaw blade clamped in a vise grip pliers. This can be done in place. Be sure to vacuum up the metal dust after. One of the small hobby saws may work also but many aren't sufficiently hardened, fine for plastic but not metal.
Roger |
Modeling Immensee, mile/km 0 on the Gottard. SBB Era V.
|
2 users liked this useful post by rbw993
|
|
|
|
 Joined: 04/02/2011(UTC) Posts: 3,559 Location: Paris, France
|
Hi Garben
The issue you mention is caused by a plastic retractation during the aging: the plastic shrinks and the initial spacing of rail reduces.
When starting a ramp upwards especially the rails may come in contact even if they are insulated.
What to do?
- remove the rail where insulated rail starts and file the rail extremity to extand the gap
- force the rails apart and insert a tiny piece of nylon and glue it in place
- use a disk (Diamond or a plain cutting disk). Drawback: the cut is wide (just below a mm) and it leaves a lot of conducting dust that must be removed with a vacuum cleaner.
On K track, rail sliding is much more common and gaps must be filled with glue
On C track, I never observed a rail sliding lengthwise
Cheers
Jean |
|
2 users liked this useful post by JohnjeanB
|
|
|
|
 Joined: 13/02/2017(UTC) Posts: 159 Location: Ottawa, ON
|
Originally Posted by: garben  I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions, tips, techniques to prevent this. Hello Garben, One suggestion that seems to be less intrusive than glue (or hot glue) is inserting a tiny piece of plastic between the two rail ends. I use a piece of flat stock styrene, which I cut into a tiny square and push it between the rails with small tweezers. It's a tight fit and will stay in place even with small expansions/contractions of the layout. Cheers, |
Andry
// Marklin HO K track; ECoS; TrainController Gold; Marklin & ESU decoders; Arduino controlled Switches, Semaphores & Accessories (DCC); Win 11 //
|
2 users liked this useful post by Kiko
|
|
|
|
Forum Jump
You cannot post new topics in this forum.
You cannot reply to topics in this forum.
You cannot delete your posts in this forum.
You cannot edit your posts in this forum.
You cannot create polls in this forum.
You cannot vote in polls in this forum.
