Flexitrack comes without fishplates (or the stuff I have does). Now, as I understand it it's arguable that with flexitrack you don't use fishplates but I want to; at least for now.
How do you fit fishplates to flexitrack? I've tried easing them in under the sleeper chair but they don't want to go. Do I need to cut the sleeper or chair, if so where and with what tool?
I use a Stanley knife to cut the chairs off the last sleeper. Be careful, however, as you ought to reduce the thickness of that sleeper at the top by the thickness of the fishplate, otherwise the rail will not sit level at the rail joint.
Alternatively, leave a larger gap in the sleepering at the fishplated joint, and slide some thinner sleepers into the gap to make it look good later.
I usually lose the first sleeper and cut the rail such that the joiner is in the clear. When all is settled and running OK I go back and slip a single sleeper (minus its chairs) under the joiners and fix it with a spot a weak glue. More than one sleeper being removed however poses a real risk of over gauging and finescale wheelset will fall into the hole - especially on curves! A normal modelling knife is quite adequate for the amputation procedure.
If a flextrack joint on a curve is unavoidable, it's best to solder the joint before bending the track.
I wanted to say that, avoid flexitrack joins on curves like the plague but as Martin says solder and cut to rails to final length, before fixing down, also fit one piece of track then t'other to it, - then fiddle about with them. Theres a modest atricle with couple of useful points in this months BRM - by Nigel Digby hence is useful. Not aware of any arguements against fishplate join with flexitrack - is anyone else ?
Cheers, Simon
For curved use of flexitrack, remove the rails from the sleeper and bend them in bending rolls(Yes, I know, _FLEXI_) Use WD40 to slip then back into the sleepers.
I can see me butchering a couple before I get it right! Thanks for your replies.
Graham,
You don't say what scale you are working in, but if it is N scale and you are using Code55 Streamline, Peco actually supply spare sleepers to fill in the gaps at joins. To join the track, you cut away the sleepers to let the fishplates fit on the rail ends, then you use (normally) a couple of these spare sleepers to fill in the gap in the sleepering. The spare sleepers have adequate cutaway to clear the fishplate.
I don't know if they make a similar product for their 00/H0 products - can't find a Peco catalogue online. :-).
Jim.
A fishplate by itself isn't enough to keep two rail ends aligned when they are sprung to a curve. (ie a join between two flexitrack curves) The rail (as opposed to the track) can be bent to the required curve if it's impossible to avoid such a join. Put a little length of solder vertically between two rail ends on top of the fishplate and heat with soldering iron while pushing the rail ends together. That will result in a rigid join.
Greg.P.
Try that with code 55.
MBQ
If you don't use flex-track on curves, how do you handle transitions (or easements)?
John
But of what value is a transition on a non-ride-on model railway, for if there are unprototypical tight curves. the appearance of trains on the tightest part of the curve will be unaffected by any transition leading in?
You do use flexitrack on curves, just try to avoid joins. Or to rephrase try to use single length of flexitrack for curve even if means have to cut shorter straights before and after curve. It can mean extra work but is well worth the effort.
Cheers, Simon
Apart from looking more prototypical, it "steers" the train into the curve instead of throwing it into it.
Who said anything about not using it on curves?
MBQ
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Also, with some layouts you can have the transition in the visible section and the tightest curves hidden from view.
MBQ
I have found that I can make even insulated joints in flextrack on curves. I remove the last sleeper from each end, and copiously pin the track leading up to the join so that the join itself is straight and the bits leading up to it a tiny bit more curved. The results are good and reliable, at least on all the joins I've made this way so far. This is on N scale, down to 315mm curve radius; on tighter curves things would obviously get hairier so I would avoid insulated joints on sharper curves.
For non-insulated joints I always solder the fishplates anyway.
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