Having left the 16mm garden layout lying fallow for 4 years, when I came to check the track this afternoon, a large no of the Peco joining strips had sprung apart, possibly due to expansion and contraction in the intervening years.
Is there an (easy?) way of sliding Peco Nickel Silver track along the plastic sleepers so as to even out the gaps at each end?
Not in my experience, because only one track can be moved at one time with the other track remaining in place, causing the sleepers to distort wildly into curved shapes.
The problem is the gaps every few sleepers that enable the track to be curved into shape. I am sure it can be done, but it is not easy and will take much patience.
I think the issue will be that the effects of weathering will have frozen the rail in place. You could try a silicone-based lubricant on one section of track to see whether that will loosen the rail. If it works, I would wait a couple of weeks or more to see whether the lubricant affects the plastic.
OTOH, it seems to me that after four years of non-use, no maintenance, and general neglect, the best way would be the short-term most tedious: take up all the track, replace any bad sections, and re-lay it. Also take the opportunity to level up the ballast, etc.
Good luck,
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