Does everyone cut chairs off to fit Peco rail joiners?

[Michael Salb]

Why do people cut the chairs off sleepers that are going to have joiners? I am using Peco code 100 Flexitrack in 00 gauge (SL-100) and Peco metal joiners. I forgot to do this on one section and just pushed the joiners on with a flat tool as I usually do. it looks to me perfectly ok, if not better, and the height of the track is fine. So what is the problem if I don't cut those chairs off?

[andyman7]

The Peco sleeper base has soft and flexible plastic so the joiner will fit over the top. For me, cutting the chairs off helps minimise and upward thrust at the rail join to try and ensure things are level. For Code 100 track I am not surprised that it works in most cases but cutting the chairs off strikes me as precautionary good practice.
 

[Michael Salb]

MY confusion. The joiners fit better with chairs cut off.

 

Edited March 25, 2021 by Michael Salb

[RFS]

I actually cut one sleeper off completely on each rail so that they can be joined, fixed down and tested. When I'm happy with that then, before ballasting, I take a couple of sleepers, file off the chairs and glue them under the join making very sure that the rails are not lifted in the process. Extra care is needed with plastic IRJs, as these are thicker and also flexible, so it's all to easy to end up with a raised joint. Once ballasted and painted, you can't see the missing chairs unless you look very closely ...

[Butler]

Hi

i find that you have to cut off the chair nearest the join. I’m using code 75 rail, and if you don’t cut it the rail rides high, causing derailing etc, or simply wont slide on!  I use a cutting knife. ( one of those ones with the snap off blade) Extended a bit they bend nicely and you can slice the chair off horizontally, pressing against a wooden block against the sleeper. They come off cleanly and the rail will sit nice and flat. If not a drop of superglue will hold it down.

one area I have had immense trouble with is the insulated joiners for the points, where necessary. They can easily be fitted wrong in that , because they are fairly flexible, the rail can easily slip on top of the joiner on one or both side, instead of gripping it each side, it’s not allways obvious. This tends to force the rail up causing uneven levels, and running problems. They also allow the rail to move sideways slightly causing misalignment, and they leave a fair gap, not ideal.  I hate them, and they have caused me a lot of problems. 

B

[BR60103]

On flexible track I cut a little dip into the sleeper for the joiner; a bigger dip for a plastic one.

On points and such I find I have to make a major fiddle for the insulated joiner as the gap is not wide enough. I also oftern have to trim the joiner shorter as the opening isn't long enough.

I use an X-Acto knife with the long pointed blade. A cut going down at an angle on both sides.

 

[bike2steam]

It's a case of having to. As Peco rail joiners are normally about 15mm long, if you're a stickler for being as near prototypical as possible, cutting off chairs to keep the standard 28 inch centres for sleepers is unavoidable.