Track connectors/fishplates for handbuilt track

[YesTor]

Okay, so I am about to embark upon a bit of track building (for the first time), and so far I have in my possession:

C&L turnout kit (Bullhead rail)
Exactoscale 'Fast track' concrete sleeper bases

 

I am also intending to use HINI Nickle Code 82 Flat Bottom rail for the Exactoscale track bases, which will form most of the plain track.  There will also very likely be some areas of plain track with wooden sleepers and BH rail (although whether I opt for Exactoscale bases and rail, or one of the more recent ready-to-lay options that appear to be hitting the market is yet to be determined).

With the above in mind my question is, which track connectors are best to utilise? 

 

I am conscious that wire drop connectors soldered to each section of rail should provide the most reliable means of current transfer around the layout, however for the purposes of keeping the rails physically aligned between joins (not to mention a second means of current transfer) I am assuming that the use of some kind of track connector is obligatory?

Secondly, I like the idea of using cosmetic fishplates, however will cosmetic fishplates alone do the job of keeping everything robust and in alignment over joins?  In short, is it a case of track connectors and cosmetic fishplates, or connectors alone, or indeed fishplates alone?  I've read that some of the cosmetic fishplates used alone can prove to be less than robust in use, whereas others seem to suggest that conductive track connectors are unnecessary if drop wires are fitted reliably.  

With regard to cosmetic fishplates I am so far aware of:

Brassmasters...  http://www.brassmasters.co.uk/images/Track%20details/fplateetch.JPG
C&L...  http://www.finescale.org.uk/image/cache/data/products/4fp101a-500x500.jpg
 

As for physical track connectors I am a little unsure of the options and the potential benefits/pitfalls as such.

 

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated...

thanks
Al

[Nick Holliday]

Masokits do plain fishplates (11.13) and also a fret (11.31) which has a tab from the fishplate for simple connection to the supply wire. I've not tried them, or even seen them, but they sound a good idea.

[Grovenor]

For the bullhead rail Peco do nice scale size joiners for their new 00 range which look good to me.

The various brands of etched fishplates need to be soldered to one rail to have any restraining effect, but can be glued if wanted just for cosmetic purposes.

The plastic Exactoscale ones are a sort of halfway house and are, of sourse insulating.

I would not rely on any of these types for electrical bonding anyway so droppers to every rail are required.

Regards

[YesTor]

For the bullhead rail Peco do nice scale size joiners for their new 00 range which look good to me.

The various brands of etched fishplates need to be soldered to one rail to have any restraining effect, but can be glued if wanted just for cosmetic purposes.

The plastic Exactoscale ones are a sort of halfway house and are, of sourse insulating.

I would not rely on any of these types for electrical bonding anyway so droppers to every rail are required.

Regards

 

Thanks.  I'm glad you mentioned insulated joiners, as of course I will need some of those too.  Again, not sure if there are various brands/versions out there - much searching seems to throw up little more than Peco?

[forest2807]

I’m sure I have read of people using N gauge fishplates on finescale OO bullhead track, SMP, C&L and the like.

Edited November 19, 2018 by forest2807

[hayfield]

Exactoscale do H shaped plastic fishplates E4XX FP01 (locking fishplates) Whilst quite fragile they are strong enough to keep rails in line whilst the glue is drying, and look so much better than rail joiners. As you are using droppers the fact they insulate electrically the rails from each other has no issues and could be seen as a benefit in some cases. I use etched fishplates cosmetically below a notch cut in the rail to replicate track panels on plain tracks and joins in turnouts and crossings

[Gordon A]

For the bullhead rail Peco do nice scale size joiners for their new 00 range which look good to me.

The various brands of etched fishplates need to be soldered to one rail to have any restraining effect, but can be glued if wanted just for cosmetic purposes.

The plastic Exactoscale ones are a sort of halfway house and are, of sourse insulating.

I would not rely on any of these types for electrical bonding anyway so droppers to every rail are required.

Regards

 

These Peco fishplates work well, but you need to make sure that they are the Code 75 fish plates for code 75 rail bull head rail.

Peco's other fishplates are for the larger code 100 rail.

I suspect neither will fit the code 82 flat bottom rail you intend to use.

 

Gordon A

[Re6/6]

The new Peco fishplates are excellent. They give a nice firm grip on code 75 B.H.rail. https://www.hattons.co.uk/270178/Peco_Products_SL_114_Pack_of_24_finescale_rail_joiners_for_Peco_SL_108F_bullhead_track/StockDetail.aspx

 

They're such an improvement on the old Individulay 'finescale' IL-21X..

 

I've tried N gauge ones which do work but the new Peco ones are far superior as they look like four bolt fishplates.

 

For  Exacto or C&L (can't remember which) flat bottom I've used Peco 'Individulay' IL-20X.

[YesTor]

The new Peco fishplates are excellent. They give a nice firm grip on code 75 B.H.rail. https://www.hattons.co.uk/270178/Peco_Products_SL_114_Pack_of_24_finescale_rail_joiners_for_Peco_SL_108F_bullhead_track/StockDetail.aspx

 

They're such an improvement on the old Individulay 'finescale' IL-21X..

 

I've tried N gauge ones which do work but the new Peco ones are far superior as they look like four bolt fishplates.

 

For  Exacto or C&L (can't remember which) flat bottom I've used Peco 'Individulay' IL-20X.

 

Thanks.  The IL-20 look like they might be worth a go.  I think I'll pick up a few of each of those listed along with the Brassmaster fishplates etc and experiment.  

[roythebus]

Thanks.  The IL-20 look like they might be worth a go.  I think I'll pick up a few of each of those listed along with the Brassmaster fishplates etc and experiment.  

 

Having read this post I've just received 2 packs of the Peco BH fishplates, they're excellent, so easy to use and with mechanical strength, something the others lack. the bit below the web doesn't really notice either, but then LT used bh fishplates that went to the bottom of the rail, just like the model. They are by far the easiest to use that I've found to date though at a fiver for 20 a bit expensive.

[Chamby]

The plastic ‘H’ shaped connectors provided by C&L look good and work re: alignment, but overtime I have found they are not very robust and they are impossible to replace on laid and ballasted track.  I have replaced them with Peco bullhead joiners... open up the joiner, slide them under the rail join, closeup again with pliers.  

 

You can use Peco joiners with C&L code 83 rail, just push a Stanley knife blade into the slot to open it up a bit, and they fit well.  Peco bullhead joiners are by far the most robust, and they have mock bolts, so do look good too.  I use them universally now for both Peco and C&L OO bullhead rail.

 

For plain track, I have used both Peco and C&L flexi track and am happy with both.    If using C&L, just be aware that the sleepers come in two thicknesses... the thicker ones are compatible with Peco re: height. 

 

Phil.

 

[hayfield]

The H shaped fishplates are from Exactoscale, they were available from C&L, but now either direct or via EM or S4 society stores

 

C&L do single sided plastic Fishplates for retro fitting with superglue or similar

 

The Exactoscale fishplates are quite delicate, but in my experience fine for holding track in place whilst thee glue is setting, filing a chamfer in the web on both rails aids fitting them, just be careful and they should be fine

[Stephen Freeman]

You can of course buy them from Exactoscale direct.

[Guest Lyonesse]

Track bases vary in thickness, thin plastic or ply sleepers are rarely flat, and plastic chairs and track rivets vary in thickness.  Moreover, if you curve a length of rail, then mount it in chairs that incline it at the coning angle of about 10deg, the rail ends will tend to bend up (or down, depending on whether the rail is on the outside or inside curve).  All of this means that although it is fairly straightforward to keep a good line with handbuilt track, it is very difficult to maintain a consistent rail top, and a step up or down between adjacent rail ends is sadly too common.

 

The real railway developed the fishplate to overcome this problem.  Fishplates aim to turn the individual lengths of rail into a continuous beam, eliminating the weakness at the rail joints that occurred with joint chairs, for instance.

 

The Peco rail joiners are a godsend and allow us to follow the prototype and eliminate the weakness at rail joints that leads to a poor top.

 

Etched, cosmetic fishplates are exactly that --- cosmetic --- and do not perform any useful function other than the aesthetic.  With care, you can make your own cosmetic fishplates from 0.015in plastic card.