ozthedog Posted August 19, 2011 Share Posted August 19, 2011 I am in the process of designing a new layout. One problem is that I have to ensure that at some time in the future the layout will have to move once only due to a possible house move. I am trying to minimise the numbers of tracks that pass over baseboard joins. At one point in my current design effort 6 tracks pass over a board join as shown in the Xtrkcad drawing (each square is 10x10cm and the board edges are shown in blue). I intend to glue the track down onto either cork or closed cell foam with PVA. If I lay it with a join in each track at the board joint and use track connectors do you think that I will be able to separate the boards for disassembly and then successfully re-connect them? ie. can I get away without having to solder each track to screwheads in the baseboard? An alternative might be to just lay the track glued down over the board join and then when the layout is dismantled saw through the track with a razor saw to leave naked joins that would line up when the board is re-assembled. I guess this would depend on whether the PVA under the sleepers and the PVA used for ballasting would hold the track in position. Any thoughts please. Thanks in advance for any comments Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brossard Posted August 20, 2011 Share Posted August 20, 2011 If the layout is one that stays at home (as opposed to exhibition), you could get away with simply gluing the track down. I agree with PVA for the general track gluing. For the baseboard edge you might want to use a glue that actually bonds to plastic like contact cement. Still, the rails in the chairs will be very fragile - if you're not careful (like wearing a wooly jumper) and snag it you could unzip several feet. Using fishplates won't do, far too fiddly. You still need a positive way to connect power across the baseboard join. One alternative to soldering track ends to screws (which I agree is unsightly) is to replace say, the last 3 sleepers with copper clad. Glue the copper clad with contact cement to the baseboard and solder the rail to the copperclad (don't forget to grind the copper from the center of the copperclad sleeper). It serves the same purpose and will look a lot better. If you leave the track intact over the join, there is a high probably that at least some of it will be ruined when you try to cut. Been there, done that. Some thoughts. John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold 96701 Posted August 20, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 20, 2011 I wouldn't not use screws over baseboard joints (if you know what I mean). It's not so difficult to do. First of all, put the boards together in their final position and lay your track over the joint, and make sure it's in the right place. Then mark the baseboard where the rails cross the join. Lift the track and remove the sleepers where the track crosses the joint and tin the bottoms of the rails. Put the track back over the joint, make sure you have marked the rails correctly, then slide the track to one side slightly. Drill pilot holes at the edges of the board where the rails cross the boards. Fit the screws and slide the track back over the screws to check that the screws just touch the bottoms of the rails. solder the rails to the screws, then cut the rails. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted August 20, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 20, 2011 It boils down to whether you want to spend extra time fixing the tracks now or redo those bits when you move. Estimate how long it will be before you move and the likelyhood of you changing your mind about the layout anyway. Personally I would take the time now to make a proper join. When you are busy packing everything up for a move is not the best time to carefully saw the tracks and think about protecting the ends. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jamie92208 Posted August 20, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 20, 2011 Screws would seem to be the best idea to me. I used 3/4 No 6 for code 125 rail. You might need No 4's for 4mm rail, but they still need to be about 3/4 to 1" long. Once they are soldered in then a slitting disc can cut off the excess heads either side of the rail. Ballast and paint will then cover up a multitude of sins. I agree with Donw that it's best done now rather then later. You would also have scenery round it then which would make accurate cutting more difficult. Also make sure to solder some droppers to the rail away from the baseboard end frame for you cross baseboard plug. Brass screws work very well as droppers and can be soldered too easily. Jamie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozthedog Posted August 20, 2011 Author Share Posted August 20, 2011 Thanks for the comments. You have persuaded me to use soldered screw joins. Best to get it right first time! Cheers Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZippyHG Posted August 20, 2011 Share Posted August 20, 2011 Have you considered using brass tube soldered to the side of the rail, this has the advantage of providing both mechanical alignment and eectrical connection when you pass a brass pin throught the two brass tubes attached either side of the board joint. if i can find a pic will post it later. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted August 20, 2011 Share Posted August 20, 2011 rather than use screws - consider using copperclad sleepers it is much neater and you will find that the track crossing the join looks continuous in terms of the sleeper layout. If you use screws it will be difficult to keep the appearance continuous. Personally I prefer Copydex to hold track down it allows for more adjustment and removal in the distant future. But nothing wrong with PCA, just slower to set. Though I have to admit that if this was a long term project and the house move was in "I dream one day of moving" rather than "I'm going to have to move next year" I'd just lay the track with fishplates and ignore baseboard joins altogether. In my case I'd probably change the layout many times before moving or at least change it after the move. Even if not changing the repairs to a hacked join are a relatively simple affair. Just think of all those derailments and earthquake appearance you can hide in the meantime. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted August 20, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 20, 2011 I built a sectional layout some years ago and simply laid the track across the joints then cut the rails with a Xuron cutter and tidied up as needed (which wasn't much) with needle files. This was quite adequate for careful home movement of the baseboard sections (done carefully) and we even went to a local exhibition (as a 'work in progress') with no problems but damage did occur during our house move. If you are going to move things a lot then definitely very firmly secure the rail ends using - in my preference - copper clad sleepers firmly fixed down but if you're not doing that and you have stable temperatures you might get away with it in the way I did. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ozthedog Posted August 20, 2011 Author Share Posted August 20, 2011 Mike This was my original line of thought. Being onthe cusp of 65 we have decided to sell our 4 storey house and move to a bungalow to save wear and tear on the knees as the railway is in the attic room. I anticipate the final move after that will be to the crematorium and the railway won't be going with me on that trip. So there is only 1 move anticipated but could be any time in next 5 years so layout will be semi-permanent. I think I shall try an experiment with a single piece of track to try out the non-soldered approach. Cheers Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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