To solder rail joiners or not.

[djconway]

Construction on my N scale layout has finally gotten off the ground (again?). Who knows maybe this time it may get to 75% complete.

On my HO some 50yrs ago and on my first 3 or 4 N scale layouts I soldered ALL rail connections or used an insulated rail joiner.  With all the problems I have been having with Atlas code 55 I would like to keep them removable or easily removable .  So my question is should I solder rail joints between flex sections leaving the flex to switch joints floating or should I  - A - not solder any connections or - B - Solder ALL connection.

As I get more practice I will be using FastTracks #7 & #5 switches, but I want to at least use up the Atlas switches I already purchased.

I am running DCC with feeder drops about every 24" to 30", lay out size is 18' x 10'.

Your experiences are welcome.  Thanks in advance for your comments.

[DKS]

This may sound like a royal PITA, but for large-ish layouts, I found the most reliable method is the following:

Leave all rail joiners unsoldered. This allows for expansion and contraction. (Actually, I got to the point of not even using rail joiners, with no ill effects. It does require precise tracklaying, however.)

Solder feeders to every piece of track. That includes each piece of flex, and each turnout. This not only ensures electrical reliability, but also eliminates voltage drops on long stretches of track. Since you'll have DCC buses in place, the wiring won't be that onerous.

[Mark5]

Leave all rail joiners unsoldered. This allows for expansion and contraction. (Actually, I got to the point of not even using rail joiners, with no ill effects. It does require precise tracklaying, however.)

Solder feeders to every piece of track.

Agreed. On my last layout I soldered leads to every rail.

[wvgca]

i soldered all the track [but not the turnouts] on my layout [15' by 16'], and it has worked well for seven years now. i was not concerned about expansion / contraction as it was dap adhesive glued to a foam base, with 3/8" plywood underneath ...

[signalmaintainer]

Agreed. On my last layout I soldered leads to every rail.

Same here. Tedious? Yes, but so is tracking down why locomotives keep getting a weak DCC signal here and there.

Not as brave aa DKS, though, letting the rail joints go commando!

[John]

I don't always solder the joiners on straight track .. but will always do so on flex which goes into curves ..

[djconway]

My plan [at this time] is to solder the sections of flex in the curves, but leave the switches free to float.
Having started down the Fast Tracks path I'm thinking of soldering the rails in place where flex meets switch.

I see how it goes.

[MILWcoastdiv]

I don't solder my Atlas code 55 but do solder some of the code 40 joiners because they are not tight fitting like Atlas.  I have a bleep load of feeders hanging down under the surface especially with the c55.

[Rossford Yard]

I solder 2 pieces of flex at the joint, with 1 wire, and leave other joints open. I usually let turnouts float, but sometimes yard ladders need a few spiking.

[Dave V]

I solder every single joint and drop feeders such that there's one pair of feeders per two track sections at a minimum. If I still lived in a place with a climate that had significant humidity changes, I'd leave a few joints unsoldered for expansion/contraction of benchwork.

I know someone's gonna tell me I'm wrong or I'm overdoing it or whatever, and I don't care. My sh!t works, LOL. 

[bbussey]

I solder the rail joiner if the joint is on a curve, otherwise I leave it unsoldered.  And yes I do solder feeder wires to every section of track, even if the joiners are soldered.

[wazzou]

I solder the rail joiner if the joint is on a curve, otherwise I leave it unsoldered.  And yes I do solder feeder wires to every section of track, even if the joiners are soldered.

That’s been my MO as well.  I do try to leave a smallish gap in unsoldered joints for changes in humidity.

[John]

If I still lived in a place with a climate that had significant humidity changes, I'd leave a few joints unsoldered for expansion/contraction of benchwork.

Early on I had some kinking problems in my basement.. but after 20 years, most of the plywood moves very little -- I still get the occasional distortion, but mostly stable now ..

[mmagliaro]

I soldered all the curve joiners on my current layout, and then every other one on the straight areas, with feeders.
So I am a hybrid of the "feeder to every piece of track" plan.  Mine is more like "solder pieces of track together in pairs and put a feeder to each pair."
On curves, the soldering is much more for keeping the curve from kinking than for any other reason.  In fact, on the hidden curves, I put 3-4 PC board ties at each curve joint, all soldered on both sides, to guarantee that joint would never bulge out.
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[djconway]

...  In fact, on the hidden curves, I put 3-4 PC board ties at each curve joint, all soldered on both sides, to guarantee that joint would never bulge out.
--

Just getting started with Fast Tracks - this sounds like the way to go, even on the non-hidden curves.

Thanks all for the ideas.