Here's the situation. I have been replacing sections of HO code 70 Shinohara track on my layout, to get rid of kinks and such, but after about 2-3 weeks I get track buckling, ripping out spikes and bending to the extent of almost tearing out the joiners. It occurs at the joint of the new to old sections. My methodology in laying track is to lay new track on top of the open space, cut the track long, then file till I get a good butt edge. Some times there's a space between rails but most of the time a good flush fit. My layout is open benchwork, constructed 20 some odd yrs ago, no scenery, the subroadbed is cork on top of pressed woodboard. The layout is located in an unheated basement, below grade level but with an open window. I can't see any movement of the benchwork or the subroadbed, but I do know that wood does "work". Does anyone have any HELP ------------------ When in doubt, empty your magazine. Member #33
>>>but after about 2-3 weeks I get track buckling, ripping out spikes and bending to the extent of almost tearing out the joiners. It occurs at the joint of the new to old sections. If it is like the problem I had several years ago. The wood under the track and cork was moving so much that gaps could open or kinks would occur almost daily. No it wasn't that way originally, but became a major problem at 14 or 15 years. It would seem that the chip board that I had used had taken on enough moisture to vary tremendously. >>>My methodology in laying track is to lay new track on top of the open space, cut the track long, then file till I get a good butt edge. Some times there's a space between rails but most of the time a good flush fit. Well, that is not the best way to do it IMO, but it certainly allowed the problem to show up quickly. You may start with butt joints, but you would so well to overlap the joints so that there is not more than the one butt joint in a long run. This is especially true of curves. >>>My layout is open benchwork, constructed 20 some odd yrs ago, no scenery, the subroadbed is cork on top of pressed woodboard. Ok, if what I said is true, you already know that you will have to replace the wood with something more stable. In my case, I ripped everything out and went to 5/8 inch exterior grade plywood nearly five years ago and have had absolutely no problems since then. Good Luck. Roger Roger Hensley - rhensley@anderson.cioe.com == http://cid.railfan.net/eci_new.html == == East Central Indiana Railroad ==
Chris, Roger is correct, temperature and humidity make shrinking and swelling a bear of a problem. I have even heard of homosote swelling up and sagging, but haven't seen it personally. Any partical board, chip board, and flake board, and interior plywood can delaminate or come apart with time and moisture. Marine or exterior grade plywood is glued together with a different glue, so holds up longer. Even flat 1x4, 1x6, etc will warp, split and develop raised grain with time. All these underlaiments will move the cork, homosote, even good Tru-Scale Soft Sugar Pine roadbed. Good cork gaskets were mostly made by mixing rough ground cork with molassas and baking and pressing into sheets. High pressure gaskets were mixed with shellac. Today various plastic resins are used, supposed to be better. Some cork mixes just return to granulates with time. Like Roger says, a good exterior grade of heavy plywood is best we have today. Fasten it solid, sand it level, or banked (elevated) for curves where needed, and very smooth. Then what ever you put on top has a solid foundation and not likely to give problems. A tight butt joint every three feet does not allow for expansion of the metal rail. If you fit the rail at 40 degreesF, then when summer comes and temp go up to 90 degs F, you have all the forces of nature pushing on both ends of that rail and something has got to give. Leave a gap of about .030" each 3 ft. Only solder one side of each joiner. Solder a small curved wire from one rail to the other to allow for some slip bothways. Yes you can file halfway through vertically to over-lap rails at joints, to prevent the "click", but don't solder it. ------------------ Watash
I had a similar problem but it was from the metal rails expanding and contracting. I had to put gaps every so often to relieve this. No more buckling or whatever since I did that. The problem occurs because we make such tight fits in our joining which is the cause and if you have any length of track at all then some room must be left for expansion. ------------------ Robin Maberly and Tayside
The old CSW had the same problem...too much moisture at certain times of year, too little at other times. Heat and cold also had an effect. Best to go back to the drawing board and use better materials!! Good luck and Happy Modeling!! John ------------------ The Santa Fe and Southwestern, Chief of the Southwest!!
It seems to me you are having the same problem as in the prototype. the rails esxpand and contract with changes in temberature. you should leave gap between joins to allow for that. If you are butting joins in the cold temperatures this will cause the rails to buckle when the temperature increases. i leave gaps in rails every join in flex track and have never had a problem. ------------------ Regards Paul Cassar-Moderator & Member number 50 SPAD Investigator #1 ICQ 61198217 http://users.bigpond.net.au/railroad2000
Chris .. I have my layout in a basement too, and like yours, it is open frame with no scenery. The subroadbed is of 5/8 plywood which has a 'finished' surface on one side. I believe they called it Satinboard at the lumber yard when I bought it some years ago. The roadbed is made of 1/4 inch foamboard, which you can buy at any art supply store in 4X8 sheets. I have glued my ties to the foamboard and hotglued the code 70 rail to the ties. I used to use spikes but found that hotglue works great! If your basement is like mine, it has a fairly constant temperature of about 54 degrees all thru summer and winter *?* Outside, there's a temperature fluxuation of over 110 degrees between summer and winter. I have no problem with expansion of the rails, or roadbed. It is so damp here during the winter, there's moss hanging from the trees! The only thing that I can think of in your case is that the "new" material that you are using for your subroadbed has moisture in it, or because of the open window, you are pulling moisture in. You might try using good kiln-dried material. Everyone is right with their suggestion of leaving a gap between rail ends and soldering only one end of the joiner. I also solder a jumper wire from rail to rail to help maintain good electrical contact ... but not at the joint as most do, but rather from the center of each length of rail. I hope you find a solution for the problem. Nothing is more frusterating than basic rail problems!!! ------------------ Bill (#16) "Get Goosed on the Yreka Western"
