Joining rail on track

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rkepler
Posts: 53
Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2003 10:50 am

Joining rail on track

Post by rkepler »

I'm starting on my 7 1/2" track and am looking at a couple or three ways to join the rail. The ones I've seen are the slip jointers that slide on the foot of the rail and a couple other options, one looking like the traditional fish plate and the other just a strap of 1/2". I'd like to use the slip jointers (since I have a pile of them) and since they don't require a bunch of drilling but I don't recall seeing them all that often. Thoughts?
jscarmozza
Posts: 599
Joined: Mon Mar 03, 2014 5:09 pm

Re: Joining rail on track

Post by jscarmozza »

Carl, I attached the rail to the ties on my elevated 1" scale track with clip style plates I punched out of 1/16" aluminum strip. This works well when the ties are fastened to something solid, I don't think this will work as well on a ground track that would flex under load.
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Aluminum tie plates
Aluminum tie plates
jscarmozza
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Re: Joining rail on track

Post by jscarmozza »

My mistake, you're not Carl.
John
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Fender
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Joined: Wed May 02, 2007 8:33 pm
Location: Chattanooga TN

Re: Joining rail on track

Post by Fender »

The slip-on joiners hold the rails in vertical and horizontal alignment, but don't do very well with axial alignment. So you can get a "kink" at the joints, especially if you don't roll the rails for curves. The fishplate is best, but more work.

I am cutting my fishplates from 1/8" X 3" steel on a horizontal bandsaw, with a 25 degree angle on the top and bottom, so they clamp securely against the underside of the rail head and the base (flange) of the rail. I'm using #8-32 screws. The rail is drilled 1/4" to allow for expansion lengthwise.
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Dan Watson
Chattanooga, TN
jscarmozza
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Re: Joining rail on track

Post by jscarmozza »

Not only did I get your name wrong, I misunderstood the question. John
RONALD
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Joined: Sun Oct 26, 2003 7:27 am

Re: Joining rail on track

Post by RONALD »

We make our own cast rail joiners, which would probably be a difficult task for most.

The metal is mostly C99700, the track bolts and "spikes" stainless steel, the rail is steel with Rustoleum paint, and the ties full Wolmanzed 2x4's using Grade 9 ballast.

Below are three photos
DSCN9653.jpg
DSC_2617_2.jpg
DSCN0034_2.jpg
Soot n' Cinders
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Joined: Wed Jun 27, 2012 5:24 pm
Location: Marietta, Georgia

Re: Joining rail on track

Post by Soot n' Cinders »

We use the slip on joiners. They do kink a little easier than fish plates but not enough to worry about for us. We put the joiner over a tie and put two spikes on the outside of the curve. If it continues, we put a strip of 18ga sheet metal on top of the tie and screw both tails down through it, that acts like tie plates and gauge bars.
-Tristan

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-2.5" scale Class A 20 Ton Shay

Steam Siphon: https://www.shapeways.com/shops/leavitt ... tive-works
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makinsmoke
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Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2003 12:56 pm
Location: Texas Hill Country

Re: Joining rail on track

Post by makinsmoke »

The C&IG has both aluminum fishplates as well as steel cast and machined
fishplates. We are using steel with the steel rail we are laying, but find the steel
used with aluminum rail helps prevent kinking especially on curves and are replacing
the aluminum when portions of track are refurbished.

We use the slip on joiners in a few select locations where sun kinks are historically
a problem, but are careful to only use them on tangent track.

Take care,
Brian
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John_S
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Joined: Wed Apr 06, 2011 8:21 pm
Location: Cumming, GA

Re: Joining rail on track

Post by John_S »

Soot n' Cinders wrote:We use the slip on joiners. They do kink a little easier than fish plates but not enough to worry about for us. We put the joiner over a tie and put two spikes on the outside of the curve. If it continues, we put a strip of 18ga sheet metal on top of the tie and screw both tails down through it, that acts like tie plates and gauge bars.
Yup, ours are the Train Mountain slip on joiners and they work very well. The most important thing with using them is to drive a self tapping screw in the notch that's punched into them to prevent them from working their way out of place. They are quicker to use and, when installed correctly, superior to fish plates.

The primary issue comes from rolled rail in curves, where you almost always have a tangent on the end of the rail where the roller cannot put a curve in it. We usually fix this by putting a jig on the rail and bending the last 2 or 3 inches with a large crescent wrench to eliminate the tangent.
BClemens
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Joined: Sat Oct 08, 2016 10:04 pm
Location: Gloucester, VA (Sassafras)

Re: Joining rail on track

Post by BClemens »

John_S wrote:
Soot n' Cinders wrote:
The primary issue comes from rolled rail in curves, where you almost always have a tangent on the end of the rail where the roller cannot put a curve in it. We usually fix this by putting a jig on the rail and bending the last 2 or 3 inches with a large crescent wrench to eliminate the tangent.
Wondered about that - haven't laid any track yet. But that's somewhat like sheet metal slip rolls - takes some extra effort for the 'ends'. Bought 1500' of 141 from Midwest Scale Rail - Carl Schmidt. Contemplating Roll Models plastic ties....

Anyhow - Good info!

BC
Pontiacguy1
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Location: Tennessee, USA

Re: Joining rail on track

Post by Pontiacguy1 »

The problem I've seen with the slip rail joiners is that, over time, all of the gap in a whole section of track will work it's way to one spot and you'll have a huge gap in the rails there. In other words, over time you'll have a several rail sections with no heat expansion gap, one after the other, then one rail with a gap of about an inch or so. That's what I've seen happen a few times. I like the bolted fish plates better because no matter what, the gap between any two rails can only open up so much. I also think it makes a stronger joint.

That's my opinion on it. Seems like the slip joiners were all the rage about 10 years ago or so.
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