Jump to content

Track buckling


Recommended Posts

Hi.

 

my lad has just inherited a model railway track from his Grandad. He spent a lot of time with his Grandad working on the model railway but he has limited knowledge. I have none! We brought the track back home with us and it now lives in the shed as we have no where else to put it. Predictably the warm weather has led to a bit of expansion and the track has come away from the cork base and has risen to create a shallow bridge/hill. The track is still straight and has not buckled, but I fear any attempt to stick the track back down would lead to buckling. 

can anyone please help or advise. Please assume absolutely no prior knowledge on my part whatsoever!!

 

many thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Did Grandad by chance solder the track joints together?

.

The metal fishplates (joiners) are suppossed to allow for expansion and contraction.

.

 

TIP: As a newbie poster on the forum, just be aware that the 'Blue Button with the White Arrow' is not a 'Reply to this post' button. If you want to reply to any of the posts, scroll down and write your reply in the reply text box at the bottom of the page and click the Green 'Reply' button.

.

See also – further TIPs on how to get the best user experience from this forum.

https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/forum/tips-on-using-the-forum/

.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Where the track has lifted is there a track joint .if so split the track and cut a couple of millimetres of and refit the track joiners leave a small gap between the track ends .this can give you the clackety clack of rolling stock passing the joint .

 thank you for your help.

 

what would I cut the track with. What glue would you suggest I use?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I find there is no substitute for ample numbers of track pins, but just pinning into cork is no good, you have to pin into the baseboard under the cork. Some track pins are longer thsn others and more suited to pinning through cork.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Where the track has lifted is there a track joint .if so split the track and cut a couple of millimetres of and refit the track joiners leave a small gap between the track ends .this can give you the clackety clack of rolling stock passing the joint .

 thank you for your help.

 

what would I cut the track with. What glue would you suggest I use?

Personnaly I would use a purpose trackcutter like a xuron ,some use a dremel , I would suggest pinning the track with again purpose trackpins,

With the xuron ensure you get the ones which cut vertically .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bear in mind that Xuron cutters only give a straight cut on one side of the cut. The other side of the cut will become distorted metal. This means that a new track piece would be required.

.

A Dremel with a fine cutting disk will give a straight parallel cut, but the gap it leaves will be a bit on the large size, at about 1.5mm.

.

For cutting track in-situ at the same time as leaving a small gap behind, I suggest a modellers 'Razor Saw'.

.

/media/tinymce_upload/9c1e8516f909950cd06507665b6270e3.jpg

.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you all for your help. I have ordered more track pins and the correct tool to push them in. Will pre drill into the board as suggested.

this will be the first of many questions as I try to get into this. Model train enthusiasts seem to skip generations in my family but will do my best

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
×
  • Create New...