sectional track popped out of rail joiner how to fix?

[PennCentralFan]

I am using atlas sectional track code 80. In my layout, one side of the track slipped out of the rail joiner. Of the four rails of track that come together by railjoingers one of the three is out of the rail joiner, but only one side. So out of a combination of four rails joined by two rail joiners one side of the connect points is out of the railjoiner.

As you can imagine there is a bump where the track is raised. I elmer glued the track (non-diluted) to a cork road bed. I noticed this while I was painting rail.

How can I fix this? When the paint dries I'm going to run a loco and a box car or two to see how it has impacted the track.

I was thinking of spraying or applying water to loosen the glue and pull up a few sections of track to fix the problem.

What have you guys done?

[Jim Krause]

Sounds like you have a good idea already. I've never had that problem after getting everything glued down but with my bad eyesight it has happened while joining sectional HO track.

[farish]

Spray water to loosen the track from the glue. Remove the track section. Fix the problem and then relay the track. Under-cut a couple of ties on each end of the replacement track so you can slide the metal track joiner into place.

[fieromike]

Originally Posted by PennCentralFan

I am using atlas sectional track code 80. In my layout, one side of the track slipped out of the rail joiner. Of the four rails of track that come together by railjoingers one of the three is out of the rail joiner, but only one side. So out of a combination of four rails joined by two rail joiners one side of the connect points is out of the railjoiner.

As you can imagine there is a bump where the track is raised. I elmer glued the track (non-diluted) to a cork road bed. I noticed this while I was painting rail.

How can I fix this? When the paint dries I'm going to run a loco and a box car or two to see how it has impacted the track.

I was thinking of spraying or applying water to loosen the glue and pull up a few sections of track to fix the problem.

What have you guys done?

You could use a method similar to that used to replace a bad turnout.
On the rail end that is raised, cut the spikes off of 2 or 3 ties so that you can slide the rail joiner back far enough that the matching rail will drop enough to slide the joiner forward and do its job. You may have to rewet the glue to allow everything to level back out.

Mike

[davidstrains]

Originally Posted by PennCentralFan

As you can imagine there is a bump where the track is raised. I elmer glued the track (non-diluted) to a cork road bed. I noticed this while I was painting rail.

How can I fix this? When the paint dries I'm going to run a loco and a box car or two to see how it has impacted the track.

What have you guys done?

What you might want to put in your track laying procedure in the future is that after you lay each track section that is joined by a rail joiner, run your finger over the joint. That way you will identify and be able to correct the joint before you have applied the glue. It takes a little time initially but it saves a lot of correcting later. I also run a box car over each section as I go to test the joint and the gauge of the track at the joiner. At times - especially on curves you will see the track decrease in gauge ever so slightly, but enough to derail a 6 wheel truck on a loco or passenger car.

[Denyons]

Originally Posted by PennCentralFan

I am using atlas sectional track code 80. In my layout, one side of the track slipped out of the rail joiner. Of the four

I was thinking of spraying or applying water to loosen the glue and pull up a few sections of track to fix the problem.

What have you guys done?

easist way to fix this problem is to slide the rail joiner out completely then solder the outside of the joint of the two rails making sure that the rails are level while you do the soldering. (A one minute job).

[PennCentralFan]

Thanks for the advice. What I did was to take a putty knife and slide it underneath the track and break the glue bond. I didn't use a lot of glue so it was pretty easy. I then lifted up the track enough to slide it out and back in the rail joiner.