Joining rails

WM-N-fan

Member
I use rail joiners, but after I solder and nail the tracks and even use nail to keep them in place not through the holes I get my Xuron cutting tool and mach the rail joiners into the rail horizontally. They still work and aren't as big anymore. sometimes I even cut vertically, except where the join was. Then I can put the ties bach the way there were, actually on the rail and then I paint the ties with gray/silver paint and paint the rails brown. Then It looks like welded rail. Then I send up a KATO NS dash 9, dash 8-40-B, SD-60M and SD-50 with about 30 intermodal well cars, turn on the signals and it sure looks like a mainline!
 

Drew1125

Active Member
I replace the ties too, but I just take the scrap ties (you'll have plenty of these, when working with flex track) & file them down thin enough to slip them under the rail joiners. A dab of white glue will hold them in place. Once the track has been painted, weathered, & ballasted, it's vitually impossible to see where the joints are.
 
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