Joining Flex Track

[TerryR]

I've started laying out the road bed on my new layout. After a few hours work, I ran out of map pins so I started to play instead

I tried a dry-run assembly of some track and seem to be having a problem joining sections of flex track. I'm using Atlas track and rail joiners and the joiners seem too long. I'm assuming that the rail ends should butt together but the joiners hit the first ties on either side while there is still about a 1/8"+ gap.

Am I missing something obvious here?

Thanks,

 

[Clerk]

Terry. First off, Welcome to the Gauge.

There are 2 ways to correct this.

1. Cut off the 1st tie on each end of the flex track.
2. Using a sharp knife, cut the little tabs that hold the track to the rail on the first ties. That way the joiner slips between the tie and rail. This is the way I do it.

 

[msh]

I removed enough of the ties to allow joiners to slip on fully, then to finish up later I filed them down flat so as to slip them back under the rails to fill that gap. Unless you're looking real hard you can't tell they're any different than the ties still attached to the track.

 

[TerryR]

Thanks all, that's what I figured. I just didn't want to go hacking up my track when I might be missing something obvious.

 

[TerryR]

It's easy when you know how

I used Dave's method.