Buckled Track! - Building a model railway part 32
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- čas přidán 10. 09. 2024
- So after a few months I finally ventured up into the loft having been unable to due to the extreme heat in the UK. Most looks ok but one section is buckled.
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Always something with railway going wrong it’s all part of hobby ,I’ve learnt a specially with flexible track got to check those gaps ,the weathers been a specially hot even in my loft ,it’s the third attempt I build a room in the loft in the end too hot in the summer and like a freezer in the winter,even with my insulated room that was nearly 30 C in the the outer roof space that was 46.5 degrees C unbelievable,looks like you’ve got an easy fix anyway just an in convenience. All the best Mick.
Same it my loft. However, I have fixed my track. I love the 8i00, expensive. Charlie Chadwick a great site to go to.
Thanks for all the comments and advice guys. Have now made a bit of a temp repair. Video now up.
You need a tiny gap between rails at joiners.
Hi, very easy fix for your buckled track. Slide the fish plates to one side. Cut, file grind off 2-3 mm leaving about a 1mm gap slide back the fish plates and re-pin the track. Bob will be your Uncle’s brother. Hope that’s helpful.
Sorry for everyone who has this problem, I realise now that It was worth paying a fortune on insulation in my shed, and have so far no problems with this heatwave. Good luck
Sorry to see you have been hit by expanding track. I had a couple of section effect me this summer, luckily I haven't done any ballasting. Hope you manage to get it fixed quickly and get up and running again. Cheers, Rich.
Your not alone with suffering from heat expansion on the rails. You may end up having to replace the section of track. Paul
Since expansion has shown itself to be a problem... you're going to have to create a gap in your track to compensate.
This is easy to achieve... just make a 1mm gap across the fishplates at the end every piece of flexi-track you have... however you may need to replace a 1/4 metre section of the piece that deformed because the pressure may have permanently buckled it.
Leaving the gap will allow the metal to expand into that gap and keep it good.
Also, laying track in the summer is a good move if you know your layout will suffer from temperature fluctuations.
Of course, there's a benefit too... your trains will have a nice 'clickety-clack' sound as the wheels hit the joints!
The best solution to heat expanded track on a model railroad layout is to air condition the room, whether loft or garden shed... Fans don't cut it. Why spend thousands and thousands on toy trains and not spend a few hundred for air conditioning during the summer months to maintain stable temperatures? I know, I know, the UK usually doesn't have long heat waves, but we do in Texas where I live. We don't build layouts in lofts or sheds, we build in a extra room in the house or finish a garage completely as the train room fully air conditioned for the summer and with a space heat for the winter... I have seen rails separate from the plastic sleepers, especially with flex track. Not to mention ballast flake off in large chunks. There is a reason why Bachman/Kato plastic track sells very well in the United States. It holds up very well to temperature changes, the heat of the summer...
There's a couple of factors to remember when comparing UK and US.
It's a fair point, but because we don't have extreme weather cycles here, we don't need airconditioned homes in the same way that many Americans do as a matter of course.
As a result, there isn't a mindset of "I must turn on the aircon to protect my model railway".
Instead, the issue of buckled track is incredibly rare, but it does happen... so creating expansion gaps are the best way for us.
Second, and most obvious.... a lot of modellers are forced into building layouts in the loft because the density of towns and cities is so much higher, meaning houses are more expensive, and smaller.
The average house price in the US is: $188,900 ($185,900 in texas)
The average house size is: 2,467 square feet
The average house price in the UK is: £220,361 ($289,209)
The average house size is: 915 square feet
So American's get two and half times more space for around two thirds of the cost.
Take the two lengths of track up, clean off all ballast, relay the track with a gap of 1.5mm in that section, pin down, test run in both directions with different trains, add droppers if needed. That's what I would do and did. Look at my video No12 at 6.04 minutes. All the best and good luck.
Barry.Devon.
Hi
I think as already stated you need to see if the damage has wrecked the rail. I had my original layout in the loft and I cut at least a millimetre off both ends of any flexi track. In real life track in hot countries is cut at an angle.
A common problem, up and down the country people are ripping up track and putting down new track, myself Included..................John
If was me I would replace the track you don't know what damage its done