Fill a gap or relay the track?

[darkscot]

I have cut a section of flexible track too short and now have about a 5mm gap between sections. I thought it would be OK, but there is a pronounced 'clunk' when a loco goes over it and a derailment every 10th pass or so.

Do I have to re-lay the track or is there a simpler/quicker fix?

[Walkingthedog]

Relay.

[yelrow]

From the memorable Harry Green, measure twice, cut once. We have all been there. Dont skimp, relay it.

[Stese]

if the location is awkward to relay, if you have a smaller gap or no gap at the other end, you could look at tapping the rail along to close the gap... but only do this if you really can't relay the track.

[darkscot]

I was thinking along the lines of 'blob of blu-tack, lick of paint, job done'! However, I accept re-laying it is the correct option. I deliberately left a gap to allow for expansion, but forgot to take into account the thickness of the cutting wheel.

[Walkingthedog]

Do the job properly otherwise you will regret it and more than likely have to do the job properly anyway in the end.

[Brian]

Two options
1) Relay correctly (Best in my view)
2) If the gap can be spanned by a metal fishplate (Rail joiner) cut a piece of new rail the same size as the gap, thread this into the joiner and fit joiner to both abutting track ends Thereby filling the gap with a new piece of rail. If the gap is wider than a single joiner then use two joiners and a piece of rail.

[Steve M]

An alternative - cut about 6'' from the track and fill it with a new, short section of the correct length. Add a couple of extra droppers so you are not relying on the fishplates to carry the current.

[Mountain Goat]

I have in the past when I could think of no other option, use solder and it worked ok apart from that little bit not having a railgap. It will need filing as I oversoldered to file back if that makes sense? It did work.
But the first option is to see if you can cut a section out and relay it. I tend to use a carbodium disc on my minidrill when doing more accurate work like this but remember safety glasses! I use thicker discs but in the past I have been known to mount two of the thinner discs on the same mandrel as they are soo fragile! The slightly thicker ones do last longer.

I have soldered very short sections of rail to bridge a gap on occasions where the railjoiners would unable to work effectively but these ultra short rail sections would have to be cut via a disc. Also slid such a section to sit half way along a railjoiner...
(I am thinking of past layout "Bodges" where I have re-used old shortened points which did not sit straight in their new position etc..).

And though maybe I shouldn't say this, but on occasions when making my own track where I have used a drill for something at an angle where I have not noticed part of the drill chuck has wore away a little U shape into the track, I have heated the rail and filled the indent with solder and filed back. Once filed back and polished up with a track cleaning rubber to bring it to a shine, one would need to look closely to notice the little bit of rail that is actually solder as it blends in nicely. Why did I not change the section of rail? Well... Every sleeper was soldered to this rail with home made track, so the thought of replacing the rail when I can make a simpler repair like this...
These days if I damage a rail with my minidrill which is easily done while doing freehand scenic work with a milling bit, I am not too worried as I know that the solder trick will do the job nicely. Not ideal but it works.

[darkscot]

Well, I have relayed the track and everything is now hunky-dory! However, I do not actually think the gap was the problem. On closer inspection I discovered the rails on the section of flexible track were thicker, by about 15-20%, than those on the set-track. This was what was causing the clunks and derailing. I think I bought this flexitrack years ago from a dealer at Doncaster Festival of Railway modelling. It definitely says Peco on it, but could I have been sold some counterfeit stuff? Is there such a thing as counterfeit model railway track?