--- In [EMAIL PROTECTED], "Edward Loizeaux" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> Rail DOES expand/contract enough to cause serious problems.
> Ask me how I know? It was a sorry day. Good luck...Ed Loizeaux
Posted by: "jmsmith871" [EMAIL PROTECTED] jmsmith871
> how did you find out that the rail expansion or contraction caused the
problem,
> and not a dimensional change in the underlying structure?
>Best regards,
>John
Hi John...
I cannot say this is absolute scientific proof, but here is what happened:
First it happened on the third day of a VERY bad heat wave. Temperature in
the train room was at least 105 degrees F since there was no air
conditioning. Living in the San Francisco area, this is unusual for a
climate normally quite mild. Maybe happens once every two or three years.
Second, I used only kiln dried wood which expands/contracts much less than
ordinary green wood. Third, the layout's mainline was a large circle of
track wrapped around and around the walls of the room. Total length was
over 300 feet and EVERY rail joint was solidly soldered. Fourth, never had
any problems until this particular day. Fifth, the symptoms were
derailments on a particular section of curved track which, upon inspection,
revealed both rails had "popped" loose of the flextrak's molded spikes and
were warped outward (not inward) more than enough to assure 100% derailments
at that particular location. Sixth, track was laid under non-heat-wave
conditions. Seventh, when several gaps were cut in the rails to allow for
expansion/contraction, the problem went away never again to return -- even
during future heat waves. Expansion/contraction gaps were NOT cut in the
1"X4" framework. :>)
I suppose some will opine it was due to the woodwork, or the concrete floor,
or the shingles, or the plumbing pipes, etc. that were really causing the
problem. From my perspective, the visual symptoms pointed to the rails and
the fix to the rails solved the problem forever. If the rest of the world
expands and contracts, that is fine as long as it does not make the trains
go off the track. Either way, I suspect the fix is pretty much the same.
On straight track only, I use "sliding" rail joints where the rail joiner is
soldered to one rail only and the other rail is left free to slide in/out as
needed. Works for me!
Cheers...Ed Loizeaux
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