Hi! I'm really glad you found the video useful! Joining track and getting it to stay joined can be a frustrating business in N gauge, but this soldering method works quite well! I've since adopted a different workflow though, where I bring part of the baseboard itself to the workbench to work on! While this is a bit more of a complicated process, it should ultimately pay dividends should a point fail, as it will be easier to replace! Good luck with your track laying! All the best, Ian.
You made a good job of that Ian. I don't solder my track together, but when I started I had never soldered anything. A hands on lesson at the Warley exhibition put that right. I have also seen people firmly advocating soldering as the only sensible thing to do, and those who consider it an act of utter lunacy (although I have never seen an explanation why that is so). The key thing, as so often in this hobby, is that it works for you. It allowed you to work on a tricky section easily and produce a single unit that is electrically sound, with fewer dropper wires. I well recall the frustration as I tried to get all my point work at the front of my layout to stay together as I laid the flexitrack sections that connect each turnout and slip, each of which needed droppers because there was an insulated joiner on at least one rail at each end (the joy of electrofrog points and slips). Stephen
Thanks very much Stephen! I'm very pleased to hear that there's no definitive reason for not doing it!!! Oh, I've watched so many soldering videos on YT I should be an expert, but there's no substitute to just trying it for yourself! Ah, electrofrog points, yes, I never really considered going down that route! All of my locos seem to handle the insulfrog points, although I must admit that the little class 03 needs to be above about 30% speed to get over the large crossing, although to me, that particular bit of track seems to have excessively large insulated areas! All the best, Ian.
Hi Ian your working very hard and it's all coming together. Looking forward to your progress. Colin PS sorry forgot to comment I watch this with in a hour of it going live.
Hi Colin, yes, it's all happening, if rather slowly! Lol! Yeah, I'm the same with commenting! I tend to watch on the TV! I then go back and comment when I have access to a keyboard (and remember), usually a couple of days later! Cheers, Ian.
Hi Ian, just catching up with your progress after a summer "off" as it were. I have soldered parts of my system and like you found it much easier to put more complicated parts together, but fell foul of the expansion issue and when I have gone back had to replace sections (pain in the proverbial). In retrospect, it may, for me, have been easier to solder all the fishplates and then made strategic cuts along the sections after wards, as I intend to use iTrain software for detection and eventually running the system (years away with that lol). Great work and look forward to more to watch. I'll be back on the channel soon with a catch up and as winter sets in be working hard on the layout. Cheers for now. Regards Steve
Hi Steve! Nice to see you're back! Regarding rail expansion, I've only soldered together the complicated sections, and although I also plan on soldering some of the other sections together eventually, I'll be leaving gaps as I go along! I'm also planning on using automation, probably using JMRI, so will definitely be using the Dremel cutting disc at some point!!! I look forward to seeing what you've been up to! All the best, Ian.
Interesting video Ian, On my main layout I used Electrofrog points so never even contemplated soldering track as all the frogs have to be isolated, With the new Unifrog points this could be a game changer! As you say in your video you will still need to think about some gaps to allow for track expansion, this tends to be more noticeable on flexitrack so maybe a slight gap when joining the flexitrack up. On my main layout all my droppers are currently soldered underneath the fishplates, If I get any continuity problems later on, I will just solder my fishplates as you have. All the best Tony.
Thanks Tony! I'm keeping things simple with insulfrog points at the moment! I don't think unifrog points are available in code 80, and I'm too far down the rabbit hole to change to code 55 now, but maybe one day in the future! I'm only soldering the complicated sections together, and am joining them up using flexitrack, so I'll plan on leaving my gaps in the rails at that point! I've just been soldering droppers this week, and have soldered mine beneath the rail - once I figured out how to do it neatly!! All the best, Ian.
Hi Ian - a very neat bit of trackwork ! Hmmm soldering fishplates - I can understand the reason behind it especially if you are going down the DCC route. That said I still probably wouldn't go down this road myself. My main reason is when you decide, as you will yourself, at some point in the future to make alterations to the track. All that said everyone probably just does there own thing as evidenced in the comments already posted. Cheers Euan
Thanks Euan! Yeah, I understand your reasoning! I'll only be soldering those complicated sections at the back of the layout, and will keep my fingers crossed that the points won't fail, although I don't think I've ever had a failed point! All the best, Ian.
Hi Ian. My first foray into track laying was to connect together four turnouts. As you experienced, no sooner do you get two joined together than a third disconnects; so, I shall follow your lead and solder them together. I just need to ensure various baseboard supports won't be in the way! Yes, I've seen the tip to use a bent piece of rail to help fit fishplates - but isn't it just as tricky fitting a fishplate to the bent rail?
Hi Paul! Yes, that's exactly what happened to me! The more points and crossings I had in the mix, the more breakaways I had! They seemed to have a mind of their own! Lol! Make sure you don't solder all joints together if you're using electrofrog points, as they need isolating to keep the frog happy - I am using insulfrog points and crossings so I don't need to worry about that!!! Ah, the bent rail fishplate fitter! I thought the same as you, but the trick is to use a file to put a chamfer at the end of the bent rail, so the fishplates slip on much more easily! Good luck! All the best, Ian.
Ah soldering, I found soldering such a pain having never done it before and nearly gave up on it, but, I persevered and a few burnt fingers later and much cussing I kind of got the hang of it, although I have got through 3 soldering irons! Mainly by forgetting to turn them off and 2 or 3 days later come back to find them completely burnt out 🙄 I haven’t soldered any fishplates especially around the points as I may need to take the track apart as I fit the point motors. I use electrofrog points but code 80 which like insulfrog don’t need to be altered like code 55 apart from insulated joiners, this was very confusing when I started out but cleared up by a message to the Peco technical team. I’ve seen a lot of American layouts that have all their joints soldered so I can’t see that there is a right or wrong way of doing things Ian and I’m a firm believer that if it works for you then that’s fine. I do however solder dropper wires to nearly every piece of track. As always a very interesting video Ian, thanks for sharing and I look forward to the next, cheers John
Haha! Soldering is something I've definitely got better at the more I've done it! I'm still on my original soldering iron, but have managed to forget to turn it off a couple of times, though only for an hour or so! I'm going to be fitting point motors while the track is soldered as I think it'll be easier - although I have a plan to do it away from the layout!!! I'm hoping that with soldering the track I won't need so many droppers, but will still fit two to each 'compllicated' section! Thanks for the info John! All the best, Ian.
Hi Keith! I'll probably use insulated fishplates when I start adding blocks to the layout, but as these are all insulfrog points, there's no need in this situation! Cheers, Ian.
Greetings Shelfington and hello Ian 👋 That's the way to treat them pesky fishplates 🤬 wack 'em with some heat 🔥 I only solder rail's together when bending a curve 🤔 and follow the "dropper for every rail" gospel 😇 I think the soldering method does make it more awkward replacing points it the switch blades become detached 🤔 so you need to be very careful with a track rubber or installing point motors 😲 It's amazing what skills we pick up playing trains 😎 Very best wishes from the Emerald Isle ☘️
Hi Paul and the people of Wicklow! Haha! Hell and brimstone for those fiddly fishplates! I approve! Okay, I figured that replacing points will be a nightmare anyway, considering they'll be ballasted in, and my point motors will be buried in the foam, so why not make things more awkward? Lol! Careful with the track rubber then! Good advice! Yes, playing trains seems to expose one to a many and varied set of skills! All the best from Shelfington, and Ian.
Soldering track is a common method in US 'Railroading' to improve electrical continuity. But as points often fail, there is case for not soldering them to allow for ease of replacement.
Failing points is always a risk a guess. I figure they'll be a nightmare to replace anyway as they'll be ballasted and glued down anyway! Definitely something to keep in mind though! Cheers, Ian.
You need to factor in expanding and shrinking. Should be some rails with gaps. If not they will warp in temperature fluctuations. The downside of peco track.
This has been really useful, thanks. I’ve been busy making a right mess of my joints! Guess it’s part of the learning process.
Hi! I'm really glad you found the video useful! Joining track and getting it to stay joined can be a frustrating business in N gauge, but this soldering method works quite well! I've since adopted a different workflow though, where I bring part of the baseboard itself to the workbench to work on! While this is a bit more of a complicated process, it should ultimately pay dividends should a point fail, as it will be easier to replace! Good luck with your track laying! All the best, Ian.
You made a good job of that Ian. I don't solder my track together, but when I started I had never soldered anything. A hands on lesson at the Warley exhibition put that right. I have also seen people firmly advocating soldering as the only sensible thing to do, and those who consider it an act of utter lunacy (although I have never seen an explanation why that is so). The key thing, as so often in this hobby, is that it works for you. It allowed you to work on a tricky section easily and produce a single unit that is electrically sound, with fewer dropper wires. I well recall the frustration as I tried to get all my point work at the front of my layout to stay together as I laid the flexitrack sections that connect each turnout and slip, each of which needed droppers because there was an insulated joiner on at least one rail at each end (the joy of electrofrog points and slips). Stephen
Thanks very much Stephen! I'm very pleased to hear that there's no definitive reason for not doing it!!! Oh, I've watched so many soldering videos on YT I should be an expert, but there's no substitute to just trying it for yourself! Ah, electrofrog points, yes, I never really considered going down that route! All of my locos seem to handle the insulfrog points, although I must admit that the little class 03 needs to be above about 30% speed to get over the large crossing, although to me, that particular bit of track seems to have excessively large insulated areas! All the best, Ian.
Hi Ian your working very hard and it's all coming together. Looking forward to your progress. Colin
PS sorry forgot to comment I watch this with in a hour of it going live.
Hi Colin, yes, it's all happening, if rather slowly! Lol! Yeah, I'm the same with commenting! I tend to watch on the TV! I then go back and comment when I have access to a keyboard (and remember), usually a couple of days later! Cheers, Ian.
@@iansngauge speed to me doesn't matter longs you are happy that is all that matters. Colin
You may want to think about expansion joints for the next spell of hot weather...
Hi James, yes, I mention this in the video! I'm not soldering all of the track together, just the complicated junction sections! All the best, Ian.
Hi Ian, just catching up with your progress after a summer "off" as it were. I have soldered parts of my system and like you found it much easier to put more complicated parts together, but fell foul of the expansion issue and when I have gone back had to replace sections (pain in the proverbial). In retrospect, it may, for me, have been easier to solder all the fishplates and then made strategic cuts along the sections after wards, as I intend to use iTrain software for detection and eventually running the system (years away with that lol). Great work and look forward to more to watch. I'll be back on the channel soon with a catch up and as winter sets in be working hard on the layout. Cheers for now.
Regards
Steve
Hi Steve! Nice to see you're back! Regarding rail expansion, I've only soldered together the complicated sections, and although I also plan on soldering some of the other sections together eventually, I'll be leaving gaps as I go along! I'm also planning on using automation, probably using JMRI, so will definitely be using the Dremel cutting disc at some point!!! I look forward to seeing what you've been up to! All the best, Ian.
Interesting video Ian, On my main layout I used Electrofrog points so never even contemplated soldering track as all the frogs have to be isolated, With the new Unifrog points this could be a game changer! As you say in your video you will still need to think about some gaps to allow for track expansion, this tends to be more noticeable on flexitrack so maybe a slight gap when joining the flexitrack up. On my main layout all my droppers are currently soldered underneath the fishplates, If I get any continuity problems later on, I will just solder my fishplates as you have. All the best Tony.
Thanks Tony! I'm keeping things simple with insulfrog points at the moment! I don't think unifrog points are available in code 80, and I'm too far down the rabbit hole to change to code 55 now, but maybe one day in the future! I'm only soldering the complicated sections together, and am joining them up using flexitrack, so I'll plan on leaving my gaps in the rails at that point! I've just been soldering droppers this week, and have soldered mine beneath the rail - once I figured out how to do it neatly!! All the best, Ian.
Hi Ian - a very neat bit of trackwork ! Hmmm soldering fishplates - I can understand the reason behind it especially if you are going down the DCC route. That said I still probably wouldn't go down this road myself. My main reason is when you decide, as you will yourself, at some point in the future to make alterations to the track. All that said everyone probably just does there own thing as evidenced in the comments already posted. Cheers Euan
Thanks Euan! Yeah, I understand your reasoning! I'll only be soldering those complicated sections at the back of the layout, and will keep my fingers crossed that the points won't fail, although I don't think I've ever had a failed point! All the best, Ian.
Hi Ian. My first foray into track laying was to connect together four turnouts. As you experienced, no sooner do you get two joined together than a third disconnects; so, I shall follow your lead and solder them together. I just need to ensure various baseboard supports won't be in the way! Yes, I've seen the tip to use a bent piece of rail to help fit fishplates - but isn't it just as tricky fitting a fishplate to the bent rail?
Hi Paul! Yes, that's exactly what happened to me! The more points and crossings I had in the mix, the more breakaways I had! They seemed to have a mind of their own! Lol! Make sure you don't solder all joints together if you're using electrofrog points, as they need isolating to keep the frog happy - I am using insulfrog points and crossings so I don't need to worry about that!!! Ah, the bent rail fishplate fitter! I thought the same as you, but the trick is to use a file to put a chamfer at the end of the bent rail, so the fishplates slip on much more easily! Good luck! All the best, Ian.
Ah soldering, I found soldering such a pain having never done it before and nearly gave up on it, but, I persevered and a few burnt fingers later and much cussing I kind of got the hang of it, although I have got through 3 soldering irons! Mainly by forgetting to turn them off and 2 or 3 days later come back to find them completely burnt out 🙄
I haven’t soldered any fishplates especially around the points as I may need to take the track apart as I fit the point motors. I use electrofrog points but code 80 which like insulfrog don’t need to be altered like code 55 apart from insulated joiners, this was very confusing when I started out but cleared up by a message to the Peco technical team.
I’ve seen a lot of American layouts that have all their joints soldered so I can’t see that there is a right or wrong way of doing things Ian and I’m a firm believer that if it works for you then that’s fine. I do however solder dropper wires to nearly every piece of track.
As always a very interesting video Ian, thanks for sharing and I look forward to the next, cheers John
Haha! Soldering is something I've definitely got better at the more I've done it! I'm still on my original soldering iron, but have managed to forget to turn it off a couple of times, though only for an hour or so! I'm going to be fitting point motors while the track is soldered as I think it'll be easier - although I have a plan to do it away from the layout!!! I'm hoping that with soldering the track I won't need so many droppers, but will still fit two to each 'compllicated' section! Thanks for the info John! All the best, Ian.
What about use of insulated fishplates which are recommended by peco or do you not use them!
Hi Keith! I'll probably use insulated fishplates when I start adding blocks to the layout, but as these are all insulfrog points, there's no need in this situation! Cheers, Ian.
Greetings Shelfington and hello Ian 👋 That's the way to treat them pesky fishplates 🤬 wack 'em with some heat 🔥 I only solder rail's together when bending a curve 🤔 and follow the "dropper for every rail" gospel 😇 I think the soldering method does make it more awkward replacing points it the switch blades become detached 🤔 so you need to be very careful with a track rubber or installing point motors 😲 It's amazing what skills we pick up playing trains 😎 Very best wishes from the Emerald Isle ☘️
Hi Paul and the people of Wicklow! Haha! Hell and brimstone for those fiddly fishplates! I approve! Okay, I figured that replacing points will be a nightmare anyway, considering they'll be ballasted in, and my point motors will be buried in the foam, so why not make things more awkward? Lol! Careful with the track rubber then! Good advice! Yes, playing trains seems to expose one to a many and varied set of skills! All the best from Shelfington, and Ian.
Soldering track is a common method in US 'Railroading' to improve electrical continuity. But as points often fail, there is case for not soldering them to allow for ease of replacement.
Failing points is always a risk a guess. I figure they'll be a nightmare to replace anyway as they'll be ballasted and glued down anyway! Definitely something to keep in mind though! Cheers, Ian.
You need to factor in expanding and shrinking. Should be some rails with gaps. If not they will warp in temperature fluctuations. The downside of peco track.
Hi Thomas, yes, I mention that in the video! Cheers, Ian.