# Track Help!!



## armorsmith (Jun 1, 2008)

I have two issues I am asking for help on.

First, I have a piece of track where the joiner has sheared the 2mm screw off in the web of the rail. Anyone have any suggestions as to how to remove the screw from the rail web??

Second, I purchased about 150 feet of straight and an almost complete 20 foot diameter circle of used track that is heavily tarnished to the point it impedes conductivity. Any suggestions on how to clean the top and inside face of the rail head, and the ends at the joiners would be greatly appreciated.

Please pardon the duplicate post from another forum, as I know there are those here who don't frequent the other forum and visa versa.

Thanks in advance.

Bob C.


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## pimanjc (Jan 2, 2008)

To clean the track, get a sheetrock sander [medium grit] with a long removable handle. It will clean up the top and inside edges very well. 

JimC.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Brass or stainless track? Whose manufacture? You might be able to get the screw out of brass, probably not stainless. Use a rail clamp and make it easy on yourself. 

The flat sander will only clean the top of the rails unless you put something soft underneath the sandpaper, and I don't think that would be a good idea. 

You only need the top for conduction, the insides are marginal, except maybe the outer rail on a curve... 

Regards, Greg


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## armorsmith (Jun 1, 2008)

Greg, 

The track is Aristo brass. My current usage is to put a small 'paperclip' in the driveway to run on for a day or so. I am not sure with the economy being what it is if I want to leave it out more than that. My modus operendi to date has been to use 'zip ties' to hold the joints together during operation - cheap and easy to remove quickly. The screw that sheared is the 'standard' joiner provided from the factory, hence the reason to try to remove and replace. 

Thanks for the replies. Jim, I will stop at the orange box on the way home this evening and give that at try. 

Bob C.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

The screw is really too small to drill easily. sometimes you can drip a bit of acid around it and free it up.. also you can possibly put a small slot in the remaining part of the screw with a thin dremel carbide cutoff blade. 

I'd spend the buck and use a railclamp and avoid the aggravation! 

By the way, that sanding block can also be used to put coarse "Scotchbrite", also available in the paint dept, to use, and often it will remove the oxidation without removing metal or putting fine scratches in the rail head, which the drywall sandpaper will definitely do. 

Regards, Greg


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Try some penatrating oil. There is this stuff you canget at Auto Zone or the like. It is called PB penetrating oil. made by Fabulous Blaster. Put some on the screw and let it set for a while 30 minutes or so. Soak it good. Then take a Needle or Pin on edge of the screw and see if you can turn the screw out. I havd used this blaster stuff and have been very sucessfull. 

I have gotten broken screws out of press frames with just a scribe point after using this stuff 

You may have to go to a induestrail Hardware store for this one See if you can find a LEFT HANDED drill bit smaller than the screw. As you run your drill in reverse it may bring the screw out. 

JJ


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yeah, but where do you get a left handed drill motor? from Decker and Black? ha ha, just joshing... I already got my left handed crescent wrench. 

Greg


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

I kid you not,_ get a railclamp!! _It's not worth the time, cost, effort and aggravation to try and salvage something that doesn't work that well in the first place! A railclamp is quick and easy and you could then check out if you might want to start using them in the future!


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## armorsmith (Jun 1, 2008)

Greg, John and Steve, 

The fact that the screw is Stainless Steel is what makes it so tough to drill, not so much the small size. I still may try to drill through the center and possibly use a #11 exzcto blade to work it out with, after a liberal soaking with PB Blaster. John, I keep at least 1 can on the shelf at all times, although I hadn't thought of it for this application. I usually reach for it on corroded screws/bolts. I am familiar with the rail clamps and when I get to put the track down for more than an afternoon at a time I will be using them in part, where the track will be fixed. 

Sanding pole with Scotch Brite sounds like the way to go. And after chatting with one of the metal workers in our shop, he suggested spraying the Scotch Brite with WD-40 before use to help aid in prevention of more tarnish. 

Thanks again, great input. 

FYI, regarding track expansion, I borrowed an Infra Red Thermometer from a friend and was surprised to get readings in the 140 degrees F range at this time of year in the panhandle of Florida. My guess would be possibly 10 to 20 degrees higher in the peak of summer. That will be a good bit of thermal expansion to compensate for. 

Bob C.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Bob, you will see that I did not recommend to drill... a small notch for a screwdriver blade, but you are likely to cut into the rail web unless some of the screw is protruding. 

Don't use the wd-40, it gets gummy... if you start, you will be stuck using it... that can work, but you will get a loss of traction, which may or may not be an issue if you have grades. 

Regards, Greg


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Use what JJ has recommended and let set for a day and you will find things will remove very easily. Later RJD


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## armorsmith (Jun 1, 2008)

Greg, 

Thanks for the tip on the WD-40. didn't know it would do that. As for the screw, it is nearly flush on both side. No real way to cut a slot of any size without cutting the web of the rail. 

I have gotten some real good information here and will see how it progresses this weekend. Will post a progress report later. Thanks again. 

Bob C.


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## Trains (Jan 2, 2008)

Bob,

I had some screws broke on 5 foot sections, I did get them out with a very small screwdriver. The kind you would
use for eyeglass. I took a while but I did manage to work them out. (this was new track)


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

As an aside on solvents, etc. When you are concerned about buildup/gummy, just take some of it, spray it on a flat piece of metal, and check back in a week and see what is left. That's how I found it gums up. I prefer kerosene in this case, it mostly evaporates leaving a light film of oil. 

An old clock repairman turned me on to an old trick to lubricate pendulum clocks, leave the lid of a baby food jar with a little kerosene inside the clock, it evaporates slowly and lubricates the mechanism. I have a clock from the civil war that still runs great. 

Anyway, sorry for the derail. 

Greg


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

As long as you are not really leaving the track up all time I'd use the zip ties as you have done and forget about the joiner problems with screw broke off. Just make sure the joiners fit snugly and then zip them together. I do this every year for my set up under the Christmas tree and never have any electrical issues. Eventually when you do decide to leave up permently then I would use rail clamps. Later RJD


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## mgilger (Feb 22, 2008)

You can use the sander, but do not use anything less than 1500-2000 fine grit wet/dry sand paper. Anything less, you take the chance of making your situation worse. The 1500 is easy to find. The 2000 you might have to go to you local NAPA Auto Parts store. It's used for getting out scratches in auto paint. So you don't have to worry about it roughing up the surface of the track, which will cause the track to tarnish/corrode quicker than previously. 

If it was me, I would just hand sand the top and inside of the rail with the 2000 grit. The track does not need to end up with a shine. You can use an ohm meter to check conductivity before and after sanding to be confident in your process. 


Good luck,
Mark


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## Big John (Jan 4, 2008)

Switch to battery power and forget about dirty track and elctrical conductivity across rail joints forever. 

Big John


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## blueregal (Jan 3, 2008)

If we are talking the Aristo screws, I drill em out all the time with a 1/16 inch bit, I also where I cut track to fit in certain spots where there is no hole for the Aristo screw I use the same bit to drill a hole on the side I'm screwing into, I, when I back the drill bit out after drilling a new hole just ream the outer side of the hole just a bit, has been working for me for a long time, just did two pieces of track today, making holes where there weren't any, and last week drilled out a couple screws too!! Regal


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

What do you do when you drill the 1/16" hole? Doesn't seem to me that the screw would "self tap" into brass does it? Or do you run a tap through it first? No question that is a less expensive process than what I do when I cut a section of track. When I cut the section, I just usea Split Jaw or Aristo rail clamp.

Ed


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Gee where does battery fit into this discussion. Man some folks can not give it a rest. Later. RJD


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## LOST AND CONFUSED (Mar 7, 2008)

I have a large layout with aristocraft track first screw problem 3/32 drill bit make a whole in screw also you can get lucky and the screw will move on its own if you drill slow with a variable speed drill. Next if it wont move drill a whole next to it with rail joiner

attached go threw it then get a mounting screw from under the track that has a small philips head add any oil to whole and insert screw slowly backing it out as it bites and dont push it and you will have a new mounting whole .the aristo sctews are both the same size thread so you can now add a proper track screw. clean track with oil and large brtght remove rails from ties first then scrub and wipe off with a paper towel repeat until clean


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