# How to pull the tracks together



## mymodeltrain (May 14, 2013)

Some plastic tiles on the curved sections of my rail started to get loose and as a consequence the distance between the tracks are slight enlarged. The freight cars have frictions when they pass those curves and sometimes they derailed. I wonder if there are some types of tie joiner to pull the tracks together. I look into Piko, it seems they have the metal tie joiners (Piko 35291 model), I wonder if someone used those tie joiners before, please let me know if they work for my situation. Thanks.


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

For my_ insulated _rails, I use a plastic zip tie around/between the ties. I use the second, rather than first, tie and the zip ties last for several years outside.


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

There is a tool to tension Zip ties. I think Harbor Freight has them 

JJ


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Are you talking about pulling sections of track (2 rails and ties) together or pulling the rails closer together to prevent derailments?

I suspect the latter; if you put rail clamps on each rail, then you could use a zip tie between the clamps to narrow the gauge.

John


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## mymodeltrain (May 14, 2013)

Totalwrecker said:


> Are you talking about pulling sections of track (2 rails and ties) together or pulling the rails closer together to prevent derailments?
> 
> I suspect the latter; if you put rail clamps on each rail, then you could use a zip tie between the clamps to narrow the gauge.
> 
> John


Thanks for suggestion, but what does a zip tie look like and where to buy those ties.


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## mymodeltrain (May 14, 2013)

mymodeltrain said:


> Thanks for suggestion, but what does a zip tie look like and where to buy those ties.


Ignore my last question, now I know what a zip tie is; great idea, let me try that.


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## kormsen (Oct 27, 2009)

i'm not quite sure, if i understood the question, but if you mean, that the distance between the right and the left rail gets bigger (more than 45 mm), then the best repair would be to replace some of the ties(sleepers) with wooden ones, and to nail or screw the rails to these sleepers.

if your problem is, that the whole pieces of track (sleeper web with two rails) separate lengthwise, so that the wheels make little jumps at the gaps, the zip-tie idea would be best.


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## mymodeltrain (May 14, 2013)

kormsen said:


> i'm not quite sure, if i understood the question, but if you mean, that the distance between the right and the left rail gets bigger (more than 45 mm), then the best repair would be to replace some of the ties(sleepers) with wooden ones, and to nail or screw the rails to these sleepers.
> 
> if your problem is, that the whole pieces of track (sleeper web with two rails) separate lengthwise, so that the wheels make little jumps at the gaps, the zip-tie idea would be best.


Thanks for the suggestion, yes in fact the problem is that the distance between the left and right tracks gets larger than 45mm. Yesterday, I tried the zip-tie idea and it didn't work for my case. So, let me try the wooden ones.


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

mymodeltrain said:


> Thanks for the suggestion, yes in fact the problem is that the distance between the left and right tracks gets larger than 45mm.


Different problem and that's not what the PIKO product is for.

If your track gets much wider than 45 mm there are a couple things that may be done.

Replace the ties. This should not be happening, or,

Push the rails as close to the center as possible so that they hug the inner ties. Then put a brass wire/strip between the outter foot of the rail and outter tie so that the track always hugs the inside, or

Put a piece of wood under the tie into the hollow section and re-stake the rail to the correct gauge, or

Carefully bend the rail at the web inward a bit at the top.

I've done all of these at one time or another.


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## kormsen (Oct 27, 2009)

mymodeltrain said:


> Thanks for the suggestion, yes in fact the problem is that the distance between the left and right tracks gets larger than 45mm. Yesterday, I tried the zip-tie idea and it didn't work for my case. So, let me try the wooden ones.


 
if you use sharp curves (like in a starter pack) it won't hurt, if you make it 46 mm instead of 45.


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## kormsen (Oct 27, 2009)

hmmm, on second thought, i got a suspiction...

if your distance is not more than 47 mm, it might be, that something else is the problem.

on sharp curves i had/have problems with my cheap and light newqida flatcars.
they got 8 wheels and the coupler on the bogies/trucks, not on the body.

at places, where a sharp curve is followed by a straight, the coupler of the first car tends to draw the coupler of the following car to the outside of the curve. so the following car derails to the outside at the ends of curves.

the easiest way, to remedy that is some additional weight to the cars or trucks.


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## mymodeltrain (May 14, 2013)

kormsen said:


> hmmm, on second thought, i got a suspiction...
> 
> if your distance is not more than 47 mm, it might be, that something else is the problem.
> 
> ...


This is not a sharp curve, I used the R5 track. What I notice is very interesting, long cars (16'') is fine to go through the curve, it may shake a bit but never derail. But short cars (12 '') has sever friction and it would derail easily even under slow speed.


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## kormsen (Oct 27, 2009)

well, then i think, that the use of some wooden sleepers and screws/nails should fix the problem.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

What manufacturer is the track? Piko? It's not stated, only "R5".

Greg


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## mymodeltrain (May 14, 2013)

Greg Elmassian said:


> What manufacturer is the track? Piko? It's not stated, only "R5".
> 
> Greg


LGB track.


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## mymodeltrain (May 14, 2013)

kormsen said:


> well, then i think, that the use of some wooden sleepers and screws/nails should fix the problem.


I think so, let me try that this weekend.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Be interested to see the answer, LGB is usually bulletproof, and the rails fit tightly to the ties and they use some of the best plastic in the industry.

Let us know.

Greg


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## mymodeltrain (May 14, 2013)

Greg Elmassian said:


> Be interested to see the answer, LGB is usually bulletproof, and the rails fit tightly to the ties and they use some of the best plastic in the industry.
> 
> Let us know.
> 
> Greg


I agree Greg, LGB quality is exceptional. I love every product of LGB. This happens because this track was the last one when I completed the circle and I needed some adjustment using the rail bender. I think that affected the plastic footing. I don't it is serious and can be fixed easily.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Interesting, did you use a dual rail bender? Which one?

Regards, Greg


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## mymodeltrain (May 14, 2013)

Greg Elmassian said:


> Interesting, did you use a dual rail bender? Which one?
> 
> Regards, Greg


I used the dual railbender from TrainLi.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

How many sections are in your circle? Should be an even number to make a circle. Sounds to me like re-bending was used to compensate for an odd number. 

John


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