# REA/Aristocraft track and curved LGB track



## aztech78 (Dec 3, 2020)

sorry if this is discussed in other places but have 2 questions. newbie just getting started and i picked up some good used track the other day. 

1. I have REA track which looks to be the precursor to Aristocraft. it has the screw in the rail joiners/connectors. my question is does it only have 1 screw per connector? I see a screw on the end that is connected to rail end. i then see just a slat cut out on the other end. there is no drilled whole with a screw like i would expect. so what goes on the other in, a screw in that slat cut out? 

2. I have LGB curved track. your standard R1 curved track, a bunch of 12 in pieces. i want to know if possible to get a dual rail bender and turn these in to R2 and R3 tracks. know chaning the radius can be done. Guess i am specifically asking has anyone ever done this kind of rebending, taking these small R1 LGB curved track and making the radius wider either using a dual rail bender like train-li or any other way?

thank you 
Michael


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

1. yes the other track that should have a drilled and tapped hole to go into the slot at the end of the joiner. At one time Aristo sold the drill and tap (and I guess we have found a reason they sold it), 2mm tap.

2. yes, many people have done so.

Greg

p.s. nice first post, clear and straightforward and not tacked onto a 10 year old thread


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

1. USA Trains/CharlesRO do sell the screws and hex wrench in a package. Aristo placed 2 screws in wax under one tie in each section of track. The screws originally were allen heads, later on theychanged to hex head. However, rail clamps are much better long term wsp outdoors.
2. Yes, as long as you cut the ties on one rail you can bend any track. AND bend in small steps, not a big bend all at once!!


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Dan, he said there was no hole in the other rail... he will need a drill and tap if he wants to use the 2mm socket head cap screws.


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## aztech78 (Dec 3, 2020)

Thank you guys. appreciate the response and information. glad to know i can bend thos track pieces. know it will be some trial and error but that is ok. yeah i dont think i explained the connector setup very clearly but yall answered my question anyway. Looks like i need to drill other side or go with rail clamps little by little.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Aristo used to sell the tap and drill kit, and as Dan pointed out, you can probably find the screws you need.

I'd migrate to rail clamps, I did it bit by bit...

Greg


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

The ties are what is holding the curve, they need to be cut apart to change the curve.


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

LGB track never had the holes for screws, not di most other track manufacturers, LGB relied on the joiners and the 11500 clips. Only Aristo and USA Trains had the joiners using the screws. There are a few other code 332 manufacturers, Piko, Bachmann, trainli. I have joined Aristo, USA Trains, Trainli and LGB code 332 with rail clamps from Hillman, Trainli, and split jaw.


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## backyardRR (Aug 14, 2012)

I just want to confirm that I have used Bachmann brass G scale track and it does indeed have holes and supplied hex head screws similar to Aristo. Piko does not. Where I have used Piko (mostly for turnouts) I solder jumpers across the joiners.


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## aztech78 (Dec 3, 2020)

Dan Pierce said:


> LGB track never had the holes for screws, not di most other track manufacturers, LGB relied on the joiners and the 11500 clips. Only Aristo and USA Trains had the joiners using the screws. There are a few other code 332 manufacturers, Piko, Bachmann, trainli. I have joined Aristo, USA Trains, Trainli and LGB code 332 with rail clamps from Hillman, Trainli, and split jaw.





backyardRR said:


> I just want to confirm that I have used Bachmann brass G scale track and it does indeed have holes and supplied hex head screws similar to Aristo. Piko does not. Where I have used Piko (mostly for turnouts) I solder jumpers across the joiners.


Thanks for replies guys. Trying to add a picture of what I have. See if works. This is what I meant by screw on one end and a cut slat on the other end of the rail joiner. Guess I just expected 2 drilled holes with screw on both ends. My assumption is a screw goes in the other end as well and it's just not a drilled hole to allow for adjusting. Bottom line now i know either drill or clamps.


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## backyardRR (Aug 14, 2012)

Yes, that slat is for adjusting. The screw goes through that slat and into the tapped hole on the connecting section.


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## Dick Friedman (Aug 19, 2008)

aztech78 said:


> sorry if this is discussed in other places but have 2 questions. newbie just getting started and i picked up some good used track the other day.
> 
> 1. I have REA track which looks to be the precursor to Aristocraft. it has the screw in the rail joiners/connectors. my question is does it only have 1 screw per connector? I see a screw on the end that is connected to rail end. i then see just a slat cut out on the other end. there is no drilled whole with a screw like i would expect. so what goes on the other in, a screw in that slat cut out?
> 
> ...


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## Dick Friedman (Aug 19, 2008)

As I recall, LGB track has some screws attaching the rails to the ties. You may need to remove them to bend the rails. I've rebent small diameter curves into larger ones, so I know it works! Another suggestion is to solder the short curves together (I put a rail joiner at the joint, and soldered the two rails in the joint.) This cut down on the number of rail oiners I had to buy!


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I've never seen screws that hold the rails to the ties on LGB track, interesting. Maybe they used to? Have any pictures?

Aristo, USAT do have screws holding ties to rails (or vice versa ha ha)

Greg


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

Only LGB switches had screws, straight and curved track did not.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

That's what the 100 pieces of LGB track in my side yard look like too, thanks Dan.

Greg


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## kormsen (Oct 27, 2009)

to the bending of LGB R1 curves:
in the linked pic you can see, how i cut the tie-webbing for wider curves.



http://kormsen.info/tracks/bilder/track02.JPG



i do the bending to softer curves or to straights in various working steps.
normally i start with the inner rails. when i got them to the desired curve, i slip them into the cut tie-webbing. then i bend the outer rails to fit the slots on the outer side of the ties.
the bending itself: first i roughly bend a rail using a hole in my anvil (wider, than i need it). then i put the rail sideways upon the anvil and give it taps with a (very) small hammer upon the inner side of the railfoot, with the outer side of the railfoot resting upon the anvil. (important for the ends of a railpiece, where neither benders, nor bellybending work well)
(i never hammer on the railhead!)
then by hand i tighten or open the curve to fit the desired curve or the slots of the webbing.

if making wider curves, you either need to cut every outer rail to its new needed length, or you need to stagger joints, and cut just one rail for the entire curve.

when i make straights from R1 curves, i either use just two inner rails of the curves, or two outer rails as a pair. (no cut offs that way)
two inner rails make a straight of exactly the same length as the original LGB straights. two outer rails make a straight, that is nearly an inch longer.
(cutting the tiewebbing on the outer side it fits to the shorter straights, cutting on the inner side it fits the longer straights - with wider spaces)

the most parsimonious way i found, was using all inner rails for straights, and all outer rails for curves with staggered joints. where needed, i insert some wooden ties.



http://kormsen.info/tracks/bilder/track10.JPG


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## aztech78 (Dec 3, 2020)

kormsen said:


> to the bending of LGB R1 curves:
> in the linked pic you can see, how i cut the tie-webbing for wider curves.
> 
> 
> ...





kormsen said:


> to the bending of LGB R1 curves:
> in the linked pic you can see, how i cut the tie-webbing for wider curves.
> 
> 
> ...


Thank you kormsen. That is some great info. I am going to reference your info for sure. Checking out your site as well. I like the idea of staggered joints seems better on curves. 

One question. On the curves I can see you cutting the tie webbing on outer rail. Assume your cutting the webbing on the inner rail side as well. Maybe not all of them like outer rail side. Is that correct? Thanks again for that post.


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## kormsen (Oct 27, 2009)

aztech78 said:


> ...
> One question. On the curves I can see you cutting the tie webbing on outer rail. Assume your cutting the webbing on the inner rail side as well. Maybe not all of them like outer rail side. Is that correct? Thanks again for that post.


if i understand your question well, you ask if i cut the tiewebbings on both sides?
no, i don't.
if i would cut on both sides, i would have to adjust the spacing of each and every tie individually (and to fix them with glue or nails)
if the new curve shall be wider, than the original piece, i cut on the outside. that way the spacing on the inside stays intact and the spacing on the outside can be shorter according to the new curve.
if the new curve shall be sharper, i would cut on the inside, so that the spaces on the outside don't get too big.

when producing straigts, as described above, i cut the inner side if using two (former) outer rails, and the outer side, if using two inner rails. that way the webbing corresponds the length of the rails. (alternatively one could always cut the outer side and add a tie for the longer rail-sections)

if you buy LGB webbing for the flextrack, that comes "precut". but to fit any direction of curves it comes precut in a zig zag. one cut on the left side, next on the right, next on the left again, and so on.
but, the sharper the curve, the more evident can be seen, that these ties don't lie symmetrical under the rails.(from my point of view that would be a reason to cut the webbing completely up and fix them individually)

ah, and the most important thing: make everything so, that for your eyes it looks right. everybody else won't notice all the details, only the general impression.
but you yourself will stumble every day for the next decade over things you diddn't make your way.


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## kormsen (Oct 27, 2009)

well, before you ruin some ties, i'll give you some unsolicited advice.

removing and reusing LGB joiners

there are many ways to skin a cat. this is my way to do it.

using some flat pliers (that can enter into the open slot of the joiner) i draw/bend the upper part outwards. both sides.



http://kormsen.info/tracks/bilderjoiner01.JPG




when the joiner is opened up enough, the rail should slid out by pressure of two fingers, so that you can take the joiner out of the slit in the tie.



http://kormsen.info/tracks/bilderjoiner02.JPG





http://kormsen.info/tracks/bilderjoiner03.JPG




on the bottom of the joiner is a little dimple, that gripped into a hole the rail has in the underside of its foot. as shown in the next pic, i flatten that dimple.
when the rails get cut to the desired length, there are no more holes for the dimples to grip into. (in 50 years of messing around with LGB i never had a reused dimple-less joiner loosing its place)



http://kormsen.info/tracks/bilderjoiner04JPG




then i use the pliers to give the joiner more or less its form back. don't get the "floor" of the joiner roundish! (then the railfoot does not go in easily)



http://kormsen.info/tracks/bilderjoiner05.JPG




put the joiner into the slot of the first tie, push the rail a little bit into the joiner, stand the piece of track upon the open end of the joiner and, using weak strokes, hammer the rail down till the middle into the joiner. (too hard taps might bend the lip of the joiner, making it harder to connect trackpieces)



http://kormsen.info/tracks/bilderjoiner06.JPG





http://kormsen.info/tracks/bilderjoiner07.JPG




well, done. good enuff for gobermints work, as they say.



http://kormsen.info/tracks/bilderjoiner08.JPG




but...
if you are one of these overcautious guys, that wear belt and suspenders together (like me) you use pincers, just to make sure, put them over the joiner, just above the railfoot, then press and give the tips of the handles some taps with a hammer.
(just got reminded, that it's better not to have a finger between pincers and hammer, ouch)



http://kormsen.info/tracks/bilderjoiner09.JPG




as i'm re-reading, what i wrote, i noticed, that writing or reading this how-to needs more time than actually doing the deed.
after one or two tries it is really easy.


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## kormsen (Oct 27, 2009)

edit:

got one link wrong.

http://kormsen.info/tracks/bilderjoiner04.JPG


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## aztech78 (Dec 3, 2020)

Thank you kormsen. all good stuff and more than happy to take all the advice you provide. i feel better about the endevour and i am trying to limit rookie mistakes, to save cost as much as possible, although appreciate the value of trail and error but sure i will have plenty still.


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