06-28-2010, 11:32 PM
Trucklover ...
As far as the transition from one size rail to another is concerned, I use 83 for main and 70 for sidings, yards, etc. When I first started using two weights (heights) of rail, around 1988, there was no such thing as a transitional rail joiner, at least none that I was aware of. Sooo ... I slid a Code 83 joiner onto a section of Code 83 rail that had some flux* wiped on its base. I touched the iron to the top of the rail and the end of the solder to the outside web of the rail ... the solder flowed and that side was done. Then, using a fine-toothed razor saw, I carefully made a slit in the rail joiner right at the end of the rail section (carefull - don't cut through it, just a little slit in the sides, so the two rail heads can snug up to each other!) and then crimped the rail joiner (this part is trial and error) until the Code 70 rail sat on top of the crimped rail joiner and was flush with the top of the Code 83 rail. Then, with flux* wiped on the base of the Code 70 rail and the two rail sections spiked down and clipped together (as I remember I used a little Xacto soldering clip) so the heads of the rails were even I touched the iron to the top of the two rails as close to the joint as I could get but still on the Code 70 rail and touched the end of the solder to the outside of the base of the Code 70 rail. A little excess bubbled up flux* removal action with some alcohol on a Q-Tip, a few clean-up swipes with a couple different shaped jewelers' files or rifflers, a bit of rust, rail brown and maybe a couple dabs of grimy black paint and the whole thing kinda disappears
(unless you point it out to someone. I never do that ... why call attention to that kind of thing if the viewer doesn't see it ... unless, of course, you do a masterful job of soldering the two disparate rail sections togther and want to show off your mad soldering skills, in which case, by all means, go for it!) 
When it comes to gaps in the rails for isolation of sections or insulation of one rail from another, that gets into the unseen magic of electricity, and for that topic, I yield to Gary S. ... he is the Big Blue Electrical Guru!
Solder Flux is recommended here, although it's conceivable that you could try Gibson's Exraordinary Remedial Naturalized Flux. It'll make the joint 3% stronger! 8-)
And see, it took me so long to type this all out and then proof read and correct all the typos that the Nacho Man beat me to the punch!
It's tired and I'm late ... I'm going to bed! G'Night!
As far as the transition from one size rail to another is concerned, I use 83 for main and 70 for sidings, yards, etc. When I first started using two weights (heights) of rail, around 1988, there was no such thing as a transitional rail joiner, at least none that I was aware of. Sooo ... I slid a Code 83 joiner onto a section of Code 83 rail that had some flux* wiped on its base. I touched the iron to the top of the rail and the end of the solder to the outside web of the rail ... the solder flowed and that side was done. Then, using a fine-toothed razor saw, I carefully made a slit in the rail joiner right at the end of the rail section (carefull - don't cut through it, just a little slit in the sides, so the two rail heads can snug up to each other!) and then crimped the rail joiner (this part is trial and error) until the Code 70 rail sat on top of the crimped rail joiner and was flush with the top of the Code 83 rail. Then, with flux* wiped on the base of the Code 70 rail and the two rail sections spiked down and clipped together (as I remember I used a little Xacto soldering clip) so the heads of the rails were even I touched the iron to the top of the two rails as close to the joint as I could get but still on the Code 70 rail and touched the end of the solder to the outside of the base of the Code 70 rail. A little excess bubbled up flux* removal action with some alcohol on a Q-Tip, a few clean-up swipes with a couple different shaped jewelers' files or rifflers, a bit of rust, rail brown and maybe a couple dabs of grimy black paint and the whole thing kinda disappears
(unless you point it out to someone. I never do that ... why call attention to that kind of thing if the viewer doesn't see it ... unless, of course, you do a masterful job of soldering the two disparate rail sections togther and want to show off your mad soldering skills, in which case, by all means, go for it!) When it comes to gaps in the rails for isolation of sections or insulation of one rail from another, that gets into the unseen magic of electricity, and for that topic, I yield to Gary S. ... he is the Big Blue Electrical Guru!
Solder Flux is recommended here, although it's conceivable that you could try Gibson's Exraordinary Remedial Naturalized Flux. It'll make the joint 3% stronger! 8-)
And see, it took me so long to type this all out and then proof read and correct all the typos that the Nacho Man beat me to the punch!
It's tired and I'm late ... I'm going to bed! G'Night!
biL
Lehigh Susquehanna & WesternÂ
"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves." ~~Abraham Lincoln
Lehigh Susquehanna & WesternÂ
"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves." ~~Abraham Lincoln