Rail joiner: Difference between revisions

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File:Rail joiner formed dls.JPG|Formed rail joiner
File:Rail joiner formed dls.JPG|Formed rail joiner
File:Railjoiners1x800.jpg|Rail joiners are often used in pairs.
File:Railjoiners1x800.jpg|Rail joiners are often used in pairs.
File:Scott Sumner completed insulator set.jpg|[[Track insulator|Track insulators]] laser-cut from acrylic.  Photo by Scott Sumner.
File:Scott Sumner insulator set installed on main at AVWRR.jpg|Laser cut acrylic insulators installed at the [[Annetta Valley & Western Railroad]].  Photo by Scott Sumner.
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== Spall ==
== Drill Gauge ==


Ed  Spall,  a  member  first  of  the  [[Los Angeles Live Steamers],  and  subsequently  of  the  [[Sacramento Valley Live Steamers]],  developed  an  alternative method for joining track in the early 1990's.The  Spall  Rail  Joiner  is  essentially  a  scaled  up  HO track  joiner  that  is  four  inches  long  and  slips  around the foot and up the web  of the rail.  [[Train Mountain] has done the tool and die work to produce these  joiners  in  quantity.  They  have  been  in  use  since  1992  as  a  part  of  the  Train Mountain Track System and on tracks all over the country, with excellent results.
A simple drill gauge can be made with standard rail joiners as shown in the photos below.  Use a felt tip pen to mark the holes on the web of the rail to be drilled.  Never drill the holes with the gauge in place, as it will tend to enlarge the gauge's holes over time. The idea comes from Texas railroad builder Ken Smith. Ken suggests drilling the hole in three steps: 1/8 inch center drill, 7/32 inch drill, and finally 5/16 inch drill.  This makes it easier to drill the holes, and extends the life of the 5/16 inch bit. The hole is oversized to allow [[Rail expansion|expansion and contraction]] of rail.
 
<gallery widths="300px" heights="300px" perrow="2">
File:KenSmith RailJoinerGauge 2020-12-15 16.29.12.jpg|A simple rail joiner gauge can be made by drilling a hole in the center of two rail joiners, then attaching them together with screws, washers and nuts.
File:KenSmith RailJoinerGauge 2020-12-15 16.29.10.jpg|A closeup of this rail joiner gauge shows that the center is spread slightly more than the tail by adding a washer on either side of the center nut.  This allows the gauge to slide easily onto the end of the rail to be marked.
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== Hardware ==
 
Ron Canfield, owner of the [[Windy Ridge Railroad]], suggests using pan head machine screws instead of hex head screws.  He states that the hex head screws can be difficult to remove because of the lack of room for a socket or wrench to grab the head of the screw.
 
<gallery widths="300px" heights="300px" perrow="2">
File:StarDrivePanHeadMachineScrew 10-32 18-8SS.PNG|Star (Torx) drive pan head machine screw, 10-32. Photo provided by <i>[https://www.albanycountyfasteners.com/Torx-Pan-Head-Machine-Screw-Stainless-Steel-10-32-p/1100000.htm Albany County Fasteners]</i>
File:T25 Torx 1050-700-2 300x283.jpg|T25 Torx driver tool for 10-32 pan head screws. Photo provided by [https://www.albanycountyfasteners.com/torx-drive-power-bits/1050-700.htm Albany County Fasteners]
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== Spall Slip Joiner ==
From [http://trainmtn.org/tmrr/Resources/policies_procedures/TM_Encyclopedia_v.4-13.pdf Train Mountain Encyclopedia, v 4-13 (PDF)]:
 
: Ed  Spall,  a  member  first  of  the  [[Los Angeles Live Steamers]],  and  subsequently  of  the  [[Sacramento Valley Live Steamers]],  developed  an  alternative method for joining track in the early 1990's.The  Spall  Rail  Joiner  is  essentially  a  scaled  up  HO track  joiner  that  is  four  inches  long  and  slips  around the foot and up the web  of the rail.  [[Train Mountain]] has done the tool and die work to produce these  joiners  in  quantity.  They  have  been  in  use  since  1992  as  a  part  of  the  Train Mountain Track System and on tracks all over the country, with excellent results.


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* [http://www.chaski.org/homemachinist/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=83810 "Rail Joiner Maker", <i>Chaski.org</i>]
* [http://www.chaski.org/homemachinist/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=83810 "Rail Joiner Maker", <i>Chaski.org</i>]
* [http://trainmtn.org/tmrr/Resources/policies_procedures/TM_Encyclopedia_v.4-13.pdf Train Mountain Encyclopedia, v 4-13 (PDF)]
* [http://trainmtn.org/tmrr/Resources/policies_procedures/TM_Encyclopedia_v.4-13.pdf Train Mountain Encyclopedia, v 4-13 (PDF)]
* [https://www.livesteamstation.com/product-page/accucraftrideon-rail-joiner-set-1-rail West Coast Rail Joiner, <i>LiveSteamStation.info</i>]
* [http://www.bigbootsrr.com/rail,_track__switch_tracks.html Spall/Slip Rail Joiners <i>Big Boots RR</i>]

Latest revision as of 11:53, 7 March 2024


Side screw

Drill Gauge

A simple drill gauge can be made with standard rail joiners as shown in the photos below. Use a felt tip pen to mark the holes on the web of the rail to be drilled. Never drill the holes with the gauge in place, as it will tend to enlarge the gauge's holes over time. The idea comes from Texas railroad builder Ken Smith. Ken suggests drilling the hole in three steps: 1/8 inch center drill, 7/32 inch drill, and finally 5/16 inch drill. This makes it easier to drill the holes, and extends the life of the 5/16 inch bit. The hole is oversized to allow expansion and contraction of rail.

Hardware

Ron Canfield, owner of the Windy Ridge Railroad, suggests using pan head machine screws instead of hex head screws. He states that the hex head screws can be difficult to remove because of the lack of room for a socket or wrench to grab the head of the screw.

Spall Slip Joiner

From Train Mountain Encyclopedia, v 4-13 (PDF):

Ed Spall, a member first of the Los Angeles Live Steamers, and subsequently of the Sacramento Valley Live Steamers, developed an alternative method for joining track in the early 1990's.The Spall Rail Joiner is essentially a scaled up HO track joiner that is four inches long and slips around the foot and up the web of the rail. Train Mountain has done the tool and die work to produce these joiners in quantity. They have been in use since 1992 as a part of the Train Mountain Track System and on tracks all over the country, with excellent results.

External Links