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I think it might be a good idea based on the specifics of your layout.  About 30 years ago I started building a 20 feet square, three level Gargraves steel flex track layout.  I soldered most of the joints using solid wire across the gaps.  I also ran powered and ground wires to all the far reaches of the layout.  It performed great.  I haven't run any trains on that layout in two years.  It's above a workshop in an outbuilding without heat.  The track is dirty right now but I'm certain I could wipe the track and it would run just as well as when it was new.  

So, if you're looking for longevity and it's not in your house where the pins could corrode over time, you might want to solder the gaps.  And size matters.  How big is your layout and what's the track material?

Good luck....

Secure your track so it won't move and you won't need to solder ( or run wires?) between track sections.  Well placed screws for a start, will serve you just as well with none of the wasted effort.  Built some decent sized layouts.  Best medicine, keep your track clean and your rails polished by running trains on them on a regular basis.  Cheers.

If you have a semi-permanent or temporary layout, soldering the rails would not be recommended as it will be extremely difficult, if not impossible to separate the tracks.

 

On the other hand, soldering is recommended when you have to add feeder wires to compensate for dead spots and voltage drops. Even then most modellers solder individual wires to the web of the rail (the thin part between where the wheels roll and the base), or on the underside of the rail.

 

-John

I have gargraves track which worked fine with conventional.  When I added DCS and did the DCS signal strength I had 6-8 strength.  The track is clean so I crimped each track at their connection joint.  That helpEded and I got 8-9 signal strength.

 

i decided to solder each joint.  It took sometime to complete but it was worth the effort.  I now get 10 in all but a few sections where I am get a  9.  I just wish I could solder good enough to be able to fill in gaps at track joints.

 

And just to reaffirm the importance of clean track, i ran trains for about six months without any real cleaning.  After checking the signal strength I was  getting 5-6. After a good cleaning it went back to mostly 10's.  I have  voltage and amp meters on each loop. There was a pretty decent reduction in the amperage readings with clean track.

 

Ed

 

 

My mainline tracks have been down for about 10 years.  I use Gargraves Flex Track and Ross Switches.  When assembling I tapped the tracks together with a block of wood and hammer so the joints are nice and tight.  All the track is screwed down so as not to move.  All that takes enough time without also soldering.  There is no need to solder the joints.

.....

Dennis

500 ft of atlas O 3 rail, run TMCC and DCS, no solder. 

 

Ran this layout for 15 yrs before taking it down.  The only thing done different was to bunish off the ends of blackened center rail, use a very small amount of conductive grease, and make certain each leg of switches were independently powered.

 

The other thing done was that the inside rail was insulated on the whole layout. (basically running two rails until train was on that section)..Makes block signals easy.

 

Bill D

Last edited by wsdimenna

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