realtrax

I hate RealTrax, you have to look at teh connectors on the bottom.

They should look like two "U" shapes and must be side by side and touching.

It is very easy to bend, break, or mangle those U shaped connectors.

I take a needlenose plier and squeeze where they touch or should be touching, i.e. the inside curve of each "U" shape needs to touch each other.

This coming from a hard core 2 railer, I have used RealTrax on a few occasions and really like it for what it is.    There are several unique nuances to it but I would use it again w/o hesitancy. 

However, in the long run I like Ross/Gargraves. 

If one wants to pick apart the various three rail mfg. visual distractions I say just forget it and come over to the dark side.

Cookie,

   The inside oval of my Christmas layout is RealTrax, the one thing I noticed when laying the track is that the U shaped electrial connectors can distort easily while putting the track together.  If these connectors are damaged from taking the track apart you may need to take some long nose pliers and rebend them into correct shape, allowing them to touch correctly, usually this is the reason for what is happening with your power loss.  You may have to replace some sections of track if the connectors are damaged to badly.  One other piece of advise, RealTrax works a lot better if you put it together and leave it alone, taking this particular track up and down only causes problems in the long run, if you constantly change your layout I recommend using either FasTrack or the new Atlas track engineered similar to FasTrack.  The engineering design on these two type of tracks allows for quick building of layouts with little trouble.  RealTrax is great stuff, if you are careful while building and use it properly.  Remember also your old Lionel magna-traction engines are not magnetic on the RealTrax Silver Nickel rails.  I use the RealTrax as the inside oval because of the dimensions of the track, not because it is easy to work with. 

PCRR/Dave

2012 Christmas layout with RealTrax for the inside oval.

Cookie,

Some of the welds used to connect the track tabs to the track are very poor. Check each section with an ohmmeter to see if you have any opens due to bad track welds.  Joe

I use conductive grease on the connections.

RER,

   I was at a train show just recently and one of the men told me the exact same thing,

he even showed me some of the new track that has the problem you mentioned,

my older RealTrax does not have this problem at all, goes to show you that different track runs, are important when looking at some of this stuff.

PCRR/Dave

OK, For the <I dont know How many>eth time.

Realtrax does not go together the way pinned track does. Yes, you will damage it that way.

Hold 2 pieces at a 45°V angle with the rail tops touching. Rotate flat while pressing together. This way the copnnections don't get damaged.

Next piece, First 2 flat on Table; Hold at a 45° angle again with rail tops touching. Rotate flat while pressing together.

Continue , Last piece is hardest, Hold both ends up in a shallow V and press together.

To Remove, Reverse the process, V to split first connection, Then just lift open end up and let it separate.

Yes, the early Hollow rail pieces were known for bad welds. Newer track should not have this problem, Take them back if they do.

I ran a RealTrax Layout for 5 years, No issues other than some pieces I bought used. I also run a Christmas loop every year that gets boxed up the rest of the year. No issues from re-using the track if assembled this way.

To fix a bad weld, Run a wire end to end between the connections on that piece of track. Worked for me.

I won't get into the switches on this thread.

Contact me for you need more info; email in profile.

I just threw out 5 curves of RealTrax as they could not be salvaged.

I troubleshooted for 3 hours on the weekend and another 2 hours today, its hopeless.

The connectors are like butter, and if you mix 1st generation (solid rail) with 2nd generation (hollow rail), you get alignment issues, derailments, etc.

I am so tired of troubleshooting that junk, that I am thinking of tearing it all up and buying Gargraves track and Ross switches as a replacement.

Cookie,

The very earliest MTH RealTrak was in fact "JUNK."  Review the attacked picture.  The early track has red paint marks on it.

The electrical contacts track to track were just a mechanical crimp not a spot weld.  Look at the piece of track far left at ends, particularly the black center rail.  Note the brass colored contact that is just mechanically crimped over the rail bottom flange.  These never could hold a good electrical contact.  The newer track has the electrical contacts spot welded to the rail.  If you look closely at tract far right you will see that spot weld dimple in the "phosphor bronze" electrical connectors between the plastic "bottoms" that hold connectors to road bed base.

Also observe the three connectors on far right track.  Two are in the proper U-Shape but one is bent into a O-shape.  Before assembling make sure these are in proper shape and aligned in end view.

Miss-shaped connectors is a result of improper assembly and disassembly techniques.  To the best of my knowledge I have NOT seen MTH document in writing the proper technique.  BUT they did in videos that came with sets.  Disassembly   is the MOST critical,  use what I call a hinging action making believe that there is a hing pin at the point the top of the rails touch each other just as Russell has described above.

Thank you all for your very helpful information. I plan to purchase some conductive grease tomorrow and then start from scratch, check all connectors and insure that I assemble the track as explained by Russell. Train is running now but will slow at certain sections of the track.

Thanks again to all.

Cookie

All purchases of said track, should come w/ a VOM. One of the most useful tools in getting the track to work.

Russell " To fix a bad weld, Run a wire end to end between the connections on that piece of track. Worked for me.

That does not work if the connection is not contacting the rail ie: broken weld. It works if you take the wire to the rail on the next track.

And that "V" connection is a good trick...unless you have track w/ bad welds to the rail (and solid and hollow both have said welds break loose. I have had pieces of track where, when I took them apart, then held the track vertically....one of the rails slid out and landed on the floor! Many times over the years has it happened.

"I won't get into the switches on this thread."  ....and that is a good thing to avoid!

I started with this track. I am so buried into it, that I can not afford to change. But if I was to start over....I would  NEVER use the stuff.

Just my cent and a half worth. Greg

I have a carpet layout built in 1999, never had a single problem. It has 10 switches and  the non-derailing feature has always worked on all of them. Never had a derailment on the switches either. The track layout was taken apart only once in 2001 to install new carpet. The track has all connectors welded, no crimping. Center rail was cleaned with the LGB Track Cleaner Block (highly recommended). I don't think I would want to use the  newer Real Trax though. I do like the looks of Real Trax more than Fastrack. It has more of a look like tubular but with ballast. It's too bad MTH cheapened the product from 10 years ago.