5 Rail Track Crimping Tool

that's using your nut....slick idea.

A clever idea, and I can see the advantage if you have to do a lot of crimping. I just use a large drift punch and whack it once on each side of the rail. As you did, I made a piece of wood that just fits in the groove on the bottom of the tie to back up the strike. The special tool would be faster, but the drift has been fine for me since I haven't had to build a lot of track.

One thing I've learned the hard way is to avoid hitting the crimp on the center rail too hard. The tab on the tie can penetrate the cardboard insulator, resulting in a hard-to-find short. 

Craig

My layout will need a bit under 150 feet of 5 rail, add a club project we are just starting and it will be about another 70 feet, maybe more if the project grows.

Steve

As usual, club and family stuff has kept my own track work on the back burner. The other side project for the club also ate up some of the track I had bought for my layout. Spent the past two days getting the track assembled as far as I can, now need to order more rails an a few sections of track. Here is a pile of 36" straights, 57" curves and 42" curves all assembled and ready to start crimping the rails to the ties.

It's a good start and I'll place a order with USA track for the shortages tomorrow.

Maybe I can start ripping out old track in the next week or so and wideneing the layout to accept the 57" curves..

Steve

Looks good Steve!  Necessity is the mother of invention... 

Here is a picture of one that I made to fit O27 profile rail.  I obviously have to make some custom pieces of track for the clockwork layout from time to time, so this makes it easier to crimp everything back together.  I machined an "anvil" to fit inside a Marx tie (I use the Marx windup track ties).  The anvil is clamped in my vice.  The crimp tool slips over the end of the rail and is positioned over the tie, which is placed on the anvil.  One good whack and everything is tight:

Can't wait to see it finished.

Bob

James

These ties are open ended so I just use a square shank chisel for the anvil. I have now cut the hex head off the tool and ground the shank down enough to fit in my small drill press. The drill press is now a tie crimping press.

Steve

Steve

Great idea of using your drill press as the crimping tool.  Much more controllable than hitting it with a hammer.  To let you know I had shorts when I first put power to the panels.  Had to take them apart and trace down the problems.  Two different sections

had shorts on the center rails. (Broke through insulator).

Love the idea using a press.

Hey Steve,

Great topic, I could really use some of this. What o gauge radius are you using with the 57" standard?

JoeG

Steve a video of this process would be awesome!!!  I am debating this for my Christmas tree layout!  only one set of tracks and I can run both trains, awesome Idea  Ill be a huge fan if it works

Thanks Steve,

Where are you picking up the o-gauge ties?

JoeG

Kirk has a kit where you take your 72 O gauge track. He will sell you 2 72 STD gauge rails and STD gauge ties and insulators. They have track pins, also.

You attach the STD gauge tie to the center rail of the O-gauge track with a insulator.

You then attach the 2 rails to the STD gauge tie without insulators. Add track pins.

5 rail track.

I do not know how Kirk and Steve worked out the 57 track.

Just posted the video. Hopefully it explains most of your questions.

Steve

Steve,

   Great stuff! Like the engineering and tools big time.

PCRR/Dave