uneven tracks

Give us a pic of the specific problem areas Mark

What track are you using?

MTH Realtracks, let me figure out a way to get a picture.  It's not up or down, not bumpy, it's hitting the side and forcing the front wheel of the engine to pop out among others, intermittently

I had this same problem. The track was part of their sets. This seems to be a problem with hollow rail. I have alot of the solid rail and this is not a problem. I ended up throwing the hollow stuff in the trash. Very dissapointed when MTH switched to hollow rail from solid rail. Maybe you could align the two pieces with a pair of pliers and make a joiner to fit inside of the hollow rail to hold it in alignment. Maybe use a piece of solid copper from romex wire. Guessing 12awg or 14 awg.  Just a thought.

Thanks jini5, Aligning with pliers was my first thought, and my second was "is this going to damage it"?  Squeezing together might crush the cheap hollow rail with only a little force.

The track is supposed to have pins between the two rails. From your photos it looks like yours are missing

@trainbob posted:

The track is supposed to have pins between the two rails. From your photos it looks like yours are missing

MTH realtrax does not use pins. The electrical connection between pieces is below the plastic road bed.

@jini5 posted:

I had this same problem. The track was part of their sets. This seems to be a problem with hollow rail. I have alot of the solid rail and this is not a problem. I ended up throwing the hollow stuff in the trash. Very dissapointed when MTH switched to hollow rail from solid rail. Maybe you could align the two pieces with a pair of pliers and make a joiner to fit inside of the hollow rail to hold it in alignment. Maybe use a piece of solid copper from romex wire. Guessing 12awg or 14 awg.  Just a thought.

I had the same problem.  14 ga. solid copper might work.  I made some pins from .072 wire obtained from a hobby shop.  This wire had about an inch of rolled 2-56 threads at each end, and is generally used as pushrod material for radio-controlled airplanes.

As long as one uses the biggest piece of wire that will slide inside the hollow rail, that will do the job.

Cut the heads off some nails and insert them in each rail that is not aligned with the next..  John

@jini5 posted:

MTH realtrax does not use pins. The electrical connection between pieces is below the plastic road bed.

Apparently they should. Try putting  Tubular track pins in.

If not dump 'em. Hard to believe MTH made them this way. Had to discourage a lot of hobby newcomers.

@Lionelski posted:

Apparently they should. Try putting  Tubular track pins in.

If not dump 'em. Hard to believe MTH made them this way. Had to discourage a lot of hobby newcomers.

Couldn't agree more. Thing is it was never a problem with solid rails. Big mistake for MTH to switch. Guess  it doesn't matter now with MTH leaving the scene.

One nice thing I found out was that the hollow rail can be bent over your knee to build speed bumps. Not very easily done with solid rail.

Well they may not come with them but it sure looks like they need them. Use Atlas solid rail track myself.Good track even for Christmas layouts that are torn down every year

I would insert an ice pick or something similar into the end of the rail to nudge/bend it one way or another, not a Pliers, which as mentioned would smash or distort the rail. Or as mentioned, the correct size nail might work just as well. I'm sure it won't take much to nudge/bend the rail into it's correct position

So going with everyone ideas, here's what I did temporarily till I can get to the Home Depot.  I turned some of the tracks around and that evened up a few of the differences. Then I took a wood clamp that has large rubber edges and clamped them while giving a slight twist in the direction I needed them to be.

At least for now the wheels are not skewing off track, So I'll take a piece of track to home depot and go with the putting a pin in the track to even it up.  I was thinking the right solder(the stuff used to solder) sounds weird in my head like I'm not saying the right thing.  if I get the right gauge it's a lot easier to cut solder over nails.

Solder is way too soft to use as track pins. Solid copper wire (uninsulated) would work better and still be a bit flexible and easy to cut.

If you have a place nearby that does Oxy Acetylene welding. The rod is available indifferent thicknesses and it may work. Has a copper coating and one end could be easily soldered in. Usually comes in about a 36 “ length. Available at supply houses probably even at Napa.  Even if there’s more than you will ever use it’s pretty cheap.

I was at harbor freight and they had that welding wire/rods.  i forgot to bring the track since I was planning on hitting Home Depot till later, but it all looked too thick. thanks for the tip about solder gftiv I'll stick with copper or something equivalent.  Thanks again to everyone for your help.  I'll check back with pics aftr I correct things.

@Dave_C posted:

If you have a place nearby that does Oxy Acetylene welding. The rod is available indifferent thicknesses and it may work. Has a copper coating and one end could be easily soldered in. Usually comes in about a 36 “ length. Available at supply houses probably even at Napa.  Even if there’s more than you will ever use it’s pretty cheap.

I wouldn't solder in the pins. If I remember correctly ,you have to raise the track sections to take them apart. You would not be able to take the track sections apart. The pins would lock your track together. It will be hard enough to disassemble the track with pins (not soldered in place). You will have to slide one end further into the rail, then lift the track to seperate the sections.

Not planning on soldering, was planning on using solder cause of it's ease of use but a previous member said that might be to pliable for this use and not be the best choice.  I'll probably use copper or another metal. Thanks for the helpful suggestions.

Ahhh, the joys of MTH Hollow rail.
Squeeze that profit out of everywhere you can.

I had a similar experience-it seems that hollow rail has a mind of its own.
I tested this turnout 3-4 times

then decided to make a video

Because this was the first time I ever used a remote switch in any Turnout. Be glad you didn’t have this happen.

warning-language

https://youtu.be/NevJf8dspvI

I use mostly Atlas but have two loops of Realtrax due to Atlas being OUT OF STOCK AGAIN! I encountered the exact same problem and discovered I could solve it very easily by gently twisting the rail with pliers and/or taking a Dremel grinding wheel and slightly angling the track end that was bent in. Pliers usually does it. I have had no problems since with any engine Diesel or Steam or any cars. You do not want to insert pins as they will only hinder replacing if needed and the track is NOT meant to have pins.

It's a no brainer.  Take a section of track down to the local hardware store and match it up with some nails.  If need be buy a pair of linemen pliers or side cutters (dikes) to cut the nails.    This isn't rocket science. 

(Gargrave left /Ross right)  pins.    There are also round pins and adapter pins to solid rail track.

Amazing what gets sold to the public.  IMO, Mike CT.

Mark stone - Further to Lionelski's suggestion to use steel pins (as one does on tubular track) Lionel used to sell one (1) dozen packs of steel pins under item #6-5551 which can still be found on the big 'e' auction from time to time at reasonable prices.  This would seem to provide a simple solution to your problem, doesn't require soldering, and in turn would facilitate any future alterations to your layout by simply pulling out the pins.

Most of my MTH track is solid rail. I had the same problem with some new hollow rail track. I corrected the rail ends with pliers without any problem. However, an ice pick, as already suggested, may be a better tool.

Adding pins will work if you can connect the sections. I doubt that you would be able to take those sections apart. The recommended disconnect method is to angle one section to the other and then pull apart. I find that I need some angle when connecting sections.

As others have said, bad decision by MTH to change to hollow rail. At least they made all the turnouts with solid rail.

I had this lateral misalignment on the two outside rails on the stationary tracks at the lift bridge locations. I cut and shaped a small piece of white pine strip wood, placed one end of this shaped strip wood to bear against the side of the misaligned rail. The opposite end of this shaped wood was gently tapped with a tack hammer to align with the other rail. I use Gargraves die formed tin plate rail  that does not have a solid continuous cross section, do not use pliers, needle nose or flat, to align the out of line rail end the hollow rail dead most likely will be deformed or crushed shut and the sides of the rail kinked. Note, when aligning using the tack hammer work the out of line distorted rail back into shape with a series of very soft taps of this hammer on the shaped wood strip after each tap check to see this the misalignment is being corrected. Once aligned I dabbed with a toothpick some RTV at the base of the rail and wood tie joint to retain this position.

I’m obviously a little late with my comments. I am having the same problem. Is there any way to “fix” the MTH engine to stop it from coming off the track under this situation?  My old post war Lionel will run through a gap between track sections with no problem.