wiring

What kind of track are we using?

Pat

Solder the feeders to the rail itself; that's a much more dependable electrical connection.

I am using Atlas track and Ross and Atlas switches.

I never solder to rail joiners.  I want the first connection to the track to be solid, I solder to the track.

If he’s using Atlas O track, is virtually impossible to solder to the rail. My entire layout is Atlas O,…..you have to solder to the rail joiners. The blackened rail joiners have to get the blackening cleaned off for solder to stick. When using Atlas O track, you simply have to increase the amount of feeders 10 fold.

Pat

I freely admit I don’t know what I’m doing, but I am soldiering to Atlas track. I solder to the side of the rail on the side away from the viewer. I first sand the area and then solder.

Yes, it’s ugly, but cannot be seen a viewer. I’m sure the experts are cringing but I have perfect continuity.

With Atlas O track, I found the best practice is to solder to the rail joiners, and use conductive paste in every joint. I’ve never had an issue, and no wires are visible anywhere……

Pat

@harmonyards posted:

If he’s using Atlas O track, is virtually impossible to solder to the rail. My entire layout is Atlas O,…..you have to solder to the rail joiners. The blackened rail joiners have to get the blackening cleaned off for solder to stick. When using Atlas O track, you simply have to increase the amount of feeders 10 fold.

Pat

The G&O garden railroad solders nearly rail joint of its Atlas track.  Our track is laid on soil and  rock and we don't have access to the underside of the rails.  Grinding can be done quickly and easily by using a Dremel 971 grinding disk to grind down the side of the rail to make it clean and shinny.  The rail can be easily ground because it is solid.  The 971 disk fits between the outside rail and the center rail.  The other Dremel grinding disks are too large.  Home Depot used to carry the 971 but I haven't seen it there lately.  I bought several on Amazon a couple of months ago.  

The G&O uses a resistance soldering iron and rosin core solder.  The resistance iron enables us to solder wire to the rail in a few seconds.  The soldering iron was expensive but it was worth it because we had many joints to solder.

I used the Dremel 971 on my home layout and a standard iron before I learned about the resistance soldering.  This is a much more lengthly and frustrating process.  The rail is a great heat sink and it is difficult to get enough heat in the right place.  I borrow the resistance iron from the club to solder rail now.  

I suggest that people should consider buying a resistance iron if they have a lot of Atlas rail to solder.  The Dremel 971 grinding disk is the best tool I have found to prepare the side of the rail for soldering.  NH Joe

@New Haven Joe posted:

The G&O garden railroad solders nearly rail joint of its Atlas track.  Our track is laid on soil and  rock and we don't have access to the underside of the rails.  Grinding can be done quickly and easily by using a Dremel 971 grinding disk to grind down the side of the rail to make it clean and shinny.  The rail can be easily ground because it is solid.  The 971 disk fits between the outside rail and the center rail.  The other Dremel grinding disks are too large.  Home Depot used to carry the 971 but I haven't seen it there lately.  I bought several on Amazon a couple of months ago.  

The G&O uses a resistance soldering iron and rosin core solder.  The resistance iron enables us to solder wire to the rail in a few seconds.  The soldering iron was expensive but it was worth it because we had many joints to solder.

I used the Dremel 971 on my home layout and a standard iron before I learned about the resistance soldering.  This is a much more lengthly and frustrating process.  The rail is a great heat sink and it is difficult to get enough heat in the right place.  I borrow the resistance iron from the club to solder rail now.  

I suggest that people should consider buying a resistance iron if they have a lot of Atlas rail to solder.  The Dremel 971 grinding disk is the best tool I have found to prepare the side of the rail for soldering.  NH Joe

No doubt some folks have figured out a way to solder to the rail Joe, Not everyone has access to a resistance station to carry that kind of practice out, …The cleanest, easiest method I’ve found with Atlas solid nickel rail is to use the rail joiners themselves, add more drops, and use conductive paste at every joint. I have tried to solder to the rail of Atlas track,…..all I was successful in was making a mess,….In an outdoor environment, sure, I see the need to overcome the challenges of constant exposure to the elements……..but for indoor use, & ease of use, the joiners were the best option,……A small tub of conductive paste is by far cheaper than a resistance soldering station too,……

Pat