Attaching feeders to track before installing the track

[DairyStateDad]

I'm figuring that I will solder my feeder wires to their respective track sections (flex track) before I lay the track in place.

My reasoning is that it's likely to be a lot easier to do at the workbench. Also, that will allow me to much more easily attach the wires to the underside of the rails, out of sight. And from my highly inexperienced vantage point, that would seem to be just so much easier than doing it after the track is in place on the layout.

The odd thing is, most guides I come across seem to assume attaching the feeders after the track is laid in place.

So is there a reason not to do it the way I plan to? Or is that a lot more common than I realize and I just haven't seen a representative sample of the advice out there?

 

[hamltnblue]

It's best to solder to the underside of the track before installing. Hides the solder joints very well.

 

[fcwilt]

If you cut and fit the track into place first then you should be able to determine where the wires should attach to the rails so the holes you will drill for the wires will be in a desirable location.

 

[hamltnblue]

If you look under the flex track you'll probably have a spot in the center of each rail already cut out for soldering.

 

[DairyStateDad]

So my instincts are correct here. That's good to know. Thanks!

From the DairyStatePhone

 

[santafewillie]

On Atlas flex-track there is only a spot on one side on the bottom, so you would have to cut out a spot on the other side. If you are soldering on a curve be aware that that spot on the moveable rail side will move after you bend the track (unless you only solder at the joints where you have to remove ties anyway). Otherwise you may be trimming rail on both ends. Personally, I use terminal rail joiners and solder them to the track on both sides of the joiner.
Willie

 

[D&J RailRoad]

The problem I'm seeing here is being able to align the solder point with a hole in the road bed for the wire to go down through. Depending on how much track you have to lay, it will be a very tedious process. I think if you use a very small guage wire, i.e. 22 or higher, you should be able to lay the wire along the web of the rail and solder it in place then conceal it with paint. Strip the insulation back far enough so only the bare wire protrudes out of the roadbed to minimize the size of the visible wire. Ideas for small guage wire are; winding from a turnout solenoid. Its coated with varnish for insualtion and is very thin.

 

[Davidfd85]

I use 2 pair phone line wire for all my feeders. That way I can use two colors for the feeders and the other two colors for the turnout switches or as needed. I think it is about 22 ga wire. I do solder a short feeder to all the track after fitting but before caulking it down in place. I leave the wires above the base at this point. Then I use a 1/16th drill bit for the holes through the base placed between the ties as close to the track as possible. Very very little wire,if any, is seen doing this after ballast is put down.

 

[Iron Horseman]

I'm figuring that I will solder my feeder wires to their respective track sections (flex track) before I lay the track in place. ... My reasoning is that it's likely to be a lot easier to do at the workbench.

What makes you think that? Have you actually tried soldering in both situations. I like to solder in place because then the rail can't move. One less thing I have to hold. I need three hands anyway soldering iron or tweezers, solder, and wire. If the rail is loose then I have to somehow hold it too.

that will allow me to much more easily attach the wires to the underside of the rails, out of sight.

that is true, I do not put feeders to the underside, just to the side. Looks a lot less unsightly than some of the rail joiners I've seen done.

The odd thing is, most guides I come across seem to assume attaching the feeders after the track is laid in place.

That doesn't seem odd to me at all, but it could be a historical thing. Many ideas of the proper order of construction date back to when track was hand laid and had to be soldered in place anyway. After soldering a turnout frog and guard rails "in place" a feeder wire is nothing.

So is there a reason not to do it the way I plan to?

If you are doing a curve that pre-soldered wire will want to move making a mess of the ties. Also pre-planning where wire holes will be can be more of a chore than one thinks esp with flex track. The few times I've used pre-wired track some of my pre-planned holes were up to 1/4" off from were they were supposed to be. The of course there was nothing like ending up with a wire that needs to go down THROUGH a joist or a sub-roadbed screw.

But I say go for it and give us a report on how things work out. Maybe even write an article for one of the magazines.

 

[DairyStateDad]

Thank you, IH -- all very helpful to think about. And as I'm getting ready to actually put some track in very soon, an opportunity to test my various assumptions! And thanks to others for their observations, too...

 

[hamltnblue]

Go ahead and solder before laying the track. If you solder the feeder in the center of the section it wont move and mess up the ties. The only downside is you'll have to trim both sides instead of one.
After trimming hold the section in place to mark where to drill for the feeders.

 

[goscrewyourselves]

I think it comes down to which method you are most comfortable with and your soldering expertise. I avoided this problem by using terminal joiners (Peco variety) however, had I made my own feeders I would have soldered them in place before I laid the track.

With respect to aligning the feeder holes: I don't see that as an issue as I do my holes after the track is in place; therefore, getting the holes correctly positioned and aligned.

 

[efram]

I use CVT tie strips and ME track. I glue and lay the rail first, being mindful of where my feeders will be coming up through the road bed. I make sure the webbing is cleared for the track feeders. Once the track is installed, I solder the feeders to the underside of the rail. I usually tin the feeder, bend it into an "L" and then use tweezers to hook it under the rail. Usually either tension will hold it against the underside, or I use a small alligator clip on the feeder, under the layout to hold it in place. Before I solder the feeder to the rail, I will also use 2 small alligator clips on the rail, adjacent my soldering area to act as heat sinks. This ensures the ties don't melt yet I still get a strong bond with the feeder. This technique, along with some ballasting, leads to nearly invisible feeders. Hope this helps!

 

[MikeOwnby]

I'm in N-scale and I assume you're talking HO, so I don't know how much difference there is. I make my own terminal rail joiners by soldering 20-ga bell wire straight in to the bottom of standard Peco rail joiners. Much cheaper than buying them pre-made and that solid wire will stay where you bend it to keep under-bench neat. You can also vary the length of the wire a bit to suit whatever your needs are. Since I solder the rail joints anyway, having the feeders soldered to the rail joiner seems like the best way and they are completely invisible once ballast is laid. I make all the terminal rail joiners on the bench nice and easy, then install them as I lay the track. The only caveat to this is that soldering the rails together can also cause the wires to release from the bottom of the rail joiner. Easy fix for that is to just squirt a little Elmers Glue-All around the wire where it goes through the hole in the roadbed, let it dry, and even though soldering the rails will still melt the wire junction also it won't matter since the wire wasn't allowed to move. It just cools back down to its original joint again.