I am trying to determine if the currently being sold "Bachmann EZ-Track Rail Joiners: (Bachmann HO 44499 EZ Track Rail Joiners 36 per card) are unique to EZ Track or if they will also work with original Bachmann HO track (i.e. vintage early 1990s without roadbed).
Could anyone offer an answer? Thanks so much...
They are standard size HO rail joiners.
Dear All,
Original Bachmann joiners have notches for the spikes in the ties,
which hold the joiner to the track section.
Squeezing the end of rail down in between the plastic ties with a pliers would
clear the notches from the plastic spikes and allow the joiner to be (non-destructively)
pulled off the track section. (Old style non-roadbed Bachmann HO track.)
Newer roadbed track does not allow this process, as you can't get your pliers near
the bottom of the ties.
Nowadays the spikes in the ties are scraped off by the joiner as it is
twisted and pulled off with a pliers from the front face of the rail.
Bachmann Board member "Narrowminded" made a video of the process.
The link to it is about 3/4 of the way down the first page of this thread:
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,21790.0.html
Hope this helps.
Sincerely,
Joe Satnik
Graf, what is important to keep in mind about joiners is the track Code size they are meant to be used with. As long as the Code of the rail joiner matches the Code your track is, brand does not matter. For example, for Code 100 track which is what EZ track is, you can use Code 100 rail joiners made by Bachmann, Atlas, Peco, Life Like etc, etc. While not essential, it is a best practice to use the same kind of metal joiner as the metal of your track rails.
Are you looking to take joiners off or put joiners on?
A P.S. "old" sectional, usually brass, Bachmann track (non-roadbed) is/was Code 100.
Thanks to each of you for the information. Being kind of new to model railroading, all the help available is so greatly appreciated.
Jeff A
You're most welcome!