ez track - not quit ready to use as it comes out of the box.

Started by Pacific Northern, July 13, 2007, 09:41:51 PM

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Pacific Northern

I was somewhat surprised that the N/S EZ track sectional pieces required the amount of modification and tweeking as I had to spend getting the trackwork ready.

I am using the EZ Track sections for the mainline on my layout and then swithing to flexible track for the yards. I chose the EZ track for the high roadbeds and am using cork for the yard areas (with lessor roadbed profile). A significant number of the EZ track sectional pieces required shortening of rail and also re-alignment at the joiners as well as the replacement of the railjoiners for a number of sections.

In all fairness, had I stayed with only diesels a lot of time and effort would have been saved laying the trackwork. One I tried the steamers it was a whole new story. Darn those pilots and trailing wheels.
Pacific Northern

SteamGene

I've only used E-Z Track for Christmas layouts and an occasional demonstration - but I've never found any problem with track length or joiners.  A lot of novices have problems getting the track into the joiners, but that doesn't sound like what you describe. 
Gene
Chief Brass Hat
Virginia Tidewater and Piedmont Railroad
"Only coal fired steam locomotives"

Terry Toenges

I am not sure what you mean by "shortening of rail".
Are you talking about cutting off a section of the EZ Track?
Or cutting individual rail(s) on a piece of EZ Track?
With all the EZ Track I've worked with, I've never had a problem with an individual rail or both rails on a piece of EZ being too long for the roadbed.
Bad batch from the factory?
I'm also not sure what you mean by "re-alignment at the joiners".  Are the joiners cockeyed on the piece?
The only time I've had to replace joiners is from frequent assembly and disassembly where they get bent out of shape or where they get bent down from picking up long sections, like a half moon, without proper support in the middle.
I guess it's possible they could be screwed up from the factory but I've never seen it.
Feel like a Mogul.

Pacific Northern

I guess I must have received a bad batch then.

The track was part of a bulk purchase. When I mentioned "shortening" I meant that I actually clipped small pieces of rail.

Where two sections of track joined there was enough of a gap that the pilot jumped off the rail, once it was clipped all was fine. Before I clipped I tried to re-arrange the arcs of track (alignment).

As far as the joiners go some of the joiners were slightly out of alignment from being crimped on the rail I would suspect, they were easy to replace.

Actually all of my cutting etc was on curved pieces of track, no problem with the straight sections.
Pacific Northern