QUOTE (34C @ 8 Aug 2008, 15:43)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>Soldering a couple of lengths together is one way around the around the problem. Soldering on a third length may cause difficulties, unless the piece in the middle has the inside rail trimmed to correct length for the curve to be formed ahead of soldering, and is held roughly in shape when soldered, as a soldered in rail joiner cannot slide through the chairs.
What if you really need to put in an insulated rail joiner on a curve though? You cannot solder to it, and it has less mechanical strength than a metal rail joiner, so the kinking is even worse. For this reason, and because soldering the track makes changes to it and reuse of the track that bit more difficult, my preference is to bend the last two or three inches of rail to correct radius, on curved ends of flexible track.
The method is to lay the track piece following the drawn out curve, leaving the final foot unsecured. Take off the end sleeper panel, and gently bend the ends of the rails into a smooth curve of correct radius. My method is by pinching it between finger and thumb, and drawing the pinch along the rail at an angle. Once satisfied with the curvature replace the sleeper panel, and cut rail to length. It is very quick and easy to do with a little practice.
***Thats an understatement - I use C&L flex track and BS95R rail (in steel) and use neither soldering nor fishplates anywhere on the layout. Alignment is always pretty well perfect on both curved and straight track... I simply use a wooden block whichslipes between the rails to align them while the PVA glue that holds the track dries, with NO pins, and no prebending of anything - however my radii are admittedly quite generous.
Richard