Proto 87 Joint Bars

[C855B]

I was admiring this slide I took in '74 (below), and it dawned on me that even though this was in all respects a heavy-duty main, it was still jointed rail back then. So since I am modeling this line in roughly that period... I'm seriously considering adding joint bars to capture the look. Proto 87 has the joint bars, but how are they fastened? ACC? Are there operational issues from attaching the bars on the inside? Other challenges, other than the tedium of sticking-down 48 of these bars on every stick of flex? (Yikes!  )

[lock4244]

Thanks for pointing those out, Mike. Have thought, in passing at least, how odd it looks for even the lowliest N scale industrial spur to be laid with welded rail. I would assume gluing would be the way to go, however they are nickel silver so soldering is a possibility. I would think gluing is the quickest method.

[Ian MacMillan]

I used ACC when I did it in Proto:87.

[LN2800]

They are typically ACC'd in place. Not sure how well they work with pizza cutters but they work with FVM wheelsets ok. Look at the bright side, if you can only see a scene from one side, you only have to install half as many.

[flight2000]

They are typically ACC'd in place. Not sure how well they work with pizza cutters but they work with FVM wheelsets ok. Look at the bright side, if you can only see a scene from one side, you only have to install half as many.

I'm confused, are we talking HO or N Scale here?  Proto 87 is obviously HO, but are they selling N Scale joint bars?   

Brina

[Chris333]

I used Alkem joint bars before, just ACCed.

[MichaelWinicki]

Once you weathered the sides of the rail, I wonder how much you would notice them being there.

[Sokramiketes]

I thought they were pretty easy to solder in place.  I tinned them on the sheet, then held in place and soldered with a resistance soldering tweezer. 




While they show up in photos, not one person has mentioned the detail at a show.  It's probably a combination of bad show lighting and the subtle nature.  I've stopped installing them.

[Ian MacMillan]

I'm confused, are we talking HO or N Scale here?  Proto 87 is obviously HO, but are they selling N Scale joint bars?   

Brina

They sell N "scale" ones as well for code 55 and 40 track.

[C855B]

I thought they were pretty easy to solder in place.  I tinned them on the sheet, then held in place and soldered with a resistance soldering tweezer.

Ah! Thought so.

While they show up in photos, not one person has mentioned the detail at a show.

Obviously not shows I've attended. I really appreciate nice trackwork.

If I don't get distracted I'll get an order off tonight for a few frets.

[davefoxx]

Are you all also taking a jeweler's saw and "scoring" the railhead to create the appearance of the rail joint and to get some "clickety-clack"?

[ryan_wilkerson]

Are you all also taking a jeweler's saw and "scoring" the railhead to create the appearance of the rail joint and to get some "clickety-clack"?

I had thought of that and will try it when I get to laying some of the sidings that had jointed rail. Thanks for the reminder

[nkalanaga]

The only issue I can see is that, if these are HO scale joint bars made for code 40 and 55 rail, they would be HO length.  That would look a little out of place for most N scale track, although I have heard of extra-long joint bars being used on rare occasions.

[ryan_wilkerson]

The only issue I can see is that, if these are HO scale joint bars made for code 40 and 55 rail, they would be HO length.  That would look a little out of place for most N scale track, although I have heard of extra-long joint bars being used on rare occasions.

They are actually made for N. I ordered some earlier this year.
I believe it is part # NJB40-1 from this page: http://www.proto87.com/n-scale-track.html

[GaryHinshaw]

The last photo on the page in Ryan's link shows the fret in question.  I'm pretty sure these are intended to be N scale, but in any case, the fret is designed so the user cuts the bars to the desired length.  I tried using them to detail turnout frogs when I started my turnout builds with proto87 parts, but like others, I found them to be all but invisible from almost any viewing angle:



I may try these on some of my spur tracks (my main lines are welded rail).  If I do so, I would probably weather them a darker color to mimic the shadow the bolts cast, and to generally accentuate them, but it's pretty low on my priority list. I am very happy with their turnout parts though.

-gfh

P.S. Tim Horton reported a similar experience last summer.