SECTION OF RAIL
Fig. 1
RAIL CONNECTION
Fig. 2
Shape the Rails from Sheet-Metal Strips, 1¹⁄₂ Inches Wide and 16 inches Long, to the Form Shown in Fig. 1. The Rail Connections are Formed as Shown in Fig. 2
The track should be of uniform gauge; the joints should be solid and free from irregularities, which cause “bumping” in passing over them. The material used should be stiff, so that it will retain its form, and preferably non-rusting. The rails must be insulated from each other, and proper means must be provided for making suitable electrical connections between the various sections. The construction of a straight and a curved section of track, together with a switch and signal, adaptable to various places on the system, will be considered in detail.
The straight sections may be made any suitable length; sections 16 in. long will be found convenient, as the metal pieces forming the rails may be bent into shape easily when they are short rather than long. The possibility of various combinations of straight and curved sections in a given area is increased by having the sections shorter. The rails may be made from tinned sheet-metal strips, by taking pieces, 16 in. long and 1¹⁄₂ in. wide, and bending them into the form shown in [Fig. 1]. The rails should be mounted on small wooden sleepers, ¹⁄₂ by ¹⁄₂ by 4 in., by means of small nails, or preferably small screws. The distance between the centers of the rails should be 2 in. The sections of track may be fastened together at the ends by means of a special connector, shown in [Fig. 2], made from thin metal, preferably spring brass. The type of connector shown in Fig. 2 will not prevent the sections from pulling apart, and to prevent this, a second connector, similar to that shown in [Fig. 3], should be made. The sleepers at the ends of each section should have one side beveled, as shown, and these edges should be exactly one inch from the end of the rails. A spring clip should be made, similar to that shown, which will slip down on the inside of the end sleepers and hold the sections together.
METHOD OF CONNECTING TRACK SECTIONS
Fig. 3
