Staggered joints

The main challenge with your suggestion is that on the prototype, rail joints are almost always staggered, whereas model sectional track has the ends cut straight off and thus joints in a pair of rails are aligned. In HO scale, I am aware of modelers who lay conventional flex track, then use a razor saw to notch simulated joints, staggered, every 39 feet, and install joint bars below those notches. This is a good balance of prototype accuracy versus the reliability and wiring simplicity of flex track.

Jointed rail

Although I model an era and railroad that used jointed rail (1900) I don't model jointed rail per se.  I don't add joints every 33 ft (rail lengths back in 1900).  The reason people notch the rail is to get a "clickety clack" sound.  I have found that with the number of switches I have in the track that I pretty much get enough clickety clack from them. Sectional track in HO is typically 9" long, a 39 ft rail is about 5 3/8" long, a 33 ft rail is 4.5 " long.  That means I would need to put a  "joint" in the middle of each piece of sectional track rail.  That's a lot of joints and a lot of clickety clack.

Railroads do end up with even joints after they repair a derailment and install "panel track" (the prototype equivalent of sectional track).  The track is slow ordered until the rail can be relaid through that area.

The Soo Line had a few

The Soo Line had a few branches which had "square" joints but I am sure by now most are either replaced or abandoned.

Barry 

Aligned joints

Those are interesting points about the staggered rail joints. What made me think of this was Joe Atkinson's recent post about his layout progress and duplicating prototype scenes. This photo is from his post and shows a lot of jointed track still around in current day. I can't really tell if the joins are staggered or aligned from the photo but they look close to being matched like model track sections.

Sectional Track during Track Planning

I did find the use of some sectional track curves handy when planning out the track plan,....particularly 22 and 24 inch radi. I didn't end up using them on the finished track plan, but they came in handy when I was sketching up my 'full scale' plans,..verses computer program plans. I also had a number of those short sectional curves,...wish there were more variety than just short 18" inchers. I had to cut up a few pieces of 22 & 24 to get shorter pieces. I also had to make up some rigid short sections using flex track and superglue to get a larger variety of larger radi short curve pieces.

Full Size Paper Templates of Trackplan      https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/full-size-paper-templates-of-trackplan-12211674

Short line rail joints

Pursuant to patentwriter's comments, in the last few days I've recently traveled many dozens of miles alongside two different short line railroads (BNG and SLWC). The highways I used closely paralleled  the tracks which were plainly visible, and they definitely used individual rails and had staggered all the rail joints.

I've also seen stacks of the panel track alongside the rails that Dave refers to.

You can get away with a lot proto free lancing short lines.

clickity-clack

If you just want clickity-clack you don't need to cut all the way through the rail, do you? 

"KISS"

Brass Hat on the Bayou Crest Express here,

I and friends have been using brass section track with little to no op problems.

Yes,  It is time consuming,  but the time spent cleaning and painting the track before install is worth the time in the long run.

Not sure why i do Not have problems with brass track,  But clean top of rails about every few months needed or not.

The sound of the wheels over rail joints bring back many memories.  Just seems so real!  After all,  that IS the reason for all the time spent on rails. Authenticity.

I use Atlas and Fellar old track.

"Keep It simple stupid" is part of my believe in enjoying this hobby.  Some make it more of a job than a relaxing hobby.

Boudreaux,  B.C.E.  R.R.

Cutting at angels at different lengths on some rail ties also gives a more real look of old ties and such.