I’m having an issue with the mating of Atlas code 55 with Peco code 55 flex.
The problem is height and rail joiners. The peco code 55 flex has a weird configuration on the rail where the jouners go on they don’t want to fit like the rail is larger. I can tell looking at the Atlas side by side with the Peco that the Peco is more bulky looking rail than the Atlas and wider ties as well. Could I possibly have Peco code 80? I was told it was 55, how do you tell the difference?
Sorry I am a newbie at the age of 53 and I just don’t know and do not have a hobby shop within 250 miles
Thanks everyone if you can help me with this I will greatly appreciate it.
Peco track has a narrower rail foot than Atlas track. An Atlas rail joiner will fit loosely over the Peco rail, and a Peco rail joiner is too narrow to fit over Atlas rail. One solution is to use Atlas rail joiners and slightly squeeze it closed where it fits onto the Peco rail.
As you have surmised, you may have two different ‘codes’ of rail between the two brands – the width of the top of Peco track and the rail height should be exactly the same between the two brands; only the width of the rail foot is different. If they’re not matching up correclty, they’re not the same code of rail.
Peco code 55 is something of a lion in sheep’s clothing. It’s code 80 rail that’s been sunk into the plastic ties. That’s what causes the height difference. one solution may be tor Dremmel the bottom part of the Peco rail off, leaving only the part above the ties and then using a shim under the Atlas track. I’ve never tried that however.
I haven’t mated Peco 55 to Atlas 55, but I have mated Peco 55 to ME 55. If you look at the rail profile of the Peco 55, you will notice that there are almost two webs. One that is exposed, and one that is buried in the ties. I used a rail nippers and cut off the bottom web, and then filed the area I cut smooth. After a little tinkering, they mate together pretty well, You may have to file the rail heads a little bit, but it shouldn’t be much. After the track was installed, I did solder the two together just to make sure there was a smooth transition between the two.
Thank you all for the information. I had been wondering about removing the bottom of the track. I guess I learned a valuable lesson, from now on I will stick to the same brand track.
My best input would be to use a peco joiner and squish the end not opposite the one with the peco on it, then place an atlas C55 piece atop the crushed end making the rail heads level and soldering in place.
THe other would be to mate Peco C55 with Atlas code 80 as both work very well together.