I’m working on a learning or experimental layout to sharpen my skills and help decide what I do on a permanent layout.
I found some old code 83 Atlas Flex track in the basement and want to try it out.
1.) Is there a right way to lay this track?
2.) Is there a difference on curves?
3.) How do you join it to turnouts and other non flex track items?
I did a search of the fourms and if there is a thread covering this well I missed it.
thanks in advance
DT
DT:
There are many right ways to lay flex track; there are also many wrong ways.
Are the ties plastic? I’ll assume they are.
You join it to other track with rail joiners. You may have to remove a tie at the end so that the rail joiner goes on, then put a cosmetic tie in so that there’s no bump.
On curves, the inside rail sticks out farther (basic mathematics) and this has to be cut off and the end made smooth. Best to cut off with rail nippers, razor saw (very fine bladed hacksaw) or cutoff disk in a motor tool.
Is your other track code 83 as well or code 100? If it’s code 100 you need to find a “compromise” rail joiner. I make one by putting a regular joiner on the code 100, squeezing half of it flat, and soldering the smaller rail on top of it so that the inside top corners match.
It’s all code 83 track so I should have a problem there.
Oh and it’s all Atlas stuff so tie heights wont be a problem.
One that confused me is that even straight the rails are different lengths.
I thought this might be a problem.
Thanks for the response
One of the quickest ways to cut flex track is with “flush cutting pliers”. They sell a cheap variety which is fine for cutting flex track at Radio Shack. Always make the “flush” side toward the piece you want to use. Flex track is definately a cut and fit process, but it saves joints and lessens operating and electrical problems.
Dave H.
The biggest adjustment when using flex track after using section or snap track is, as the above posters point out, the sudden need to trim the rails to length, plus the fact that even when straight the rails might not be even. This is prototypical … except in yards or sidings, real railroads avoid having rail joints on both rails opposite each other.
Dave Nelson
Another thing to be aware of: you should plan on soldering the rail connections on flextrack that is going around a curve. If you don’t, the track will have a kink in it at the rail joiner. What’s more, the only way get rid of or prevent this kink is to solder the rail connector while the track is still basically straight, and then bend it into position. I’ve had all sorts of problems on my older N-scale layouts because I was unaware of this.
One bit of historical trivia–in Russia, railroads were built with rail joints opposite each other, unlike the American practice of alternating rail joints. So instead of the “click-clack” sound that American trains make, Russian trains go “thud-thud-thud” down the track as they hit both sets of rail joints at once…