Remember: the second thing to go is your memory! Here’s a weirdy that I have been scratching my head over the last couple of days.
I constructed my 2nd . . . . . and last . . . . . HO-Scale layout circa 1980 or 1981and used Code 83/Code 70 flextrack. I have always been under the impression that I had used Walthers/Shinohara Code 83 flextrack but based upon something I read this weekend apparently Walthers did not begin to market Shinohara’s Code 83 flex until 1985 by which time I had switched over to N-Scale. I am certain that I used Shinohara Code 70 track and that may be where my confusion arises but can someone enlighten me as to whose Code 83 flex I may have used on that 1980 or 1981 layout? Who was marketing Code 83 flex in those distant days of yesteryear? I don’t recall ever using any Rail Craft/Micro Engineering track until I began using their (N-Scale) Code 55 about 1984 or '85 but is it possible that I used Rail Craft/Micro Engineering Code 83 flex on that layout?
Remembering that the memory is second to go doesn’t do much good when you can’t recall what went first[*-)]. In the early 90’s, when I planned to build in my new train room in the house addition (never got started because the room mysteriously filled with SWMBO’s stuff), I ordered 6 boxes of Lima 83 flex for dirt cheap from Con-Cor. Don’t know if it’s still made, could be what you had. Still have it in boxes, BTW. There are still hopes of getting abuilding while I still breathe. The rail is closer to 90 than 83, though. Will be an interesting transition between it and the 600’ of RailCraft 70 I bought in 1982, still bundled. No, I’m not slow, just takes a while to get around to it. On second thought, guess I am slow, too. Was swiftness of purpose the first to go?? Can’t seem to remember…Gary
I can’t help with the code 83 specifically but I do know that Lambert Associates was Shinohara’s importer back then. Lambert also imported brass engines.
I have new boxed code 70 Shinohara turnouts from that era. All have either Lambert or ConCor labels. None of my flextrack is in original packing, so I can’t verify the importer, but I would assume it is also Lambert or Con Cor. It stands to reason that they also represented Shinohara’s code 83 line as well.
They may have, but I remember all the Lambert ads of the era were for code 70 Shinohara. They had a cartoon of a twisted track and the caption was “Don’t be confused, Lambert has Shinohara” or something like that. I can dig out some old MRs and look.
I had used Code 100 – Atlas I believe – on my prior circa 1979 layout. I did not like its (oversized) appearance and I inquired of my local’s proprietor about the availability of Code 70 and Code 83 which he said was available. I ask specifically for Shinohara which an acquaintance had recommended if it were available. He – this hobby shop proprietor – layed in two boxes of Code 70 and two boxes of Code 83 and which I bought straight out of the unopened boxes. Now that I think about it all four boxes were labeled ‘Shinohara’. Where he got it I can’t be sure; he could have placed an order with Mr C . . . . . I doubt seriously if he would have ordered it from Lambert but a distributor could have.
I do know one thing: it sure looked better than that Atlas Code 100 that I had used on that first layout.
I am appreciative of each and every response made to this inquiry. Did you ever have something get in the back of your mind and you just can’t seem to get rid of it? Well, that’s what this question has done with me.
I have a Lambert Associates 10th edition Shinohara track catalog. It is undated, but I believe that I bought it sometime in the very early 1980’s. It only shows code 70 and code 100 track components.
I also have a 1979 Walthers catalog. As far as I can tell, there are no code 83 components of any brand listed.
The 1984 Walthers catalog (never, ever, throw anything that might contain valuable information away!) has Atlas “curvable track” shown, but only code 100. Precision Scale shows code 83 “flexible track”, regular and super-elevated. Interestingly the regular is priced at $3.75 a length, and the super-elevated is priced at $3.35.