I love the appearance of the Micro Engineering flex track in HO, and the biggest difference is the size of the simulated spikes. Now, I imagine that the fine details of this track aren’t too strong when being handled too much while working out consistent curves, so I’m wondering if anyone has encountered an easier way to get curves. I guess PECO track has a similar dilema with curves. I tried the stick technique with no success - where you rub a stick on one side of the ties in a single direction, and the ties (and the rails) stay in line but create a bend somehow…
My last layout was N scale, and the Atlas code 55 track was a dream to work a curve into. This new scale and track stiffness is creating headaches as all my curves in the mainline are of different diameters…
Ive been purchasing Atlas flex track and I havent had any trouble forming curves. You can only bend each 3ft. section one way because the ties are linked to each other on one side and if you bend the wrong way the inside rail flexes inward and pops out of the ties but of course when you bend the track the right way all you have to do is turn it so that its facing the way you want. I dont think ive ever used any Micro-Engineering track but I have bought some of their turnouts which our very nice.
I have had similar problems with Peco flextrack which I inadvertently bought at my LHS. I usually buy only Atlas flextrack and I have no problems with that brand.
I built my HO scale home layout with Peco code 83 flextrack and had no problems at all forming curves or with the rail not staying within the crossties. Peco is actually more flexible than Atlas.
There is a company (Ribbon Rail, I think) that makes all different radius tools to use. It’s like a metal bar shaped to the radius you want. You just slip it between the rails and go back and forth a few times. Your track should now be conformed to one radius. They should be in the Walthers Catalog.
When you join any type of flextrack offset the joints so that they are about 2" apart–more or less. This keeps the transitions smoother, especially in turns.
You can bend either way, but I prefer the first section to have the ties become exposed on the outside. I then insert the rail from the next section into the ties of the first section. This gives a good strong transition, especially when soldered. Solder before curving and don’t use too much solder. You want the rail to flex naturally and smoothly. If I were working from the inside of the curve, I would probably do it just opposite, depending on whatever works best for access.
Ribbonrail makes short and long radius and tangent gages which fit between the rails. The longer ones work great to help smooth out kinks, maybe even use two at a time and slide them as you spike. This can help you with getting the flextrack back in shape.
I used to think that too, but once you work with flextrack and solder two pieces together to form a curve, sectional track takes a back seat even if it came in broader radii.
Besides, with sectional track you cannot form easements which are critical to propert track laying.
I bought a set of the Ribbon Rail alignment radius tools – a selection of curves and tangent lengths. They are lengths of aluminum gauged to HO, available in sets or individually from 15" to 48" radius. As Scott says you run the template or tool between the rails – with the rigid ME track you have to force it, so the track needs to be on a flat surface and it takes some elbow grease. You don’t just zip it throught the track and voila a curve to a precise radius – it takes a few minutes of patient work.
I might add that sometimes some compromises are needed. That is, if you want a 28 inch radius curve you might first run a 26" radius tool through the track to loosen it up, then a 30" tool and you might find that you then have the radius curve you need. It is not magically precise in other words! (They also make tangents of various lengths and that too is very helpful with the stiff brands of so called flex track.
For corner curves I solder two pieces of curved track together and then use the radius tool. Otherwise I find the very ends of the flex track, where there are no ties, tend not to take the curve.
It takes a bit of work and practice but with time, and following a template drawn on a table top or large sheet of paper, you can also capture a spiral easement curve at the end of the curved track – maybe not mathematically precise, but mechanically it is an easement curve.
There are now other brands other than RibbonRail (which as Scott says is in the Walthers catalog) including JMD plastics,
I have ME code 100 and 83 on my three deck Santa Fe layout (HO) and have never had any problems bending curves. Just takes a little care. I also have no problem straightening out ME after it has been “bent”.
I don’t like Atlas because it is too flexible and takes more effort to keep straight. In fact, I just pulled 3 sections of Atlas last night in a yard because it was a little wavy and replaced it with ME. I don’t use any sectional track. In fact, about 45 percent of my trackwork is handlaid ties and rails which is the best, just a little more time consuming because I spike it.