I’m new to gardenrailways and confused about which track to start with. I like the strength of the track (you can step on it), durability of the ties in the sun, and the look of their aged brass rail with LGB. But, I don’t see any flex track advertised for sale. Do people mix something else with LGB? And if so what would be compatable
There IS flexible track for Gauge 1 -however just how ‘flexible’ you callit depends on personal musculature… Aristocraft make some I believe -but the general accepted method of bending it is with a rail bender or ‘bowing’ the track over your stomach (I kid you not!)
regards
ralph
LGB makes flex track with 5 foot rails and ties and joiners all sold separately.
Aristocraft makes several different lengths (up to 8 feet) and in brass and stainless. Again, ties and joiners are sold separately.
I have found that LGB flex is more expensive than the 4 foot track (cost figured on per foot base), but I do like using it. I use the Aristocraft rail bender to customize the track.
Then there is other manufacturers with code 250 and smaller 215 and some with aluminum. LGB and Aristo are code 332.
I’m using the AMS code 250 track. It flexes easily. Of course I am fastening down to rigid supports, but I’ve found it holds the curve pretty well.
I use the Kamloops Junction rail bender ( http://www.kamloopsjunction.com ) and LGB rail and tie strips. It’s not like flex-rail in the small scales at all-- but once you get the hang of it, it’s quite easy.
I have a portable clamping table to hold the railbender steady near where I’m laying track-- then it takes a little bit of trial and error to give the track just the right curvature. Second rail is easy because you just leave the settings the same . I laid track with some very wide curves running alongside a stone wall. It also worked fine for a couple of S-curves that needed very specific radii.
Hugh
Thanks for the info. I have looked at the LGB site and did not see flex track listed as such. Anyone know the part number for their flex track?
LGB is 10003 for ties and 10005 for 5 foot rail and 1006 for 10 foot rail.
On our clubds modular layout, we plan on installing Accucrafts flex track because it bends without a rail bender, or at least I have read.
If you can find the right back issue, GR published an article for making your own rail bender out of less than $20 worth of parts obtainable at your local hardware store. I used one based on this to bend down track to a 36" dia for a Xmas tree layout. Not pretty, but it worked.
I bought some 5’ sections of aristo track, disassembled the ties and bent that rail. It worked fine. I then cut apart the tie sections and slid them on. It worked fine except the ties moved around a little. I secured them with some super glue and then once they were placed in the ballast, they seem to be fine. I also bent without a rail bender. For the very wide radius bends I used the over the stomach method and for the tighter radii, I used a pipe bender. I also taped or ty-wraped the 2 rails together and bent them at the same time. They came out perfectly the same.
piercedan
Thanks for the info. I was able to find the ties and rail on the LGB site. This looks like the way to go for me.
Peco in the uk make nickel silver flex track - looks good and lasted 10 years with no problems . lower rail profile than LGB or Aristo . and goes a nice color . The only point i found was it need fixing often unless bent with a rail bender , tended to straighten out .
this layout was done in flex
a close up of the rail - it is neater but having said that i now use aristocraft
James, do not forget to add in some rail joiners when using flex track. Lgb has joiners every foot, but I just make sure there is one on each rail in the middle of the flex track. This keeps the ties from moving.
My first attempt at using LGB Flex track was a complete mess - am sure that if Trading Standards took LGB to court over the use of the work “Flex” LGB would have problems.
This year I’ve extended my railway down the other side of the garden and instead of messing about trying to flex LGB track I thought I would try Aristocraft track which, as you probably know, comes in a much greater choice of radiaii than that provided by LGB.
I stocked up on Aristocraft curved track in various radiaii (purchased from my local Bachmann stockist in the UK) and having succeeded in laying a long sweeping line down the garden without having to resort to bending, cutting and chopping track pieces to get to where I wanted. So far I’m happy using Aristocraft track but have to say that the Aristocraft is certainly not as rugged and strongly made as LGB track. Only LGB track items I’ve retained is points/switches as I wanted to continue to use the LGB MTS point decoders/motors and was not sure whether these would work on Aristocraft points/switches.
keith - I would agree entirely - It should be marketed as a muscle building device , Peco is flexible and so to a degree is aristocraft but realistically a rail bender and hard work are required to get any sort of decent result
a quick look at my printed copies of the 2000-2005 index’s gave this on rail bending.
GRR index for the year 2000 vol 17 issue 5 pg26
GRR index for the year 2002 vol 19 issue 3 pg86
GRR index for the year 2003 vol 20 issue 1 pg66
I hope this helps you. seams like a lot of work .You can buy track form 4ft diamitor up 20ft diamitor. My new indoor track plan calls for 6.5 to 11.5ft diamitor, I may add some 20ft sections insted of 3ft striats just because Ican[:D]
I used LLagas Creek code 215 flextrack in NS for my indoor logging line. I bent the track to 42 and 48 inch radii without a rail bender. Since this is an indoor RR, I fastened the track down to the wooden roadbed so I don’t have to worry about the track unbending. I have also used Micro-Engineering G-Track which is sectional track and available in various codes, rail materials, and radii. All of this track looks extremely realistic once it’s weathered.