Dunno, Corey, there is nothing difficult about working with Atlas flex track, so i don’t know how Peco could be easier.
Rich
I actually preferred the fact that Peco holds it’s shape after being bent. It was easier to cut the longer rail in order to fit the joiner in a curve. With springy Atlas track I felt like I needed three or four hands to do everything at once. I had soldered two three foot sections before hand but that was all I was wiling to do ahead of time. I guess everyone has their preferences.
I truly believe that you were on the reserved side. Happy New Year!
I can see both sides and I believe the difference is in how we attach the track. If you use nails, then I am sure the Atlas is far easier, however if you use something like caulk, then you really need stuff without the spring back feature.
That’s an interesting, and probably valid, point.
I do use nails and maybe that’s why I prefer Atlas flex track over Peco.
Rich
I’ve used a lot of Micro Engineering track on my current layout, plus quite a bit of Atlas 83. All of it attached with acrylic/latex caulk. I haven’t found the Atlas to be difficult to work with at all, and haven’t experienced it trying to spring out of alignment. I use push pins to keep it in place while the caulk sets.
I have three different brands of flex track on my layout: Walthers, Atlas, and Peco and didn’t have any particular problems with any of them—other than accommodating the slight height difference in the ties. Most of the track was glued in place using pins to hold it in place while drying. However, I can highly recommend the use of Ribbon Rail Track gauges when laying track, these make the job so much easier and act as excellent heat sinks when soldering.
Wayne
Those Ribbon Rail Track Alignment gauges are particularly useful when forming curves to maintain the desired radius.
Rich
Good theory but I am a gluer and still like the springy stuff. For me I am able to make much smoother curves.
Peco flex for me, everytime!
Someone said ealier in the thread that they used Caulk, thats excactly what i did and it works like a charm.
There is no need to mess around with track pins and holes in the ties, thats why it dosnt come with holes!
You simply dont need em. Ive seen so many great pictures of peoples layouts that are spoilt when you can see a great nail head in between the rails. All you have to do is use a very thin layer of caulk on the road bed, get the aligment you need, hold it temporarily with some pins and job done.
When i built my layout, i must have used about 60 yeards of Peco flex and never had a problem with it. I managed to lay nice, true sweeping transitional curves with it, no dog-legs, no missalignments, just perfect curves everytime!
On the other hand, i have some Micro Engineering flex track that ive yet to use on my layout, i can not for the life of me flex that stuf without getting kinks and generaly a mess! Il only use it in my staging yard! Shame, because Micro Engineering flex looks great.
I think the issue - at least from what I have seen - with Peco, is that the rails are uncontrollable while bending a curve. In my case, I didn’t even curve it, but I picked it up and moved it, and then when I looked, the rails were hanging off one end of the track about 3", and it is nearly impossible to thread them back through the ties, rendering the length of track completely useless until you cut it on one end. So I don’t care for them either, you end up cutting 3 - 4 " off a length of track, and you waste a foot or 2 of track before you know it.
Well, now that this 4 year old thread is awake again…
A while ago i ordered some Peco flex to test with - gotta say, I have not had any of the problems mentioned. Tested curving it, flowed smoothly, must like Atlas. Out of the box from shipping, one rail was partly pushed through a few inches from then end, on all 5 pieces I ordered. No problem slipping it back through the ‘spikes’ and evening it out. Definitely did not have to cut the ends off. This is their Code 83, US style track, not the Code 100 or Code 75 UK style track, which may behave differently.
–Randy
When I started this thread over 3 years ago, it was my first experience with Peco flex track. But, since then, with the extended shortage of Atlas flex track, I have bought a fair number of pieces of Peco Code 83 flex track. I no longer hate it, although i can’t say that I love it. Once you learn to work with it, it is fine.
Rich
I have some Peco switches but always used Atlas flex - and had lots saved from my last layout so the “great Atlas track shortage” hasn’t affected me yet.
That said, with all this fuss over Peco flex track, I’m going to have to pick some up and see what it’s all about! If it is fairly bendy, it might be something I’d like.
I do have some Walthers code 70 stiff flex track for my yard, so I’ll get to have some fun struggling to make it fairly straight as I get into that stage of the layout.
Cheers, Jim
in the latest issue of MR magazine, there is an ad for Peco flex track. One of the bullet points reads simply, “Always Available”. LOL
Rich
I have to say I am all Peco C55 on my new build and it is the best track I have ever used and I don’t like Atlas flex because of how it springs to normal if you let go.
Also in Peco C55 the nail holes are indented on the bottom and I use a #66 drill bit to open them before I start setting the track using Peco nails. Everyone has their likes and dislikes but I agree with Steven Otte that we don’t have to try and mimic cussing! Doug
If this guy doesnt like Peco Flex track then he better not ever use Micro Engineering flex track. It will send him over the edge.
But then again I didnt realize folks were still nailing down flex track either.
Larry
Yes Larry, I’m still nailing down flex track with Peco nails. Old school you know and I tried caulk a couple times and just did not care for the system and waiting for cure at all. I use Peco nails only as stated earlier. 9/16th’s long, small, slim and strong with round heads and very sharp. I also pre-drill half the length of the nail before inserting and tapping in. After painting and ballasting they are difficult to see. Just my way of doing things. Doug
There are a few of us out there rebelling against the system - or is it “raging against the machine”. Darn straight I nail or spike my track down.
I’d be a a lot poorer if I glued it down during the track laying phase as I’ve often find I need to pull it back up for various reasons, and relay it - so I imagine pulling up glued down track would have mangled a significant amount of it. I’m also real picky so that may be partly to blame.
There are some things I don’t like to be permanent right from the start, and my track is one of them. Plus, I don’t have to wait for an adesive to dry - the track is down once I’ve put the nail or spike in. I like something a lot more solid than foam under my track too. Scenery, sure, thats ok.
Like many, I don’t care for the unrealistic track nail heads - but after the track is finalized and ballasted - I can simply pull out the nails with a pair of needle nose. So time for a wake up call, not every one of us goes like a lemming over the cliff and follows the latest trend of track laying. For some things I do go with the new ways, but for otherways, I like the old school!
Doug, after doing those finishing touches, you don’t need the nails. Remove them and let the ballast hold the rails just like in the real world. This has been my practice for a decade now.