Given my recent traumatic experience with being forced into armchair modeling I have been considering a potential regrouping of some things. First I have been studying the potential of instead of modeling a section of the GN Mainline from Minneapolis to Seattle, how about a GN branch line in Montana or Idaho. I have been tossing ideas around in my head and have decided that in order to achieve the effect I want, I would need to use code 55 rail in my track. I am wondering is the RP-25 wheel profile compatible with this height of rail. Or would I have to change to the more finely toleranced Proto-87 wheels and standards to use Code 55 Track? Also would code 40 yards and sidings be possible or should I stick with code 55 through out? Depending on what my situation develops into, I may go with the branch line concept. If that is the case a lot of my new modern and Passenger stuff will end up on the auction block. (Just don’t see 5 unit spine cars trundling its way down a rural mountain branch line. Could be wrong though.) But let me know on the track stuff. I am curious as to what my options are as far as RP-25 and Code 55 compatibility are concerned.
I think it would depend on the track itself… Particularly on the code 40, you may have a problem with the wheel flanges hitting the ties or tie plates. I know it’s been done but 55 may even be cutting it close. I’m basing this on a friends experience who is into N scale and his Microtrains wheels barely clear the code 40…
Did I understand your profile right? Your stuff IS HO scale correct??
My experience with Micro Engineering code 55 flex track and RP-25 wheels (in HO) is that they work fine together. I’ve used it for sidings in a number of places without any operational problems at all.
The only caveat I’ve found with using ME’s code 55 flex track in HO is that it doesn’t take abuse well while storing or installing it. Once it’s installed, it’s fine, but while storing and installing it, you want to avoid doing anything that twists or bends it too much, since you can pull the rail away from the tie strip fairly easily. A gentle touch is really useful. I learned this the expensive way with a few pieces…
'haven’t done anything with code 40, so I can’t really comment on that.
Yes, I am exclusivly HO Scale. (Except for my grandfather’s Lionel Trains but thats different)
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Thank you. Given my need for economy, I have been considering handlaying it. Obtaining the rail by robbing sections of Atlas Sections of Code 55 N scale track. Also given what you say about its fragility, by the time the UPS or the Mail Man gets done bumpity bumping all over the place Rail is all I might have left any how. But it is glad to know I can use code 55. So I will investigate the matter further.
In my experience, RP-25 wheels work find with code 55 rail. For code 40, you will need to glue or solder the rail to the ties since their isn’t enough clearance for spikes.
Just a thought, you may want to use code 70 for branch and code 55 for sidings.the profiles small enough to work.Any code forty has to be soldered with pc strips or glued and then you’d only want that for siding up front where it will be seen.