Flextrack brand


Raincoat2

Raincoat2

Well-Known Member
I did a quick search by keyword of this website, and didn't see a specific answer to this, but if there's a thread that answers this, please direct me to it:

I want to get a sense of what is the preferred brand/kind of flextrack: Atlas, et. al., which snaps back to its original straight position after you bend it; or Peco or Shinohara, which pretty much keeps the shape you bend it into.

I can see pros and cons with both types. I'm not concerned with cost, 'cause I know Atlas is less expensive than the others. I want to know if one is somehow "better" than another for layouts, easier to work with because of the floating rail or not, etc.

So what do you prefer and why?
Johnny (Raincoat2)
 
I think that the answer will depend on whether you are going to be using code 100 or code 83 or smaller codes. Generally, if you're after fine detail which won't be seen much anyway, I believe Micro Engineering or Peco is the answer. I'm told that Atlas 83 is more finely detailed than Atlas 100, but it was hard for me to tell the difference. It is best to try to use the same brand flex as switches/turnouts; not because of the rail height which is the same, but the tie height is different between Shinohara and Atlas for example. Shimming is necessary on the Shinohara. As noted Peco retains it's shape but is a bit harder to work with, and reversing your bends is "iffy" in some cases. Micro Engineering is a tad more difficult.
I have used some of everything over the years and finally settled on all Atlas code 100 because I needed over 1200' of track and I am approaching 125 turnouts, quite an expensive undertaking. From three feet away, it all looks the same to these eyes, especially when painted and ballasted. And yes I have had to tune-up about 10% of the Atlas turnouts.
Just my .02¢.

Willie
 
I am familiar with Atlas, Model Power, and Peco. Unless I am mistaken, the only brand that needs careful bending because it is stiff and wants to stay the way it was last kinked, is Micro Engineering. I could be wrong.

The fact is that they are all good. They can all be used with a modest building of skils and determination. It comes down to scale and looks once each of them is in place, ballasted, and being shown...say in photos. Code 100 is huge in scale, equating to a weight by yard of about 165 lbs. Nobody used, or uses, rails that large.

In modern times, it depends, you might wish to model concrete ties. If so, choose accordingly. Older times, say prior to 1900, some Micro Engineering is a better choice in weights/code less than 70. With their widely spaced wooden ties.

So, no...one is not better than the others, unless YOU can't get past a particular characteristic for some reason. They can all be used, they all lay well, they all ballast well, they all paint up or weather well, and all of them can be made to win you photo contests if that's your bent in the hobby. They all require fiddling with joiners and sliding rails that need trimming or ties that need clipping and replacing after the joint is made.

I forgot, Rapido also makes its own brand of flex track. Don't know anything about it, but now that I'm on my fourth build of a layout, if someone handed me a stack of it, I'd take one piece, inspect it, do a flex, and then start to lay it just like any other track of the generic type.
 
I have Shinohara code 70 flex track and it will straighten up if it is not spiked into place as on rail easily will slide through the ties. Many years ago when I was unable to get Shinohara flex track I picked up some Atlas flex track in code 83 for my hidden staging tracks. It also has the ability for one rail to easily slide through the ties on one side of the track.

In a recent project when I was finishing a yard, I picked up some Micro Engineering code 70 flex track. I got the pre weathered track and it really looked great but I did have a few issues with it. It was quite a job to get it to make a constant curve because both of the rails were pretty firmly in the ties and it was hard to work with. I ended up using it in straight sections in the yard. The other issue I had with the ME track is that I spike my track down and I had to drill holes in the ties for the spikes whereas the Shinohara flex track as holes pre drilled into the ties.

I have never used Peco flex track, but I am sure that someone on the forum can speak for Peco flex track. .
 
Raincoat2 said:
I want to get a sense of what is the preferred brand/kind of flextrack: Atlas, et. al., which snaps back to its original straight position after you bend it; or Peco or Shinohara, which pretty much keeps the shape you bend it into.

I can see pros and cons with both types. I'm not concerned with cost, 'cause I know Atlas is less expensive than the others. I want to know if one is somehow "better" than another for layouts, easier to work with because of the floating rail or not, etc.

So what do you prefer and why?
Click to expand...
I like the springy kind for several reasons. It is so nice to make easements into the curve. One doesn't have to do any math just let the flex track follow its natural inclination. Second for fitting that final section into place, one can flex it and make it go into place. The stiff kind will kink trying to do this. It is easier to connect two pieces together on a curve. The offset caused by the inside and outside rails can be used to advantage instead of creating flat spots or kinks.
 
WILLIE, CRANDALL, CHET, IRON - - Thanks for the opinions and experience. Should have mentioned I'm using Code 100 on my layout. On another thread a couple of months ago, I asked about track brands and compatibility. Several responded, including, I think, Chet, Willie, and some others. That discussion revolved around whether it was better to mate Atlas track with Peco turnouts, go all Peco, and that sort of thing. I got a lot of good information and advice on that thread.

On this thread I'm focusing on the kind of flextrack (which relates to brand, too). What you've said is helpful. I don't expect (or need) this thread to go on and on - just wanted to pick up on your experience and opinions on how these different kinds of flex work in the real world (OK - the "real" world of model railroading).
thanks again.
Johnny
 
I've only used Atlas and Peco code 100 flextrack.....I found Atlas was a bit easier to actually use and curve but Peco was more detailed and looked better in appeareance. That being said I prefer Peco, the big featureless blobs used to clamp the rails to ties on the Atlas flextrack just turned me off of it.
 
Frankly, it really matter what you are going to do with it. Some are more flexible than others. The biggest thing is cutting it and getting it into place. Use an Atlas Track Saw. This is a jewelers fine saw which will cut thru it evenly without a lot of burrs. When you have the thing cut, take a fine 4 inch file and dress the rails. This is going to get rid of any remaining burrs and make it easier to slide the track connectors in. Be sure to cut under the track at the ends for the track connectors to go in.

Just some of my experience ..

The Aerojet
 
I use either rail nippers or a Dremmel tool to cut the rail. In the center of this is a rail nipper with the blue handles.

attachment.php
This photo is from a post on how I made my own sage brush trees. The rail nipper is a great tool for numerous projects.

I like it for cutting rails because you can be quite exact with it. It will leave one side of the rail perfectly flat the the end ready to join to another piece of rail.
 
montanan said:
I use either rail nippers or a Dremmel tool to cut the rail. In the center of this is a rail nipper with the blue handles.

attachment.php
This photo is from a post on how I made my own sage brush trees. The rail nipper is a great tool for numerous projects.

I like it for cutting rails because you can be quite exact with it. It will leave one side of the rail perfectly flat the the end ready to join to another piece of rail.
Click to expand...

CHET - thanks. I found a pair of "Excel 5" End Nipper Pliers" on modeltrainstuff.com. It doesn't look like what you have in your photo, with the blue handles. Where did you get those?
Johnny Raincoat2
 
Johnny, I can't answer that question. I have had them for so long I can't remember where they came from. There are a number of companies who make them.
 
I noticed some of the Atlas Flex I was laying was pre-patent and the plastic "links" holding the rails together was ever so slightly thicker than the "new". I don't know how old that makes it but the ties ARE getting brittle and will not tolerate rough handling, the "slidy" rail is also JUST noticeably looser than "new" Atlas Flex, I'm guessing it's the age of the plastic. The rails themselves are supposed to be code 100 but the joiners are telling me it's also a mil or two thicker than the new stuff.

Just how old IS this stuff?
 
I've got a combination of Atlas code 100 and code 83 I salvaged from a layout torn down in 1999, and used it to build my current layout. I've had to go out and buy new Atlas code 83 to supplement the old track and about the only difference I can see is the color of the ties is a bit more of a reddish brown. I had no issues laying the old or the newer track.

As for appearance, the Atlas code 100 has big "blobs" for spike detail so if it matters, you may not like that. I don't. But I use it in hidden storage tracks where durability matters and appearance does not. If you weather and ballast Atlas code 100 track, it helps to hide those "blob" spikes and makes them harder to notice.

Like Iron Horseman, I prefer the springy track because it makes easements super easy to layout - the "Bent Stick" method becomes the "bent track" method! I've got some Walthers code 70 which is stiff and it takes a lot of massaging to get it in the shape you want. Some accept that as part of track laying because of the better detail which they prefer. The Atlas code 83 detail isn't as good but the molded on spikes are pretty fine so after painting and ballasting they blend right in.

I forgot, Rapido also makes its own brand of flex track.
Click to expand...

A few years back, Rapido for a short time offered their "bendy" flex track but they couldn't keep a supply of it so it the discontinued offering it.
 
Could not keep a supply and DISCONTINUED it? They don't like money??? No wonder I never heard of em!
 
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