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Track Types

Q. Nickel-silver vs. brass: what are the issues?

Nickel-silver is a copper-nickel alloy (mostly copper), considered to be metalurgically similar to brass but superior in corrosion resistance. Brass oxidizes rapidly to a non-conducting surface, which means that power will not reach the locomotives or cars, resulting in stalls. Both forms of track will accumulate other gunk on them, requiring some form of cleaning. In general, nickel silver is much better than brass, and is worth the small extra cost.

The more recently developed alloys used in high-quality G scale track are much less corrosion-prone. Brass is sometimes favored over nickel-silver for outdoor use, because it expands and contracts somewhat less with changes in temperature.

Q. What does the "code" associated with track mean?

This is the height of the rail, expressed in thousandths of an inch. Code 100 rail (common in HO) is 0.100 inches high. This is equivalent to prototype rail weighing 152 pounds per yard, which is larger than almost all rail used by real railroads in the United States. Advanced modelers typically use rail sizes closer to that used on the prototype, as shown below:

FLEXTRACK

Laying long runs of hand laid track will be time consuming to say the least. I have a KADEE SPIKER, a wonderful tool but no longer available. It does speed up track laying by a factor of 10. Otherwise, plan a lot of time hand laying.

Track tolerances aren't all that critical so just about anybody's flextrack WORKS fine. Here's how I see flextrack:

ATLAS code 100 - Cheap and has a lot of metal in it. However, the big rail, and big "spikes", make it unacceptable to me. It flexes very easily - maybe too easy.

ATLAS code 83 - Pretty good. I believe it is made by ROCO so is a bit European in look. However, when painted and ballasted, this isn't a critical issue in my opinion. It has very little metal in it - not good. It flexes very easily - maybe too easy.

WALTHERS/SHINOHARA - Over priced - no doubt (1). However, it has modest spikes and A LOT OF METAL. Unfortunately, this also makes the rail look bigger (it is). Remember that Nickel Silver has a lot of resistance so more metal is better from the electrical standpoint. DO NOT USE their rail joiners - cost too much ATLAS code 100 rail joiners work fine for code 83, IF YOU SOLDER RALJOINTS. It flexes the best - not too hard, not too easy.

(1) review the postings about the WALTHERS catalog a few weeks ago. WALTHERS is out to maximize profits. Nothing wrong with that but some of their items are overhyped and over priced. Overall, however, WALTHERS is a good operation.

PECO - High quality but spikes are too big as is code 100 rail. PECO warns about clearance problems with their code 75 items (to their credit).

PILZ - May be something to look at, my ignorance here is substantial.

Nobody, however, beats MICRO ENGINEERING rail and track. Rail cross section is closer to prototype than anyone else's. Tie strips are ABS or DELRIN, superior to just about everybody else's STYRENE. The spikes are near prototype in size and overall cosmetics are hard to beat. Plastic is plastic, however, and no one will fool me comparing real wood ties to plastic! However, as is noted on another post, you really can't get hand laid track to meet the cosmetics of MICRO ENGINEERING. MICRO ENGINEERING track is difficult to flex, particularly the weathered. However, nobody said model railroading is supposed to be easy. With patience, no track products on the market will beat this material for looks.

I consider the flextrack selection easy. However, the post about testing some for yourself is the best.

TURNOUTS

PROPERLY BUILT handlaid turnouts will out perform anything on the market. However, I STRESS PROPERLY BUILT!!!!

Most handlaid turnouts I have seen fall short. It isn't difficult to handlay nearly perfect turnouts but you have to know what is important in their tolerances and construction techniques. If this really appeals to you, I encourage it.

ALL HO SCALE TURNOUTS HAVE PROBLEMS with the possible exception of PILZ.

ATLAS - Cheap but not reliable enough to suit me. I suggest avoiding.

ATLAS code 83 - Haven't used these. I believe they have insulated points and this is a major issue. Insulated points are better than non-insulated points - see below.

WALTHERS/SHINOHARA - Same comments as about track. Also require electrical jumpers to points for long term, reliable electrical operation. Meet NMRA track specs. Non-insulated points see below.

PECO - Same comments as about track. Points need jumpers. Do not meet NMRA track specs - flangeways are too wide so operate roughly. However, for N scalers, PECO code 55 turnouts are the best on the market in my opinion.

PILZ - See above. They have a large family of items.

MICRO ENGINEERING - The best cosmetically, hands down. However, as another post points out, only #6's exist. Other info about this company is good. Small, frequently out-of-stock. But, they do things right - quality comes first. Nevertheless MICRO ENGINEERING turnouts do have a built in "time bomb". The frogs are brass castings butt soldered to the closure rails. These 4 joints WILL CRACK and eventually cause intermittent opens. Electrically strap the 4 joints. While you are at it, electrically strap the point assembly to a closure rail.

I consider the flextrack selection easy. However, the post about testing some for yourself is the best.

I am strictly a hand layer. However, I would think twice about handlaying TRACK for another layout. It take too long, even with the SPIKER. I would always hand lay turnouts. You have total flexibility and can make any kind of turnout you want. The sweeping curves of custom turnouts may not have super fine spikes, and no tieplates, but the visual impact overwhelms these far smaller details. However, I again emphasize the need to do it right. Bad handlaid turnouts will ruin everything.

While I am at it, I will mention two pet peeves. TRACK NAILS (not spikes) should be outlawed along with INSULATED RAILJOINERS. Hand laying requires spikes (and something like HOMASOTE) but flextrack should be laid with CONTACT CEMENT. In 10 years of commercially building thousands of square feet of layouts, which are installed all over the U.S. it as become clear that this is the only way to do it.

INSULATED railjoiners are trouble waiting to happen. They insulate ok but mechanical support is nil. Misaligned track ends cause problems! Instead, lay all your track without gaps. Use JB WELD (any hardware or building supply dealer) to encapsulate (pot) where you want a joint to be. Four (4) hours after application scrape away the flangeways. After 24 hours, cut a gap with a cut off wheel in a Dremel. Back fill the gap, let set for 24 hours, then file the flangeways clear. If you forget the material removal after 4 hours, you will understand why it s important. JB WELD is really hard. It files well but takes a long time.

INSULATED VS. NON-INSULATED POINTS

With insulated points, each point rail is electrically tied to its adjacent stock rail. With non-insulated points, the two rails are electrically common. This means that point spacing is critical. If the back of a metal wheel touches the nearby point, a momentary short occurs. If you have auto resetting, electronic circuit breakers, such as are made by MICRO DESIGN - www.tractivate.com - they'll trip. Note that these devices are neither designed by, nor manufactured by TONY'S TRAIN EXCHANGE as they (and the recent MRR review) claim!!!

Ross Allen, owner, RAILSERVE Custom Layouts
www.rslayouts.com

The tools I use, and how I do the job (drops). 150 watt Weller soldering gun, 1/4" drill motor, 1/16" or smaller drill bit (This may be the 'hard to get item' 1/16" x 6" long bits are not usually easy to find. You may need to go to a 'specialty machine tool company'. But, they _are_ a standard item, if you find the right supply house.), needle nose pliers, 26ga. single strand insulated copper wire.

1st, drill a hole right next to (the drill bit actually touching the rail base is good.) the rail, between a couple of ties.

2nd, clean the base, and web of the rail adjacent to where you drilled the hole.

3rd, cut a piece of insulated 26ga. wire, long enough to reach from the rail, through the hole, and over to (and make the connection with) the proper feeder wire for that section of track.

4th, strip about 1/2" from one end of the wire.

5th, strip as much of the other end as will be needed for the connection at the other end.

6th, using the needle nose, make a 90deg. bend about 1/8" from the end of the wire. (This is NOT a critical dimension.) After you have done a few, you will know where to make the bend, for your style of working.

7th, grasping the 'right angle bend' that you just made, just barely within the jaws of the needle nose, bend the rest of the wire, about 45deg. (half of a 'square bend')

8th, You should now be able to drop the straight end of the 'wire' through the 'hole', and end up with the bent end, wanting to lay quite neatly over the base of the rail, and alongside the web of the rail. (Wire bend headed in the wrong direction? Save that wire for later use, and cut yourself another --- making the 'bends' at the end of the wire, the 'other direction' from the first one you did. Now try that one in the hole.)

9th, using the 'soldering gun' or a 60watt or better iron, touch the wire/rail intersection. Feeding the 'cored wire solder' into the intersection also. As soon as the rail is hot enough to melt and flow the solder, remove the 'soldering gun'/iron. IF, you have a 'blob' of excess solder, particularly if some is sitting on top of the railhead, _while it is still molten (not yet cooled to the point of setting solid), you _may_ swipe a finger over the rail, wiping the excess off. Unless you 'grind' your finger into the 'hot spot', you won't get burned. There is enough natural moisture, in the skin, that changes to steam and lifts the 'finger' off of the hot rail enough to protect you.

Chuck Davis