Flex Track & Rail Facts
Rail Size:
Flex-Track and rail is available
in a variety of rail sizes since prototype railways/railroads use different
rail sizes. The size used by prototype railways is based primarily on
two factors - the size and type of equipment used by the railway, and
the function of a particular section of track, that is, mainlines, yards
or sidings. Generally, modern, heavier equipment railways use heavier
rail than small or branch line railways and all railways use use heavier
rail on their mainlines than that used for yards or sidings. Prototype
rail is sized according to its weight per yd or metre. Although practice
varies widely, the table below lists typical rail weights used.
| Type |
Main Line |
Yards & Sidings |
| Modern |
110-155 lbs/yd |
75-110 lbs/yd |
| Small or Branch Line |
90-110 lbs/yd |
60-85 lbs/yd |
| Early Era, Branch Line |
60-85 lbs/yd |
32-60 lbs/yd |
The greatest realism is obtained when the size of rail used on a layout is
based on prototype practice as in the table above. Additional consideration
might need to be given to the flange depth of the wheels used (see Flange
Clearance table below). ) Model rail is sized by height, represented by
its code number, rather than by weight. Thus, Code 82 rail is approximately
.082 '' high, Code 55 .055'' high.
The table below
gives an approximate correlation of the weight of prototype rail and the
size of model rail.
| Scale/Code |
40 |
55 |
70 |
82 |
100 |
125 |
148 |
168 |
| O |
12 |
25 |
35 |
55 |
85 |
100 |
132 |
155 |
| S |
20 |
40 |
65 |
85 |
110 |
155 |
- |
- |
| HO |
40 |
75 |
100 |
132 |
155 |
- |
- |
- |
| TT |
75 |
115 |
155 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| N |
115 |
155 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
The tables below show suggested rail sizes by code number for the more popular
gauges. The first table is for large modern railways,
the second for small or branch lines.
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Flange Clearance:
It is often believed that only the largest sizes of rail will provide the
necessary wheel flange clearance for good operation. This is true with
some flexible tracks but because of extremely small FLEX-TRAK spikes,
realistic size rail can be used with most equipment. The Table below lists
FLEX-TRAK flange clearance as measured from rail head to spike head.
| HO Code 100 0.073" |
HO/HOn3 Code 70 0.048" |
HOn2(1/2) Code 55 0.035" |
| HO Code 82 0.058" |
HO/HOn3 Code 55 0.035" |
N Code 70 0.050" |
| HO Code 70 0.045" |
HOn3 Code 70 0.048" |
N Code 55 0.038" |
| HO Code 55 0.035" |
HOn3 Code 55 0.036" |
N Code 40 0.026" |
|
HOn3 Code 40 0.027" |
|
Most HO and HO narrow gauge locomotives and rolling stock in North America
use RP-25 wheels having 025 '' and .020 '' flanges receptively. As seen
in the table above, this equipment presents no operational problems on
any of our HO, HOn3, or HOn21/2 FLEX-TRAK.
Some European HO locomotives use .045" or .039 '' deep flanges but
even these can be used on FLEX-TRAK with rail as small as Code 70. N gauge
wheels have relatively deep flanges ranging from .024 '' to .039 '' depending
on the manufacturer, but N Code 70 or 55 FLEX-TRAK is suitable for almost
all N equipment.
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Installation:
FLEX-TRAK is easily glued down with Fuller's
Max Bond, etc, or similar, which generally produce a strong, resilient
bond with good sound deadening qualities. Alternatively, drill holes in
a few sleepers (ties) and use thin small nails or long spikes If a complete,
weathered FLEX-TRAK installation is desired, paint the rail a black/brown
colour (acrylic or enamal) or use a metal blackener (such as our Black
Magic) and the Sleepers (ties) with brown/grey color (check with
photgraphs of your prototype). The paint may be applied with a hand brush
or an air brush and the metal blackner with a brush.
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Nickel
Silver Rail: MicroEngineering Nickel
Silver Rail is designed to be as close to prototype rail in cross section
as is practical for adequate strength and economical production. It is
manufactured from a high-grade nickel silver alloy which does not form
an undesirable oxide film that interferes with electrical conduction as
does brass rail.
This particular
nickel silver alloy has the added advantage of being a colour which is
similar to steel. Rail Craft Rail is produced in three-foot lengths in
codes 148, 125, 100, 82, 70, 55, and 40. It is supplied in single lengths
or packs of 99 ft. and is available with either as a plain nickel silver
finish or a weathered finish (blackened).
Our chemical
weathering process produces a dark colour similar to prototype steel rail
which has been exposed to the weather.
After installation,
the weathered finish is easily removed from the rail head with an abrasive
track cleaner. This will give good electrical conduction and the appropriate
appearance of rail that is used regularly.
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Aluminium
Rail (G-TRAK only): Rail made
of nickel silver becomes very ex- pensive in the large sizes. Aluminum
rail is about 1/4 the cost and conducts electricity better. Conductivity
is not a problem with brass, nickel silver, or aluminum in any of the
common sizes of rail used because of the small current needed. Voltage
drop is negligible If feeder wires are attached at intervals on long runs
of track. The biggest problem is electrical contact between pick-up wheels
and rail and between rails through rail joiners caused by dirt and oxidation.
The tight oxide
of aluminum is conductive, loose coatings are not.
Wire contacts
need to be cleaned and tightened occasionally. Code 332 aluminum rail
is interchangeable with LGB rail and can be used with their track products.
It provides an inexpensive way to extend a G Gauge layout. Code 250 rail
is a smaller, more to scale for No. 1 gauge (Aster & Marklin 3/8 ''
scale standard gauge or LGB or 1/2 '' scale narrow gauge).
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Rail
Joiners: A range of nickel silver
rail joiners in Code 100, 82, 70, and 55 is available. These rail joiners
have been designed to fit snugly over the base of the rail with no crimping
necessary, providing perfect rail end alignment. The rail joiners also
feature a very low profile making them difficult to detect once in place
when weathered.
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Spikes:
Micro Engineering spikes have a black finish and are available in three
sizes - small, medium, and large. The small size has a .024 '' diameter
shank and a head thickness of only .010 ''. This exceptionally thin head
makes it possible to use these spikes with smaller rail and still retain
good wheel flange clearance. The medium size has a .032 '' diameter shank
and a .012 '' thick head. This size is used with Code 125, 148, and some
larger rail sizes. The large spike has a .030 '' sq. shank and a .015
'' thick head. It is used with Code 250 and 332 rail.
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Scale
Ties (North American): As simple as
model ties may seem. a good deal of design effort is incorporated in Micro
Engineering ties. Available In both weathered and plain finish, the ties
are cut to realistic scale dimensions from fine grained sugar pine which
is more resistant to splitting when spiking rail. Our two-step weathering
process produces a dull, weathered finish far more realistic than stained
tees. Further realism is achieved by using a full profile thickness. This
is important since the full thickness of ties is often visible at places
of eroded ballast, around head block ties and where loose or stacked ties
are molded.
The table below
lists the approximate scale dimensions of Micro Engineering ties (length
x width x thickness).
|
HO |
On3 |
S |
| Normal Length |
8.5' x 8" x 6" |
6.5' x 7" x 5" |
9' x 9" x 7" |
| Turnout Length |
16' x 8" x 6" |
12' x 7" x 5" |
16' x 9" x 7" |
Track
Gauges: Micro Engineering
track gauges are the three point type which will automatically widen
the gauge slightly on curves if required. The rail "grippers"
or "nibs" are properly spaced for each size rail.Other track gauges are of the roller type which have the advantage
of incorporating a flange way gauge as part of their design.
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Rail
Cutter: The Micro Engineering
Rail Cutter is a high quality cutting plier ideal for cutting FLEX-TRAK
and nickel silver or brass rail. A special shaped edge on the blades
produces a clean, flush cut on one rail end, requiring a minimum of
clean-up. The rail cutter has plastic coated handles and is made of
tool steel for a long life. We do not recommend its use with steel wire
or rail. The Rail Nipper is a light-weight 5 in. flush side cutting
tool for small rail, wires, and plastic trim- ming. It is not recommended
for cutting heavier rail (Code 70 and up) or steel.
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Rail
Curving Tools: The Rail Craft
Rail Curvlng Tool makes it possible to produce smooth constant radius
curves on various sizes of rail with the appropriate contoured rollers
supplied for each different size of rail. The adjustable centre roll
allows the production of a wide range of curves from very broad ones
down to those with sharp radii. Calibration lines make It easier to
reproduce curves however, because of variations in the temper of the
metal and the way the rail is handled in the tool, the amount of curvature
may vary somewhat from one rail to another. The final exact curvature
is obtained as the rail is spiked in place. Rollers can be interchanged
so the same tool base can be used for curving several sizes of rail.
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