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where to buy flex track?

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where to buy flex track?
Posted by greatn on Monday, July 16, 2007 9:44 PM
I have been reading all the posts lately about the rising prices of brass track.  Maybe I should buy my track now for the building next year.  I am planning on using flex track and I was wondering where to buy from.  Also, if I buy just the rails (250) who sells the ties?  Should I make my own?  Happy railroading!!
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Posted by EMPIRE II LINE on Tuesday, July 17, 2007 1:01 AM

Does the name indicate the road you like....GreatN   Maybe the same one as I do.....Anyway to talk about your concern here, Can't say for sure whether prices will rise anymore or not, they were pretty stable for quite awhile previously, so they may remain as they are for now.

 I heard Aristo announced that they would continue their Buy 4-Get one free deal for the rest of the year now, since the increase, so you might contact the folks at St.Aubin for pricing, they've always been pretty competitive in that market.

Be sure and ask about the shipping rates, as anything over 5 foot long is whopped with quite a bit higher rates. I been hearing too that manufacturers might start doing track in just under 5 foot lengths so's to avoid the upcharges, check around....Aristo can provide ya with cases of tie strips, just ask the folks there at St Aubin...Anyway they did for me in the past.

Happy hunt'en,

Byron       

He Wore Arrow Shirts Too
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Posted by altterrain on Tuesday, July 17, 2007 9:20 AM

I have heard good things about AMS code 250 flex track. You can get it from St.Aubins (they highlighted it in their GR ad) http://www.staubintrains.com/trainshop/default.asp. I would not order online with them, only by phone. I have never had a problem with a phone order with them but my one attempt at online ordering was a total CF Angry [:(!]!

-Brian 

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Posted by steffd on Tuesday, July 17, 2007 1:37 PM

 greatn wrote:
I have been reading all the posts lately about the rising prices of brass track.  Maybe I should buy my track now for the building next year.  I am planning on using flex track and I was wondering where to buy from.  Also, if I buy just the rails (250) who sells the ties?  Should I make my own?  Happy railroading!!

Hi greatn,

Although I've been an HO model railroader for over 20 years, I'm just starting out in large scale and am currently working on my first Garden Railway Project. I have just purchased all my material including Stainless Steel Flex track and rail clamps from Sunset Valley Railroad http://svrronline.com/TrackandRail.html . Might be worth a look. I am also using stainless steel #6 and wide Radius turnouts from Aristo-Craft which require the adapter rail clamps. Another good source for large Scale equipment worth considering is http://www.ridgeroadstation.com/trains.shtml

Good Luck!

Stephan

 

Modeling a little piece of Europe in the Basement and a little piece of Canada in the Backyard!
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Posted by cokeoven on Tuesday, July 17, 2007 2:35 PM
California and Oregon Coast railway has a large selection of llagas creek, micro engineering, and sunset valley track, rail, and ties. They have a great selection, and you should find everything you are looking for. You can check out their website at www.cocry.com
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Posted by calenelson on Tuesday, July 17, 2007 3:40 PM

another Llagas Dealer:

NWRCS

and to agree with above, the shipping on the 60" stuff can get expensive!

 

cale

the Z... your Positive Alternative.
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Posted by ttrigg on Tuesday, July 17, 2007 4:08 PM
 greatn wrote:
I have been reading all the posts lately about the rising prices of brass track.  Maybe I should buy my track now for the building next year.  I am planning on using flex track and I was wondering where to buy from.  Also, if I buy just the rails (250) who sells the ties?  Should I make my own?  Happy railroading!!

Yes by all means buy your track for next years construction now.  When I arrives, set it out in a "stock pile" area some where near your GRR.  By the time you get around to using it, it will already be weathered and will blend in to existing rails rather nicely.  Where to get the stuff, most of us get it all from an online vendor.  I happen to use internettrains, seems as though they are only about 80 miles up the freeway, so when I place an order on Wednesday, it usually arrives on Friday.  Most all of the people who sell the longer rails also sell tie strips.  When the lengths of rail get longer than 5 ft (1.5 meters) the cost of shipping goes out the roof.  In my experience I had found three different vendors who sold the 10 ft (3.0 meter) rails for far less than the equivalent price of the same length of 5 ft rails.  When I inquired as to the shipping costs, almost had a heart attack.  It turned out that the cost of rail and the cost of shipping for 100 ft of 10 ft rail was the same as 200 ft of 5 ft rail.  Just pick your favorite Internet vendor, someone you have had good experience with.  Otherwise ask around to see who has had good/bad service with any vendors.

Tom Trigg

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Posted by greatn on Wednesday, July 18, 2007 1:47 PM
Thanks to all for the great info and advise.  I will be checking out all the web sites.  And Bryon, yes the GreatN does mean Great Northern.  As I live the just 8 miles north of the western end of the old GN at Everett, WA what could be better to model?  It has always been very easy to get alot of history from the libruary or the GN society here.  I have a postcard showing a GN 2-6-2 crossing the Snohomish river here in Marysville in 1905.

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