Flex Track Question

[jbdbackfan]

I am planning on laying my flex track N scale tomorrow, and it is my first time using flex track.

Should the rail that does not move be on the inside or outside of all turns of track.   Should the rail that does not move always be consistantly on the same side throughout the layout?

 Also, what is the best way to measure the radius correctly and actually line up the turn as a circle?  I don't have any fancy compass or measuring tools, I was hoping a home made method or simple way would work.

 

Thanks in advance,
Joe

[dgwinup]

Put the fixed rail on the outside of a curve.  The outer rail in a curve is actually longer than the inside rail (remember geometry?  length of an arc is a function of the radius.  Larger radius, greater length.)

The fixed rail on a piece of flex track will determine the final length of that track.  When you bend the flex into a curve, the moveable rail will extend beyond the ends of the ties if it's the inside rail.  Cut off the protruding end to even the rails.  Since both rails on the flex track start out the same length, when the fixed rail is on the inside of the curve, the moveable rail on the outside will be shorter than the inside rail.  You'd have to cut off the ties and ends of the fixed rail to keep them even. 

A side note: it may be helpful to solder two lengths of flex together before bending the curve.  With the fixed rail on the outside of the curve, the inner rails will still extend beyond the ties at BOTH ends.  You will have to shape the curve carefully, keeping the soldered joint in the middle of the curve.  No, you can't solder more than two sections at one time.  The soldered joints won't move through the ties; it'll just mess up the ties and you'll have to start all over with new track.

Be ready for other opinions.  Some people put the moveable rail to the outside because they prefer it.  My suggestions just preserve as much as possible of the length of flex track.

Darrell, quiet...for now

[bogp40]

The desired radius can be set by various methods. You can use templates, swing a string line from a fixed center or construct a compass of sorts. I perfer the later as even good nylon string will have some give. A strip of wood like a yardstick works. Measure from the end to desired radius and drill a small hole to fit a nail or screw. This can be used for all your track laying on turns. Mark and drill the radii for all the common turns you will be using. If the center ends up off the benchwork, just add a temparary brace to hold the center. Once the stick is fixed, you can swing and mark the centerline of the turn. This can be done on cardboard as well and cut out templates for future use for areas where the swing method won't work.

Before laying out the radius, you need to layout and figure the easements coming off the straight track into the turn. Easements should always be used. When the equipment enters the turn it gradually transitions to the radius and the loco/ rolling stock won't be jerked immediatly into the turn. Easements can allow even questionable min radius equipment to negociate a turn. The easement should be at least 1-1 1/2 times as long as the longest piece of equipment run. There are all kinds of fancy formulas/ math to do this, but the "bent stick" method has worked for me and countless others for quite some time. A bent stick is nothing more than a thin, flexable piece of wood free from odd grain and knots. As the stick is bent from the straight to the curved radius, you will automatically end up w/ the spiralling easement. This little extra spiral will increase the overall distance of the turn by 1-2". I model in HO so I'm only figuring about 1/2 for your scale.

I'll let others familiar with N scale fill in the blanks as to good operating radii, and their suggestions.

[HHPATH56]

 Hi Joe,   As has been suggested, always put the movable rail on the outside, I use a strip of cardboard for my compass.  Get yourself a good "rail cutter pliers" and a fine file..  To cut N scale track, you cut across the track, rather than from top to bottom,(as you do with HO scale track).  Use small nails to temporarily hold the track to the desired radius on your layout "cork roadbed"(while you cut the track to the desired length.  Never solder track sections together! To prevent buckling, there should be a slight space beteween the ends of two track sections,(to allow for heat or humidity expansion). I solder jumper wires around the metal joiners, and solder "feeder wires, from the "bus wire" to every section of track. This will eleminate any poor conductivity current loss.  One can snip the "jumper wires" to move or replace the Flextrack sections. Replacing joiners on soldered joints is nearly impossible. (Especially, with N scale track). The jumpers are also much better conductors of electricity.  You usually have to remove the end ties of both sections of track in order to push on the joiner.After the tracks are in place, you can shove in the smoothed sanded ties, to fill in the gap. Kepp all left over pieces of track, for later use. If you suspect that you may have to insulate the end of a turnout,(as is the case fro a reverse loop, it is agood idea to use plastic joiners, with jumper wires soldered in place to join the turnout to the other track.  Make sure that conductivity and smooth rail travel are perfect before you do any "ballasting" of the track.  If you must move a ballasted track, be sure that all the ballast has been scraped off, (and the roadbed is perfectly smooth, before replacing any track)!          Bob Hahn

[loathar]

Atlas recommends putting the movable rail on the outside. I like this method because it allows the ties on the movable side to spread apart rather than compress together like they would on the inside. I think it looks better.

[CraigN]

 From the Atlas Website:

Super-Flex Track has one stationary rail and one that slides, allowing it to bend easily. When bending the Flex Track into the desired shape, you must keep in mind that the sliding rail must always be on the inside of the curve (closest to the center of your layout plan).

 

BUT:

Someone pointed out to me once before that the sliding rail should actually be on the outside and not the inside.  Because when bending the track, the top of the rail leans inwards towards the center of the curve because the rail is not held down tightly to the ties. And this will change the gauge of the rails. So putting the sliding rail on the inside widens the track gauge and putting the sliding rail on the outside narrows the gauge.

 

So who is right?

I am using Atlas code 55 in N scale and I layed mine the way that Atlas recommends and I have not had any issues doing it that way. I am also using a minimum radius of 15 inches.

I made myself a compass by taking a 1 inch wide, thin strip of wood, and cut it to a lenght of about 2 feet. I then drilled a hole about 1 inch from one end to hold a drywall screw securely . I then measured and drilled a hole at the 15 inch mark from the 1stt hole ( minimum radius ) and also in 1 inch increments untill I reached the end of the stick. These holes I drilled a size to hold a pencil securely. I then went back to the beginning of the stick and measured and drilled a hole for a screw at the 1/2 inch mark so that I could also measure say 17 1/2 inch radius curves. This homemade tool worked very well for me.

Craig

[Phoebe Vet]

As long as we are posting contrary opinions, don't cut off the rail that now extends past the ties on the inside of the curve.  Slide it into the ties of the next section.  That way the two rail joints in the middle of the curve will not be across from each other, and you will be less likely to get a kink.

 

[MisterBeasley]

I put the fixed rail on the outside of the curve.  When I hold a piece of flex track in my hand and bend it, this seems to be a more stable configuration.  With the fixed rail inside, the whole thing likes to spring around more.  This, of course, may have no bearing at all on laying track for a train, but it explains why I do it that way.

Buy a pair of Xuron Rail Nippers.  Use them only for track - no nails, sprues or floral wire.  Note that there is a flat side and a diagonal side.  Use the flat side for the piece of track you're laying.  That will give you the clean, square cut.