Duplicate post...sorry. Thanks again!
Jim
Raised on the Erie Lackawanna Mainline- Supt. of the Black River Transfer & Terminal R.R.
Jim,
The bridge rails come already mounted and they are Code 83 rail. I love the tt and have not had any problems with it. As you can see in the photo it takes up quite a bit of real estate but is a high point to visitors.
-Bob
Life is what happens while you are making other plans!
Hi Bob. Thanks very much, especially for the pics. Hope everyone is having a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Been a bit busy to respond 'til now ;-) Were your rails already in place on the bridge (built up version) or did you add them yourself? (Sounded like you probably did...)
Thanks!
Here's a more recent view from above, showing all the tt tracks now in place.
I used Atlas code 83 flex track with no problems. I used CA liquid to glue the rails to the lip around the tt pit. A track guide helped keep the rails aligned with the bridge when cementing. All my track around the tt is the same.
I just completed installing my 130 and used Atlas and Micro-engineering code 83 and evertything works just fine. My two main entry tracks are Atlas code 100 with a Pico code 100 to 83. I'm very pleased with the operation and installation.
Mark
Thanks guys. I would be willing to add Walthers track as end pieces to the approach tracks where they meet the t.t. rim if that’s the easiest way to go.
I’d rather muck with the leveling further away from the t.t. and r.h. if shimming or step joiners need to be used…
You can use any track your trains can use, but if you don't want a bump at the ends of the bridge rails, you must figure out how to minimize the height disparity at the tops of the rail heads...where the wheels' operating surface is. If you use a roundhouse whose floor is at a different level from the top of the bridge surface, you will have to figure out how to get the rails to match in height. If there are depressed bays in which to lay sections of rails so that the locomotives can run into those depressed bays, the same problem arises...how to match the rail head heights. You can shim the various components so that whichever handy rail code you have works out very well. Once you have that figured out, the biggest problem is minimizing the gap between the bridge rails and the ends of the lead rails and the bay rails.
-Crandell
Atlas Code 83 flex has deeper ties than Walthers (Shinohara) so you may have to do some judicious tie thinning or shimming to correct the .017 inch height differential.
Actually, ANY 16.5mm gauge track, from sectional on roadbed to hand-laid, can be sliced and diced to match up with the ends of turntable rails. It just takes a careful eye - and a machinist's square or good-quality straightedge to assure proper alignment.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - with scratchbuilt turntables and Atlas flex)
Atlas flex should be fine. The built up version includes track installed on the bridge. If you have the kit version you will need to install rail on the bridge.
I was watching a youtube video "how to" install a Walthers 130' turntable and the guy says you must use Walthers flex track for the roundhouse stalls and the approach track (ends anyway). Is this true? I am using code 83 Atlas flex track and have been assuming this will be fine at the t.t. rim and in the stalls.
Does the turntable bridge come with track installed on it? If not, will Atlas flex track work here as well?
Just wanted to check before getting my turntable and bridge out of storage after the last mountain range is finished...
Thanks, Jim