Old Flex Track

[arp22]

Building a new N-Scale layout and thinking about re-using 25 year old Atlas flex track. Any thoughts or advice?

[BigDaddy]

Assuming you've cleaned up the ballast, I don't see any problem.  If any rail has separarated from the ties, I would throw it away rather than trying to glue it into proper gauge.

I don't know if there was ever fiber tie flex track in N but there was in HO.  I would not use that.  That might have predated N scale, though. 

[cowman]

As Henry mentioned, it should be fine a long as it has not come out of the ties.  If it has, don't throw it away, cut it into 39' (scale) or shorter pieces for maintenance yard (straight) or scrap loads (bent and damaged).  Just be sure to clean the rail you plan to reuse on the layout really, but don't scratch it.

Have fun, 

Richard

 

[mbinsewi]

I wouldn't see any problems unless there's a brass vs nickel silver thing, which I have both on my layout, and I have not noticed any problems.

I clean the brass more often, but that's just me.  I don't do switching operations as much as I do running main line trains, so the brass, which is used in the yard areas, ( because I had a Tupperware tub full) tends to be unused more than the manin line NS, so before a switching operating session, I clean all of the brass. 

Doing the math, on my current layout, some of the Atlas code 100 track is 32 years old.

Mike.

[MisterBeasley]

My old HO gauge brass track would be getting on to 70 years old now, both sectional and flex.  I gathered it up an brought it to a train show.  I gave it to a dealer for free.  It wasn't worth much, I'm sure, but if someone wanted it it was better than putting it in the trash.

[wp8thsub]

I've recycled track through several layouts, and some of the track on my current layout is 30 years old or more.  As long as it still holds together, old track is fine.  I only discard it when it becomes damaged during recycling.

[DSchmitt]

mbinsewi

I wouldn't see any problems unless there's a brass vs nickel silver thing, which I have both on my layout, and I have not noticed any problems.

25 year old Atlas N scale is Nickel Silver

[John-NYBW]

cowman

As Henry mentioned, it should be fine a long as it has not come out of the ties.  If it has, don't throw it away, cut it into 39' (scale) or shorter pieces for maintenance yard (straight) or scrap loads (bent and damaged).  Just be sure to clean the rail you plan to reuse on the layout really, but don't scratch it.

Have fun, 

Richard

 

 

Do model railroaders ever throw anything away? I don't. I know if I do something will come up that it would have been useful for. That's why I'm a packrat. 

[riogrande5761]

I don't see any issue with old flex track as long as it is in decent condition.  Like Rob, I have some old flex track.  Some dates back to a mid-1990's layout; it was carefully removed, stacked and stored and used on my last layout and again now in the current one.  It looks good and should be fine.

[Texas Zephyr]

mbinsewi

I wouldn't see any problems unless there's a brass vs nickel silver thing,

I got into N-scale at the very start of it here in the USA and I don't recall ever seeing any brass track of any brand in N-scale.  So that should not be a consideration.

As long as the "spikes" have remained intact it should be re-usable.