Track Code

[Anonymous]

Saw another post mentioning code 83 vs code 100 track. What does this mean? What are the differences? pros and cons of each?

[Anonymous]

Saw another post mentioning code 83 vs code 100 track. What does this mean? What are the differences? pros and cons of each?

[Anonymous]

Code is how high the rail is in thousanths of an inch ie code 100 is .100 inch high. The NHRA site has a guide to this, but code 100 is a standard that is oversize but all equipment meeting NMRA standards will run on it. Code 83 is closer to real mainline scale, but some equipment may bottom out their flanges on it. There is also 70 and 55 and others on the market for yards, sidings, old time. Lots claim 83 is the most popular size and all should use it, but last I seen code 100 still outsold all others by 3 to one. Quick way to tell them apart is 100 has black ties and 83 has brown. Rule of thumb... If you run lots of old and or cheap cars like bachmann or lifelike 1000 (under $7 new) use 100. If you want closer to scale track use 83 and maybe replace wheel and or trucks.

[Anonymous]

Code is how high the rail is in thousanths of an inch ie code 100 is .100 inch high. The NHRA site has a guide to this, but code 100 is a standard that is oversize but all equipment meeting NMRA standards will run on it. Code 83 is closer to real mainline scale, but some equipment may bottom out their flanges on it. There is also 70 and 55 and others on the market for yards, sidings, old time. Lots claim 83 is the most popular size and all should use it, but last I seen code 100 still outsold all others by 3 to one. Quick way to tell them apart is 100 has black ties and 83 has brown. Rule of thumb... If you run lots of old and or cheap cars like bachmann or lifelike 1000 (under $7 new) use 100. If you want closer to scale track use 83 and maybe replace wheel and or trucks.

[dknelson]

There is some Code 100 with brown ties. One idea is to buy a piece of each: Code 100, 83, 70. Run some stuff on it, give it a try. There are some mechanical advantages to Code 100 in that it has its own structural strength that resists warping of the roadbed or benchwork (which is why Dave Barrow has returned to Code 100 after building a layout with Code 70)
Peco by the way has Code 75.
Dave Nelson

[dknelson]

There is some Code 100 with brown ties. One idea is to buy a piece of each: Code 100, 83, 70. Run some stuff on it, give it a try. There are some mechanical advantages to Code 100 in that it has its own structural strength that resists warping of the roadbed or benchwork (which is why Dave Barrow has returned to Code 100 after building a layout with Code 70)
Peco by the way has Code 75.
Dave Nelson

[BentnoseWillie]

QUOTE: Rule of thumb... If you run lots of old and or cheap cars like bachmann or lifelike 1000 (under $7 new) use 100. If you want closer to scale track use 83 and maybe replace wheel and or trucks.

While I agree that Code 100 is probably a better choice for a beginner on the basis of cost and local availability, I wouldn't go so far as to say that Code 83 or 75 aren't suitable with "economy" equipment if one can get such track locally at a good price.

Code 75 and Code 83 were designed to work with any equipment, including the notorious deep-flanged older European equipment. Code 83 especially might be worth a look, since Atlas make it in their "True Track" line of sectional track complete with roadbed.

[BentnoseWillie]

QUOTE: Rule of thumb... If you run lots of old and or cheap cars like bachmann or lifelike 1000 (under $7 new) use 100. If you want closer to scale track use 83 and maybe replace wheel and or trucks.

While I agree that Code 100 is probably a better choice for a beginner on the basis of cost and local availability, I wouldn't go so far as to say that Code 83 or 75 aren't suitable with "economy" equipment if one can get such track locally at a good price.

Code 75 and Code 83 were designed to work with any equipment, including the notorious deep-flanged older European equipment. Code 83 especially might be worth a look, since Atlas make it in their "True Track" line of sectional track complete with roadbed.

[Anonymous]

The NMRA association disagrees with the the use of any but code 100 on module mains due to flange and reliability issuses. I have had lots of trouble with old "toy" train cars...bachmann, tyco, lifelike, on code 83 until the wheels were replaced with metal proto2000's. They would derail close to 20% going through atlas #6 turnouts even with kadee #5 in draft boxes. With steel wheels they almost never come off. I only use code 100 now in mains and don't have problems with plastic wheels even in #4 except for one that has an S curve coming out of it (a no no) and even good stuff comes off there a lot. I am replacing all my 83 with 100 and using the 83 for new sidings as I expand. I run my trains a lot around in loops, not point to point, and reliability is import to me as I am not always there to hand of god them back on the tracks. It can get expensive dropping stuff 40 inches to the floor due to derailments..

[Anonymous]

The NMRA association disagrees with the the use of any but code 100 on module mains due to flange and reliability issuses. I have had lots of trouble with old "toy" train cars...bachmann, tyco, lifelike, on code 83 until the wheels were replaced with metal proto2000's. They would derail close to 20% going through atlas #6 turnouts even with kadee #5 in draft boxes. With steel wheels they almost never come off. I only use code 100 now in mains and don't have problems with plastic wheels even in #4 except for one that has an S curve coming out of it (a no no) and even good stuff comes off there a lot. I am replacing all my 83 with 100 and using the 83 for new sidings as I expand. I run my trains a lot around in loops, not point to point, and reliability is import to me as I am not always there to hand of god them back on the tracks. It can get expensive dropping stuff 40 inches to the floor due to derailments..

[AltonFan]

QUOTE: ...Code 83 is closer to real mainline scale...

This is only true in HO scale. In HO, code 83 is close to 132 lbs. per yard rail, which is typical for most railroad mainlines.

[AltonFan]

QUOTE: ...Code 83 is closer to real mainline scale...

This is only true in HO scale. In HO, code 83 is close to 132 lbs. per yard rail, which is typical for most railroad mainlines.

[Anonymous]

Never seen or heard code 83 N or Z track? Isn't it obvious we are talking about HO track?

[Anonymous]

Never seen or heard code 83 N or Z track? Isn't it obvious we are talking about HO track?

[IRONROOSTER]

QUOTE: Originally posted by flee307

Never seen or heard code 83 N or Z track? Isn't it obvious we are talking about HO track?

Well if we're not limiting the discussion to prefab track we could be talking S scale. I'm using code 100 Shinora for the mainline and thought I hand lay some code 83 on the sidings.[:)][:)]
Enjoy
Paul

[IRONROOSTER]

QUOTE: Originally posted by flee307

Never seen or heard code 83 N or Z track? Isn't it obvious we are talking about HO track?

Well if we're not limiting the discussion to prefab track we could be talking S scale. I'm using code 100 Shinora for the mainline and thought I hand lay some code 83 on the sidings.[:)][:)]
Enjoy
Paul

[Anonymous]

I also have never heard or seen code 83 track for S either. I thought all S gauge was pretty much a hand laying of rails. The question was about track, not rails.

[Anonymous]

I also have never heard or seen code 83 track for S either. I thought all S gauge was pretty much a hand laying of rails. The question was about track, not rails.

[BentnoseWillie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by flee307

I also have never heard or seen code 83 track for S either. I thought all S gauge was pretty much a hand laying of rails. The question was about track, not rails.

If we're picking nits, the question was about the meaning of the term "Code", which applies to rail height.

Incidentally, S scale track is available premade. I don't recall the rail height of the stuff I saw, but I'd think Code 100 would look really good under S scale models, and Code 83 would be sensible for sidings.

[BentnoseWillie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by flee307

I also have never heard or seen code 83 track for S either. I thought all S gauge was pretty much a hand laying of rails. The question was about track, not rails.

If we're picking nits, the question was about the meaning of the term "Code", which applies to rail height.

Incidentally, S scale track is available premade. I don't recall the rail height of the stuff I saw, but I'd think Code 100 would look really good under S scale models, and Code 83 would be sensible for sidings.

[Anonymous]

I did a quick check of Walthers and it shows S gauge track avalible, but it appears to be the tin plate type used with old Marx train sets. If you find a site that has S gauge track in scale I would be interested as I like to keep track of such things.

[Anonymous]

I did a quick check of Walthers and it shows S gauge track avalible, but it appears to be the tin plate type used with old Marx train sets. If you find a site that has S gauge track in scale I would be interested as I like to keep track of such things.

[BentnoseWillie]

Glad to help:

http://www.americanmodels.com/misc/track.html

This stuff tempts me more every day. Mrs. Nose keeps pointing out the cost differential comparred to HO, though.

[BentnoseWillie]

Glad to help:

http://www.americanmodels.com/misc/track.html

This stuff tempts me more every day. Mrs. Nose keeps pointing out the cost differential comparred to HO, though.

[Anonymous]

Thx for info, it's code 148 I see. You know, lots of hotwheel, matchbox, and ertyl stuff is 1/64 which would make a really cool s gauge scene. Only problem I see is paying $8 for 3 feet of track. ouch.

[Anonymous]

Thx for info, it's code 148 I see. You know, lots of hotwheel, matchbox, and ertyl stuff is 1/64 which would make a really cool s gauge scene. Only problem I see is paying $8 for 3 feet of track. ouch.

[BentnoseWillie]

True. That's where handlaying starts to look good, especially if Code 100 makes good branchline track in S.

[BentnoseWillie]

True. That's where handlaying starts to look good, especially if Code 100 makes good branchline track in S.

[AltonFan]

QUOTE: Never seen or heard code 83 N ...

Actually, the original Atlas sectional track for N scale is code 83, but it represents rail vastly havier than any ever used for prototype railroads. In N even code 55 scales out to something over 155 lbs. per yard, which is the heaviest rail ever used on a prototype, mainline railroad.

[AltonFan]

QUOTE: Never seen or heard code 83 N ...

Actually, the original Atlas sectional track for N scale is code 83, but it represents rail vastly havier than any ever used for prototype railroads. In N even code 55 scales out to something over 155 lbs. per yard, which is the heaviest rail ever used on a prototype, mainline railroad.