You ar right, I ment Fast Track. I have seen the video and I will, as you suggest, buy the jeweler's saw and even a Xuron cutter. The other tools I already have.
I'm glad to hear that you are satisfied with the Fast Track system.
The good with building the turnouts yourself is that if you just have the material at home you can build the switches you need. When I started building my railroad I planned it, ordered the turnouts and rail, changed the plans and now I have right turnouts left and miss left turnouts in order to continue.
I believe your question was meant to be about "Fast Tracks" and not Flex Tracks....yes?
If so, I used their Code 100 HO #8 jig and their same for #6 double-slip. I found them to require skill building, but between hands-on and the rather good videos that come included on a DVD (or as many first see them, on their site for steaming video), about the third turnout into the works one is producing very nice and useful turnouts. You'll need to decide on which frog number, what code and scale, and then let him know what you want. You will also need rail stock, soldering paste or cored solder (he provides some, not a generous amount, of very fine solder meant for acid flux), a good 10" flat file for metal, a wire brush to clean the file, a thin soldering pencil/iron rated for at least 30 watts, and he included the laser-cut wooden tie kits for 6 turnouts and enough PCB ties to make at least 6 turnouts.
Two other quite important details: you'll need a triangular needle file to file gaps in the copper cladding on the outer surface of the PCB ties. You'll also need at the very least a cut-off disk on a Dremel-like tool to cut gaps in the closure and points rails to isolate the frog since these are meant to be insulfrog/DCC-friendly. I paid a princely sum for a jeweler's file, as Tim Warris recommends, and I would urge you to do the same because no cut-off disk, no matter what size or what material, can match the the performance of a tiny filament in a jeweler's saw. The saw will leave a gap that must be closely looked at to be seen. Not so the cut-off disks.
There seems to be a lot of you guys that thinks ME looks best, but their turnouts are not always available.
I will try ME (N-scale code 55) next time I will order tracks. AND I will build my turnouts with Fast Tracks assemby fixtures. I just looked at Fast Track has fixtures for HO in code 55, 70, 83 and 100.
Do you have any expeience of using Flex Track fixtures? And what is your verdict?
R. T. POTEET wrote:It appears to me that your predicament might center less around the selection of Code 83 flex track - which is relatively abundant - and more around Code 83 switches - which are not readily abundant. Were I you I would probably, circa 2007, go with Walthers Code 83; they have a fantastic number of switches available and all of their track material marketed under their trademark - with the exception of what they picked up in the old Life-Like line - is manufactured by Shinohara which has a superlative reputation in this arena.
I was thinking the same thing--until I started looking for Walthers code 83 turnouts to buy. The catalog lists a wonderful number of options, but they always seems to be out of stock. In particular, I've got limited space and wanted to use #5 turnouts, but they always seems to be on back order. I'm thinking now of going with Atlas flextrack and #4 turnouts (which are really #4.5, which should be OK with my 20" minimum radius). I know they don't look quite as good, but from what I've been able to glean from this forum, they should be reliable. Also, they're in stock everywhere (well, not my LHS). Not to mention saving quite a bit of money.
Does this seem like a good choice? Or am I missing something?
TwoMoonsTrains wrote: I'm in the initial stages for building my table base. So I thought I would ask all the experts what they feel about who/what is the best flex track on the market. I'm thinking about using Code 83 with wood ties. Need the manufacturer so I can look at their product. Hope everyone is have a great day. Looking forward to all your recommendation.Jon - TwoMoonsRailroad
I'm in the initial stages for building my table base. So I thought I would ask all the experts what they feel about who/what is the best flex track on the market. I'm thinking about using Code 83 with wood ties. Need the manufacturer so I can look at their product. Hope everyone is have a great day. Looking forward to all your recommendation.
Jon - TwoMoonsRailroad
From the far, far reaches of the wild, wild west I am: rtpoteet
Define "best".
Atlas code 100 is durable, inexpensive and readily available.
Model Power code 100 flex is a carbon copy of Atlas.
Atlas code 83 looks a little better, but is more expensive and harder to find.
Peco code 83 looks better than Atlas, but is more expensive and VERY hard to find.
Peco code 75 is about the same cost as Atlas code 83, is closer to scale, and very reliable. But it's hard to find.
Micro Engineering has track in codes 83,70,55 and 40. It looks the best, costs between Atlas code 83 and Peco code 83, isn't always available, and is FRAGILE.
Walthers/Shinohara code 83 looks good (better than Atlas) but is expensive and not always in stock.
Precision Scale makes the same variety as Micro Engineering, but it's expensive and almost impossible to find.
There are other manufacturers of flex track out there, especially European. But the above are the basic ones you're likely to run across at a LHS or Hobby Lobby.
What is your ultimate AIM with your track? If you're looking for the ultimate in realism, M-E code 55 is the only way to go (yes, it's better than handlaid). If you want to be CLOSE to real but want to use better turnouts (M-E's kinda suck), use peco code 75. If you want cheap only; reality be damned, use Model Power code 100.
Ray Breyer
Modeling the NKP's Peoria Division, circa 1943
I built my N scale layout using Micro Engineering pre-weathered flex track in the visible portions of the layout and Atlas in the hidden staging. I like the M E pre-weathered because it holds the curve after shaping and doesn't require painting.
I've been involved in building the last three preject layouts for my local NMRA Division, all small HO layouts that were raffled off, and we used Atlas flex track and turnouts on all three. I was responsible for laying and wiring the track on all three layouts.
The last two were built using Atlas code 83. Dollar for dollar, I think it's as good as any out on the market. Granted, the Micro Engineering pre-weathered track is gorgeous, but you still need to paint their turnouts to match, they don't offer pre-weathered turnouts.
Atlas markets two grades of turnout in code 83. The lesser grade has their standard snap ties at the track ends with the split for the rail joiner. The better grade has ends like that on the flex track. The ties can be removed at the ends of the lesser turnouts and replaced for a better appearance. It all depends on your needs.
Once painted, the Atlas code 83 looks great and operates very well. It doesn't have the pin holes in the ties like their code 100, but they are molded into the bottom of the ties and only require minor effort to open them if you need to use them for your initial track placement, "T" pins can be used to eliminate the need for openning the holes.
The Altas turnouts are also DCC compatible right out of the package. I believe the Micro Engineering offers DCC compatible turnouts also.
You really need to checkout your options visually to make an informed decision.
Holding a curve is double edged sword. It will hold a curve, but is it the curve you want?
ME is the best looking. Atlas is the best of highly flexible that I have used (based on price, availability and ease of use).
Dave H.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
Gary UK wrote: Another vot for M.E here. Ive used entirely Peco code 83 thats the next best thing, only because M.E is very difficult to get hold of in the U.K.I have heard that M.E flex is more difficult to curve though?
Another vot for M.E here. Ive used entirely Peco code 83 thats the next best thing, only because M.E is very difficult to get hold of in the U.K.
I have heard that M.E flex is more difficult to curve though?
But an advantage is that it will hold a curve easier than the more flexible Atlas.
Jim
For pre-made flex track, my vote is with Micro Engineering as well. It looks excellent and doesn't have the hugely oversized spikes of other brands like Atlas. (On a model railroad, the oversized spikes are not overly noticeable from a bird's eye view, but quite obvious from a low "on the ground" angled photo.) The only drawback is the track is more fragile than some of the other brands.
I assume by wooden ties you meant simulated wooden ties molded from plastic as opposed to simulated concrete ties molded from plastic. As previously stated, if you want real wooden ties, you'll have to hand lay your track.
For general purpose, dollar for dollar, Atlas Code 100. If you want more prototypicality, Code 83. If you want even more good looks due to more naturally varied ties, Micro Engineering, which I believe starts as large as Code 83 and smaller. As for wooden ties, not aware than you can get flextrack of any kind with them...you'll have to hand-lay.
Caveat - this is what I understand from reading many posts on the subject. Individual opinions are likely to differ.