I've laid a lot of flex track in my day and I have always found having the floating rail to the inside to work better. Have never had any problem with the outside rail bending outward. - Nevin
I've done a bit of unscientific experimentation with flex track and drew these conclusions: sliding rail to inside is easier to work with-just nip off the excess length, sliding rail to outside looks better- the ties don't get too close together.
To me when a section of flex is bent into a fairly tight radius it just becomes obvious that the ties get too closely spaced to look prototypical. This is even more noticible if you're laying track for a branch or spur. If you run large radius curves, 30+ inches in HO, then it's not as noticible.
None of this has any impact on functionality, those problems are caused by poor tracklaying skills like kinked joints, bent ties etc.
Modeling the Cleveland and Pittsburgh during the PennCentral era starting on the Cleveland lakefront and ending in Mingo junction
dbduck When laying flex track on a curvre, what is the recommend way of doing it.." floating" rail on the inside or outside of the curve?
When laying flex track on a curvre, what is the recommend way of doing it.." floating" rail on the inside or outside of the curve?
I 've done it both ways on my few loop layouts and I am yet to see any difference in the method I used.
The main thing is to maintain a kinkless smooth flowing curve.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Hamltnblue If atlas says the outside it's because they get to sell more track to those who go that way and waste more when cutting.
If atlas says the outside it's because they get to sell more track to those who go that way and waste more when cutting.
Cutting off a few ties changes tie spacing. It does not change the length of the outside rail, which is what determines how many pieces you need. Nice conspiracy theory, though.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
Hum, seems odd that Atlas says to keep the moving rail on the outside. I have done both and keeping on the inside is was easier.
Ken
I hate Rust
loathar Atlas recommends outside so your ties don't bunch up on the inside. Guess this would apply to all brands.
Atlas recommends outside so your ties don't bunch up on the inside. Guess this would apply to all brands.
Somebody at Atlas needs to do a few simple experiments! I've taken Atlas 16.5mm gauge Code 100 flex down to 300mm radius (>12 inches) and never had the ties bunch up. Of course, I formed the curve gently, not like Godzilla ripping up the tracks on the Yamate-sen. (Actually I've taken one length down a lot tighter - so tight that it 'relaxed' back to 350mm radius. It has held that radius now for over a year, not fastened to anything.)
I keep the sliding rail to the inside, and slide that rail into each succeeding section. The stagger starts at a few centimeters, then builds up to several inches after laying 200 or so degrees of 610mm radius with proper spiral easements. That long overlap, keeping the joints in opposite rails separated, is one way to avoid kinks. When I finally cut the last overhanging end after getting into tangent track, I usually have a piece long enough to use for a closure rail in a hand-laid turnout.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
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).
They also note that HO scale code 83 has 2 rails that slide, which makes the track more flexible.
Craig
I do the inside rail. Similar to the reason Randy mentioned, for me it is easier to work with a rail poking out rather than one sucking in. However, I don't cut the rail, I feed the ties from the next section of flex track onto it giving a more continuous rail and keeping the joints in the two rails offset. The next joint is more offset. Helps avoid kinking because one rail is always constant.
I would imagine that as long as your consistent throughout the layout with keeping it either inside or outside it really doesn't matter. Yes you get the longer piece on one end when you have the sliding rail on the inside but doesn't that become reversed sooner or later and if your staggering rail joiners it shouldn't really matter which one is longer or shorter. I've never given it this much thought as I've always done inside sliding rail just because thats the way I must have been shown way back in the day when god was kid and dirt was new.
Inside is the most common method.
Springfield PA
OK, fess up: how many others out there never noticed that one of the rails was fixed? Put me down for "whichever way it came out of the box"!
Chris
There seem to be myths that perpetuate in the hobby. One of them is the matter of the gauge changing, depending on the orientation of the sliding rail in flex track. Considering the tolerance, I doubt that 4/1000 of an inch will make a difference, except in the case where an item of rolling stock's wheel adjustment is very close to the limits either way. In that case, a gentle nudging back into the middle range of the gauge is going to cure the problem.
I agree that the inside is the preferred orientation. I don't like having blocks of ties clipped off unnecessarily. Better, in my opinion, to just have to use a rail nipper to clip off the excess protrusion of inside rail on a curve.
-Crandell
FWIW, PECO code55 N specifies the floating rail works better on the inside. J.R.
THis has never been an unresolved issue in my mind. Floatin rail on the inside - laid enough to be sure.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
I agree with the inside position for the non-fixed rail. If you are using staggered joints (and I highly recommend that you do), the first section will require some trimming of the ties and fixed rail but after that , it all fits together.
I put the sliding rail on the inside, for one simple reason. When the slidign rail is on the inside, it will stick out past the end - you can then cut it off as needed. If the sliding rail is on the outside, it will 'suck back in' to the ties and you'll have to cut back more ties to get to the rail to attach the next piece of track.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
This is one of those questions that comes up reguarly and never receives any conclusive evidence of why having the moving rail on one side or the other is better .
Most people put the movable rail on the inside if past replies are any indication. But why remains an unresolved issue.
One person has provided an opinion that I would disagree with concerning the rail leaning inward or outward. I've laid a lot of flextrack around curves, mostly Atlas code 100, Peco code 83, and Model Power code 100 HO scale, and am presently laying hundreds of feet of G-scale track and have never had any indication that it was leaning in either direction.
The sliding rail on flex track should be on the outside of the curve as it has a tendency to tilt out. If you put it on the inside of the curve it will tilt in and tighten the gauge of the track.