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Styrene (plastic) rail for welded rail train

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  • Member since
    October 2006
  • 20 posts
Styrene (plastic) rail for welded rail train
Posted by Rod Carr on Sunday, October 22, 2023 8:13 PM

Is there a current source for Code 70 or 83 plastic or styrene rail that can be used to load a "welded rail train"?

Tags: Welded Rail
  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
  • 16,367 posts
Posted by gmpullman on Sunday, October 22, 2023 9:11 PM
  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
  • 21,484 posts
Posted by MisterBeasley on Sunday, October 22, 2023 9:55 PM

I have a Walthers Carfloat kit.  It comes with plastic Code 83 rail.  I used metal rail to reduce rolling resistance and let me use smaller engines.  I have never seen this plastic rail advertised, but Walthers may sell it.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

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    September 2014
  • From: 10,430’ (3,179 m)
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Posted by jjdamnit on Monday, October 23, 2023 3:57 PM

Hello All,

Rod Carr
Is there a current source for Code 70 or 83 plastic or styrene rail that can be used to load a "welded rail train"?

Well, it depends...

The advantage of selective compression in modeling also pertains to MOW loads.

Do you need the entire load to be actual scale Code 70 or 83 rails?

In a most simplistic way- -rails are an I-beam with specific asymmetrical dimensions. 

The bulk of the load can be created by using similarly sized, stock, styrene I-beams.

Meaning, fewer actual scale rails are needed to model the MOW load.

Hope this helps.

"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"

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