What Code rail should i use for N scale?

[DSchmitt]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Bikerdad

Depends on your priorities:

If reliability is your priority, go with Atlas C80.
Looks? Micro-Engineering C40.
Cost? Atlas C80.
Availability? Atlas C80

Between ME C40 and Atlas C80 are different balances of costs, availability, reliability, turnout selection, appearance, and durability. Don't forget that you can mix-n-match, as well as pick the flex track you like the most and make your own turnouts. Every brand/code of rail has its fans and detractors.

As for me, my permanent layout will be primarily Atlas C55. I have exactly zero pizza cutter equipped steam locos, almost everything I have has been produced in the last three years, so the flange/spikehead issue isn't a factor for me.

Peco 80 switches and Peco 55 switches are both more reliable than Atlas code 80 switches. Atlas 80 flex track and sectional track are good

[Bikerdad]

Depends on your priorities:

If reliability is your priority, go with Atlas C80.
Looks? Micro-Engineering C40.
Cost? Atlas C80.
Availability? Atlas C80

Between ME C40 and Atlas C80 are different balances of costs, availability, reliability, turnout selection, appearance, and durability. Don't forget that you can mix-n-match, as well as pick the flex track you like the most and make your own turnouts. Every brand/code of rail has its fans and detractors.

As for me, my permanent layout will be primarily Atlas C55. I have exactly zero pizza cutter equipped steam locos, almost everything I have has been produced in the last three years, so the flange/spikehead issue isn't a factor for me.

[CraigN]

QUOTE: Originally posted by UPJohn

QUOTE: Originally posted by CraigN


Also, I have read that NWSL has replacement wheels that should work fine.

http://www.nwsl.com/Brochure%20Pages/broch%2025746%20Wheelsets.htm


Hope this helps,
Craig

How would the wheels be replaced in the GP60? I have never done this before but will probably catch on quickly.
Does the GP60 use the same drive as an SD7?

I have not done this yet so I really can't tell you. I will have to do it myself too because I am using the Code 55 on my new layout.

If you contact NWSL, I am sure they would help you get the right stuff.

Sorry I couldn't be more help here.
Craig

[NellsChoo]

I have tried the metal wheels for rolling stock, but find sometimes they bind up. So I stick with the Microtrains low profile ones. I have one engine so far that will not run on my little loop of Atlas Code 55, and older B&M switcher. I have looked at the NWSL site and can't make heads or tails out of their product listing. How do you know which wheels to buy for relpacements??

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Don't tease us, how can a person make one, would have saved me a bundle on those caboose ground-throws.

Heh. I knew I should've put those pics on my site. Ah well, words will have to suffice.

Anyway, there are two methods:

1. Purchase a Peco turnout and perform some reverse-engineering (copy it). That's what I did. Took about 3 hours and 5 trips to the hobby store for "experiment supplies".

Or,

2. First, purchase some of that cheap "model aircraft control" wire at the hobby store. Getting a few different sizes (but only one piece of each until you get to know it better) is a good idea, but stick to the really small stuff. We aren't building a catapult. [:p]

Next, find the tie that would normally be used to move the points. Drill a tiny hole for the wire in the exact center (and I mean the exact center - length and width - this is critical for strength and freedom of motion). Then, move to the next tie (away from the frog) and drill another tiny hole for the wire (again, try to get it in the exact center).

Now, the wire. I really can't tell you what length to use since it depends on whether you mount it on or below the ties (obviously the one that goes on top will need to fit between the rails - short is best). You will just have to play with it.
Bend your piece of wire into a "V" shape. The precise angle of this "V" depends on the distance between those two holes you drilled. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
You need to bend the two ends of the "V" at the same 90 degree angle so that the ends will sink into the holes and leave the rest of the "V" laying flat against the ties.

At this point, if you find the wire ends are fitting snugly into their holes and not poking through the other side where they could snag on something, test it out. If you are satisfied, you are finished. If not, see the final step. But keep an eye on it in case it works itself loose during those "snaps". If it does, you may need to follow the final step as well.

Finally, if you find the wire ends are fitting loosely in the holes you will need to secure those ends by bending them back against the tie where they poke through. Be careful! You are applying enough force to bend hardened steel wire against a soft, fragile plastic tie. Once you have done this, test it out. Too weak? Too strong? Start over with a longer wire (which gives you a smaller angle - less force), this may limit your placement choices to under the ties only.

So, did that make sense? I hope so. I looked for those pics while typing this and they seem to have vanished. It'll take time to make new ones.

SRT.

[pcarrell]

I would imagine that you could attach a wire to the throw on the switch and drop it down throught the table, put a 90 degree bend in it, and support the whole thing so it doesn't flop all around. A great way to support these little pieces of music wire is to get one of those coffee stir straws and cut a short length off and then break out the 5 minute epoxy and glue it to the bottom of the table.

Now bend the end of the music wire to form a flap that hangs down a little and then anchor the other end with another piece of the coffee stir straw leaving a little music wire hanging out of the end of it.

Now hook up your power wire to the end of the music wire.

Now make two contacts for the flap to touch and hook them to your rails and to your frog, one set of wires to one set of rails on one contact and the other to the other set. You position the contacts so that they don't always touch your music wire and they never contact each other. You set them up so that the bend in your music wire can never be touching both contacts at the same time.

Now when you flick the switch, your frog polarity will change automatically! This is, by the way, the same principal that the caboose switches use. They just add the cam lock mechanism with the control lever to the mix.

Now about making those snaps...do tell! Is it DCC friendly? [8D]

[Train 284]

Like most of the other guys said, some trains will and some won't due to the size of the flanges. I am currently helping my brother build an N scale layout and we have decided to use Atlas code 80.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by SRTrudeau



Let me guess, you really like that positive contact "snap" of Peco turnouts, don't you? So do I. Did you know you can make that "snap" yourself for just about any turnout brand? I've been buying cheap turnouts and modifying them this way for years. No problems yet...

SRT.

Don't tease us, how can a person make one, would have saved me a bundle on those caboose ground-throws.

Any idea how a guy can power the frog short of buying the newer caboose throws with the contacts? I know MR had an article on using a slide switch, but I don't have that issue [V]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Jacktal

Has someone ever used Atlas code 55 flextrack with Peco code 55 turnouts? ...would the difference show that much?Thanks for any info.

Let me guess, you really like that positive contact "snap" of Peco turnouts, don't you? So do I. Did you know you can make that "snap" yourself for just about any turnout brand? I've been buying cheap turnouts and modifying them this way for years. No problems yet...

Anyway, back to your question. My only real concern would be the sudden jump in tie spacing. If it's only at the turnouts you just might get away with it.

Joining those track sections, as you said, can be difficult but, not impossible.

SRT.

[UPJohn]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CraigN


Also, I have read that NWSL has replacement wheels that should work fine.

http://www.nwsl.com/Brochure%20Pages/broch%2025746%20Wheelsets.htm


Hope this helps,
Craig

How would the wheels be replaced in the GP60? I have never done this before but will probably catch on quickly.
Does the GP60 use the same drive as an SD7?

[Jacktal]

Has someone ever used Atlas code 55 flextrack with Peco code 55 turnouts?Wouldn't this be the best of both worlds?I understand that there may be some joiner complication though,but assuming they can be joined together,would the difference show that much?Thanks for any info.

[pcarrell]

I have the wye and it is very nice. It is a 2.5 switch and it has what look to be a little wider flangeways (I haven't measured them yet), but they look good. Once again, the frog can be powered (YES!)!

Good stuff all 'round!

[Anonymous]

Atlas code 55 looks good even with a hack like me laying it. I hear there is a wye available now but I have not seen one yet. It also seems to be very competitively priced.

The clicking from the deep flanges on older rolling stock is annoying but can be dealt with easily by replacing the wheels.

[CraigN]

Take a piece of code 55 and a piece of code 80 track, put them side by side. Then put an engine or freight car on each piece and decide which one you like the best and go with it.

I am using the Atlas code 55 and I love the looks!! And I am only using the # 7 switches. The only issues I am having is with the older pizza cutter wheels, and I will be changing them soon.

I have no regrets with using it but I wi***here was a larger selection of switches.


Also, I have read that NWSL has replacement wheels that should work fine.

http://www.nwsl.com/Brochure%20Pages/broch%2025746%20Wheelsets.htm




Hope this helps,
Craig

[UPJohn]

Well i just read in a review that the new Life-Like GP60 scrapes on code 55 track so i might just go with code 80 but like 3railguy said i get some samples. I will look at the code 70 too

Thanks

John

[pcarrell]

UPJohn,

I have a bunch of the Atlas code 55 rail and some of the old Minitrix steamers (the Pacific & the Decapod). Niether one of them will run on the code 55, but to be fair it isn't the fault of the track. The flanges on these things are huge.

I also have some of the MDC steamers ( two 2-6-0's and a 2-8-0) and they work fine. The new Bachmann 2-8-0's and the 4-8-2's both run great on the code 55.

I found that the Minitrix loco's would run on Micro Engineering code 70 track and so my mainline is this track and my branchline is the Atlas code 55 (the Minitrix loco's never use the branch) and that solved the problem for me.

The others are right about running lo profile flanges on everything so heed their advice.

I only run steam so I can't be of much more help then that but I hope this helps a little.

Let us know how you come out.

[DSchmitt]

Peco code 55 will handle any equipment that will run on code 80. This is because it is code 80 cleverly designed to look smaller.

Most issues have been with the Atlas code 55. But as you realize the problems are with older equipment.

Micro Engineering code 55 will handle deeper flanges than the Atlas.

[Anonymous]

If it's a Life-Like SD-7 it will hit the rail-tie plate, the flange is a hair to deep. I did read on another forum that a person took a jewlers file and ran it along the inside edge to sand down the tie-plate, just a little.

I got back into the hobby/n-scale and decided to do the whole layout in Atlas Code 55. I had to replace all my Micro-Trains wheel sets with the low-profiles, I had about 50 MT cars from the past so wasn't a major task, though I am now at 250+ cars (don't tell my girlfriend) and have to keep a supply of low-profile wheels on hand, as well as the MT truck/couplers for those pesky Atlas/MDC and Athearn wheel sets that end up failing on me.

The code 55 though it seems many have issues with it, I think looks the best when weathered and ballasted. All my turnouts work great. The only thing I would do different is to go with the Caboose Industry ground-throws with the 3 connector pins to make the frogs live, I went with the standard throw-outs.

Good luck...

[3railguy]

Jim is correct. I get confused as to what's compatible and what's not and when or what manufacturers changed their wheel flanges. If it were me, I would buy some smaples of code 55 track. Maybe a a turnout too and test all my equipment through it to see which route I want to go.

[jrbernier]

Most current N scale engines will run just fine on code 55. Older Minitrix engines(like the FM switcher) have problems with small Atlas code 55 track. Also some of the Kadee/MT cars may 'click' as well. Peco code 55 has no problms with these older cars or engines from my expeience. If you want to use that great looking Atlas track, I would also suggest that you replace all of the MT plastic wheels with metal ones that do not have the 'pizza cutter' flanges. Metal wheels really make a difference with N scale. Alas makes a specific 'MT compatible' wheel set for these cars. IM also has nice metal wheel sets.

Jim Bernier

[UPJohn]

I've been thinking of using that atlas code 55 rail but will my older cars and my older life like SD7 work on that track? I had this problem in HO with my Grandpa's spectrum k4 pacific getting stuck in Code 83 frogs. I want to know if this happens in N scale too and which code should i use???[?]