After an absence of 20 years I am getting back into the hobby. I have saved my rolling stock from 20 years back and am wondering if there will be any problems using it on Atlas Code 83 track work. It mostly consists of Athern diesel locos and cars as well as some Atlas and Spectrum units. Thank you in advance.
Welcome back to the hobby. I think I know what you are referring to. I came back after 35 years and installed code 83 on part of my layout. The deep flange on older rolling stock wheels will ride on the plastic rail plates and make a racket. I had to replace the wheel sets. I used Proto and/or Intermountain replacement wheel sets. Either one will work. Hope I helped! Jim
Thats what I was wondering. If the flanges on 20 year old rolling stock would be too deep for code 83 track. Maybe I should stick with code 100 or maybe try my locos and cars on a couple of pieces of code 83 first.
You shouldn't have any problem with Athearn, Atlas, and Spectrum stuff from the past 20 years. The only thing I ever had issues with were older Rivarossi/AHM locos from the 70's.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
DansomeAfter an absence of 20 years I am getting back into the hobby. I have saved my rolling stock from 20 years back and am wondering if there will be any problems using it on Atlas Code 83 track work. It mostly consists of Athern diesel locos and cars as well as some Atlas and Spectrum units.
My 20+ year old Bachmann and Athearns don't have any large flanges on them. You should be fine.
What kind of stuff did some of you guys buy? My 40-year old HO-scale rolling stock (without European-style flanges) runs fine on code 40 rail (without spikes) and code 55 with spikes. And then, my track was handlaid and is not made up of the grosser flex track with spike heads the size of cantaloupe.
Mark
I'm running some kitbashes (original trucks) made from Athearn BB cars manufactured in the early 1970s. They have RP25-contour wheels and are quite content on Atlas Code 83 flex. Most of my Japanese-manufactured rolling stock, dating clear back to the late 50s, had small flanged wheels installed as original equipment.
The only too-deep flanges I've had to deal with were on a LifeLike 0-4-0T which is, quite frankly, a toy (no crossheads - main rods go straight into the cylinders and poke out the fronts of same.) I turned the flanges down by running the motor at medium speed and attacking the wheels with a file.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Rivarossi and AHM...yup some of mine go back to the early 50's, so I had the problem. LOL when I first ran them over code 83 crossings and they hit the frog, I thought they were going to fly off the layout!
I'd get some code 83 track, like Kato Unitrack or Atlas True-Track and try all your stuff and see. Code 83 started to become the norm in the later eighties, so anything built at that time or after should be fine.
BTW of course only worry about your engines. With 20+ year old cars you'd likely as not want to replace the wheelsets or trucks anyway.
wjstix I'd get some code 83 track, like Kato Unitrack or Atlas True-Track and try all your stuff and see. Code 83 started to become the norm in the later eighties, so anything built at that time or after should be fine. BTW of course only worry about your engines. With 20+ year old cars you'd likely as not want to replace the wheelsets or trucks anyway.
If I wanted to experiment, I'd pick a piece of damaged Atlas Code 83 flex out of the discount bin.
As a last resort, I might buy it new, at full price.
I would NOT buy sectional on roadbed. Why pay for the high-priced spread when what you need is cheap generic test track?
Also, contrary to the oft-stated beliefs of the uninformed, a lot of truly ancient rolling stock is fitted with very free-rolling wheelsets. If they ain't broke, don't change them if they already have RP-25 flanges.
To this frugal modeler, the object of the game is to spend as little as possible - preferably nothing if possible.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - inexpensively)