Micro Engineering makes a flexible bridge track I believe. Does the Walthers bridge track also flex?
As always, thanks.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Nope, the Walthers bridge track is as rigid as can be.
Rich
Alton Junction
Thanks Rich. ME track it is.
BATMAN Micro Engineering makes a flexible bridge track I believe. Does the Walthers bridge track also flex? As always, thanks.
Micro Engineering's bridge track is flexible and may be built to any length by adding additional sections. Last winter I built a trestle using M.E.s bridge track and liked how it turned out.
The Eurasian Lady Bug liked Micro Engineering's bridge track, also!
NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"
Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association: http://www.nprha.org/
Tell me more about the ME flex bridge track.
A 36" section is available on sale for $10 at Walthers.
I have traditionally purchased the Walthers Shinohara bridge track. Each section is slightly less than 20". It is rigid and not at all flexible. It is currently on sale for $26 at Walthers. Each section is Code 83 rail, and the guard rail is Code 70. Each end of the bridge track section has a closure of the guard rails. So, to make a longer bridge track section, you cut off one end of each section. I save those guard rail closures for possible future use.
i was unaware of the ME flex bridge track until the topic was raised here. It seems as if you get twice the track for 40 percent of the cost by purchasing ME over Wlathers.
What am I missing here besides my wallet?
Not only does M-E make its HO flex bridge track in Code 83, Code 70 and Code 55 and not only, as the above poster mentions, the Code 83 is currently on sale, BUT the Walthers website shows all three are actually in stock (and how often does that happen with Micro Engineering?)
By the way by cutting through the webbing on the bottom it is often possible to make otherwise rigid track somewhat flexible, if perhaps not actually curvable; due care as to gauge is neeed of course. I have not tried that trick with the Walthers Shinohara bridge track product and thus do not know how the guard rails would react. But I have done it with the Walthers Shinohara transition tracks that go from Code 100 to 83 and Code 83 to Code 70. Of course that has much wider tie spacing.
I just noticed that I already own short lengths of the Micro Engineering bridge flex track, because I own some M-E bridge kits that come with short lengths of the track. I guess I'd say that if this is flex track that comes as news to me. The track is straight as a die and I suspect it is much harder to try to flex a 6" or less length of track than a 3 foot length, but in either case bending M-E track of any kind can be a learned skill.
Dave Nelson
Richotrain,
M.E.'s Bridge Track is Code 83 with Code 70 guard rails (provided). There is no closure of the guard rails, you do that yourself and I placed these "Closures" well out onto the approach tracks on either side, of the bridge, like the prototype does. I found sliding the code 70 guard rails into the spike heads difficult (maybe impossible) and end up gluing the guard rails in place. Although M.E. states to use CA to do this in the instruction sheet, CA doesn't bond to well to the bottoms of the rails. If you ask M.E. about this they well tell you to use Pliobond, which I found available at my local Ace Hardware.
The curvature on my trestle is at the right side of the photo and is a pretty mild curve. However, M.E.s track is very flexible.
What else can I help you with?
I don't need any bridge track at this time, but all things considered, the next time around I will choose ME over Walthers Shinohara.
On my current layout, I have two Walthers Double Track Truss bridges end to end. That requires four WS bridge tracks for a total sale price of over $100. I also have two Walthers Bascule Bridges side by side. That requires another four WS bridge tracks for a total sale price of over $100. So, even at the sale price, the bridge track cost me over $200. If my math is correct, I could have done it with ME bridge track for $40. And, I could have used the flex track feature of ME bridge track on the bascule bridges.