What are the differences between Code 55, Code 80 and Code 100 in N gauge trackage, please? Will N gauge rolling stock operate successfully on any of the three? Thanks, buckster - buckster61@att.net.
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The "Code" number is the height if the rail in Thousandths of an inch... thus code 100 is 100 Thousandths of an inch, or 1 tenth of an inch (0.100 inch) tall. Code 80 is 80 Thousandths or 8.0 hundredths or 0.800 tenths of an inch tall.
Thus the taller the rail the taller of a flange on the wheel will clear the ties below the rail. If you have tall flanges on your cars and run it on short rail track, the cars will bump on the ties and, at the least, "rattle" the cars as they go down the track, and at worse, bounce them right off the track.
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