Flexible Track

[maxi-model]

You can invest in a rail bender if you wish, but as the chap at GRS told me, you could buy another couple of lengths of track instead.Rik

GRS passing up a sale on a track bender. Pass me the smelling salts. I could imagine Michael and Matt having collective apoplective fits if someone gave out that advise Their advise when I first walked in was do not consider trying to bend rail without one of their gizmos. I left £75 pounds lighter. Oh, and they were saying avoid anything under 4ft radius. Do you think they saw me coming ? Max

 

[GAP]

Interesting thread.

When I laid my track 12 years ago, I got a few lengths of LGB flexitrack from GRS and asked about the need for a rail bender. They told me not to bother unless I was going to have very tight curves. I laid all my code 332 track (a mix of LGB, Aristo and Tenmille) track without using a rail bender. I experienced no major problems, though I screwed the track down to concrete block foundations to stop it wandering. The only issues I had were where I had to have rail joints on two of my curves. In one case, inserted a new length of track to avoid having the joint on a curve (see https://riksrailway.blogspot.co.uk/2008/08/progress-report-15-beeston-castle-is.html - about half way down) and with the other I tweaked the two offending ends of both pieces of track with a jim crow made by a fellow forumite ( see https://riksrailway.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/how-i-ironed-out-some-kinks-in-my-track.html ).

You can invest in a rail bender if you wish, but as the chap at GRS told me, you could buy another couple of lengths of track instead.

Rik

Rik,
When I extended my layout about 8-9 years ago I made oversized joiners from brass sheet and soldered the joints with plumbers solder using a small propane blowtorch (A trick learned back in my HO days when curving flex track).
When I bent the track they ended up in the middle of the curve and are still there today, I also pegged them down either side of the join for added support.
Matter of fact I will be tearing them up shortly so the blowtorch will get another work out.

 

[Paul M]

Rik,
When I extended my layout about 8-9 years ago I made oversized joiners from brass sheet and soldered the joints with plumbers solder using a small propane blowtorch (A trick learned back in my HO days when curving flex track).
When I bent the track they ended up in the middle of the curve and are still there today, I also pegged them down either side of the join for added support.
Matter of fact I will be tearing them up shortly so the blowtorch will get another work out.

Sounds a good tip..

 

[dunnyrail]

GRS passing up a sale on a track bender. Pass me the smelling salts. I could imagine Michael and Matt having collective apoplective fits if someone gave out that advise Their advise when I first walked in was do not consider trying to bend rail without one of their gizmos. I left £75 pounds lighter. Oh, and they were saying avoid anything under 4ft radius. Do you think they saw me coming ? Max

Dangerous places to go when the Garden Railway Shopmen such as Matt in GRS or Brian at Glendale are in full sell this off mode. Having said that and not wishing to kill further sales of Benders Or indeed Engineer made Jim Crows, I thing that there may be a lot of mileage in the Jim Crow after seeing Rik's Blog. They are after all what the real thing uses. If used with a bit of care and patience as Rik has done they can be most useful. I would not think that they are that difficult to make even without a Mill or Lathe. Block of steel around 10-15mm deep. Just a wide Hacksawed slot made using three or 4 passes widened with a Barstuard file. Drill and Tap one side to say 6 or 8 Mm add a screw and Bob as they say is yer uncle. If it gets a bit stiff to use a gentle wind with a spanner or pliers would always help. But a little at a time and gentle plus keep moving the Crow onwards.

 

[ge_rik]

Ahh Rik! I was looking for a picture of that rail bender/Jim Crow, wot I made, I'd forgotten who I'd made one for ('t were a long while ago). As it happens I think I still have a spare one kicking around somewhere, Paul. They suit all rail sections.

Hi Paul
I couldn't remember who'd made it for me, so thanks again. It's a wonderful little gadget. I've used it on several occasions to sort out misalignment problems.

Rik

 

[maxi-model]

Looking at a couple of other forums (e.g. MLS) on using code 200/45 mm gauge combination with scales above 10 mm (G1) there is a suggestion that much more care needs to be taken when laying the track to ensure correct alignment and level of track formations. This would stand to reason as you are probably using a near "fine scale" standard wheel/flange coupled to the lower rail height, in contrast to the more generous designs used in "G" products with code 332/250 with their resulting far greater area/overlap of flange to rail contact than code 200.

There is therefore a greater risk of derailments on curves and straights with code 200 if proper alignment is not maintained. I would say anything that ensures this is desirable, whether it be the preparation of the track substrate, method of jointing and consistency of maintaining track gauge and curvature. Anything that promotes that, either in the planning or tool department must be desirable. I think we get too used to the, deliberately, forgiving nature of LGB's chunky code 332 and "G"'s generous flange depths to realize the care needed with other slimmer track profiles. Anybody watch the "Biggest Little Railway". Or am I talking a load of cobblers ? Max

 

[Paul M]

Looks like swapping my code 200 track for the larger 250 or LGB may be a more sensible idea than I first thought! I'll have to look into the feasibility of that

 

[TLR]

Years ago Brandbright brought a track system that you made yourself using code 215 flat bottomed track from Tenmille gimp pins to nail it to the sleeper, all you need is a couple of rail gauges and a jig to keep the sleepers in line, did this about 20 years ago and the track is still down, for curves all I did was bend the track to the radius required put a couple of panel pins each end to hold in place then attach the next piece using fishplates supplied then ballast in place once happy replace the pins with screws onto the rail foot, I have a loop 8' in diameter using this method without any problems.
Unfortunately Tenmille don't sell code 215 FB rail any more but peco sell code 250 FB rail so the same could be applied.

Shaun

 

[KeithT]

On a slightly different tack (track!?) in 1/1 scale how do they form the vertical curves given that the resistance of the rail is far greater in that plane. Each time I catch a Metrolink tram and see the abrupt changes of gradient it has me wondering. If I can’t do it with Code 332 without resorting to brute force and inventing a new language how is it possible full size?

 

[stockers]

Real track is very flexible - I guess our relatively short distances make a difference and brass is quite hard.

 

[KeithT]

Real track is very flexible - I guess our relatively short distances make a difference and brass is quite hard.

Thanks
It is like laying bootlaces or wet spaghetti!
I knew that around the 60's ready made track was carried and laid in a similar manner but not that the track itself was SO flexible in both directions. Begs the question how they ever get it so straight afterwards!

 

[dunnyrail]

Thanks
It is like laying bootlaces or wet spaghetti!
I knew that around the 60's ready made track was carried and laid in a similar manner but not that the track itself was SO flexible in both directions. Begs the question how they ever get it so straight afterwards!

Nicely ballasted level support does the trick.

 

[dunnyrail]

Looks like swapping my code 200 track for the larger 250 or LGB may be a more sensible idea than I first thought! I'll have to look into the feasibility of that

Not sure how much of the 200 you have or what your plans are, but if you are planning a Garden Shed section for a Station or perhaps Stock Storage Shed the 200 would be more than fine for that purpose, though if a Station your points will be quite expensive or you may decide to build your own usingbthe oarts I listed earlier. Indoors there would be few problems with self built track.

 

[Northsider]

I bought a Massoth twin rail bender in the full flush of enthusiasm (and cash) of the early days of my garden railway. It was expensive and seems designed for Code 332 rail, not the Peco G45 code 250 rail I was using. But it worked brilliantly, and still does. I've never regretted the purchase.

 

[dunnyrail]

I bought a Massoth twin rail bender in the full flush of enthusiasm (and cash) of the early days of my garden railway. It was expensive and seems designed for Code 332 rail, not the Peco G45 code 250 rail I was using. But it worked brilliantly, and still does. I've never regretted the purchase.

Mine had the Peco 250 rollers on it which is why I snapped it up in double quick time, I use predominantly Peco G45 Track. Like you I have never regreted the putprchase.