Not to put a damper on this but Code 100 track and deep-ish flanges creates a reliable layout. Will save your sanity. Always remember the rivet-counters never show you their derailments. Use the Code 83 stuff for sidings and yards.
i started building my layout and 2 months later i tore it all down and started over because it had to tight of curves and inclines were to steep. so i can relate to your troubles, trust me you will like it better after your done 6 axle locos dont like 18 inch curves very well epecially with an incline involved. looking forward to the new layout cant wait.
To make sure you keep everything running smoothly, use a track gauge when you're assembling the joints on a curve with the flex track. Otherwise, it's easy to get kinks that cause derailments.
You will definitely want to weather the track. Experiment with just one small piece. You can get “railroad tie brown” paint for the ties and a rust color for rail webs. The paint kills all the plastic shine and railheads really pop. Suddenly it looks like real track and not toy track. I am always amazed how much better my track looks when I reach the painting phase
Hey Scotty. Some people weather before hand & some afterward. I chose afterward, by using a air brush after I ballist. I was rebuilding my layout & hadnt run any trains for about 18 months, so I was getting impatient so opted afterwards. Cheers Michael NZ@@ScottRails
You should lay the track first. Flex track has one sliding rail and the paint prevents the rail from sliding. If you try to pull it loose the track is useless because you can bend the rail when you try to pry it loose.
Re rising track - you need the same length down as up. Check the return to level won't run into your lift up section as you really want that to be level.
Be careful with the flex track! i used it on my first layout and it taught me a lot. around bends, its REALLY easy to misalign the ends of the track sections which in turn will make your locos jerk onto the new section and will cause derails at high speed! But other then that I can't wait to see what you do with the new layout!
I like the folded dogbone layout you currently have. Maybe make the ends larger to accomodate larger radii. Seen people lately removing lift bridges from their layouts as they found their layout more inviting without them. Glad your keeping the inner loop regardless. Code 83 rail is fine; only much older trains with pizza cutter wheels have issues. I would even use smaller code track on sidings and yards. Most importantly Have Fun! Train show outside of Buffalo next weekend in Hamburg NY, It's pretty big.
Watch your older locos and European stuff with the deep wheel flanges. The flanges will ride on the tie plates and switch points in many cases. Have fun! I am sure your wife will love the tap tap of hundreds of track nails going in. Also look for the starter holes on the back side of the code 83 for track nails.
FYI, the term RP-25 " National Model Railroad Association WHEEL CONTOUR RP - 25" is what you need to look at for Code 83 rail use. This will be one issue with using code 83 track. Tri-ang and several others do not meet it. And any rubber band drive. Might want to keep some code 100 for a test loop for the antique locos
Interesting idea for along one wall. Walthers make a series and shallow depth building which would make a neat backdrop for your running trains.. I am planning it myself
Same track I am working with. I like the way it looks better than the code 100. I have a lot of flex track so will be using my printer to set up some radius templates. Good luck on the new layout. Fun to see you so excited to get started.
I like the sound of your new layout plans, and you make a great point about reach, plenty room for hills and scnery, even a tunnel or two? Good luck with the new build Dave.
I've got 25 pieces of code 100 nickel silver Micro Engineering flex track and it is 75 feet of track. Now I've got to come up with nickel silver switches (turnouts) and I've got 75 feet of cork roadbed. So you're planning a double dogbone mainline. That's what I started with on my previous layout which I had to tear down when we moved from Georgia to Tennessee. You'll probably want to work in a double crossover from one mainline to the other. Cheers from eastern TN
No, I'm building a lift bridge across the room for the two outer loops, but also re-configuring the dog bone loop. I have two pairs of turnouts for getting from one main to the other.
Well as we say here in London it’s quicker by tube 😅,one thing mate that stands out your never down even when things go reals of cotton ,hats off to you bud All the best Mark 😊😊
As mentioned already, keep in mind with code 83 running anything older, Rivarossi mostly is out, with the deep flanges, its overall beautiful track, but you mentioned you want to run bigger engines on wider curves ect..code 100 would be your fail safe as whatever you buy or test new or old would definitely be ok on code 100...and it seems like you enjoy running and repairing the older equipment... just something to keep in mind is all..the code 83 looks more prototypical then the code 100, just seems you might be painting yourself in a corner and limiting what you can run, just my friendly opinion, do what works best for you personally..😊but then again thats a awful lot of code 83, and track can be expensive...
I would steer clear of the code 83 Atlas track, the spike heads are high compared with other brands - real problems with pizza cutter wheels. Better to use Peco or Micro Engineering.
@@billfusionenterprise While the track may be RP25 friendly not all wheels conform to RP25.. My beautiful Rivarossi cab forwards run fine on code 83 Peco and ME but they bounce on Atlas.
@@hirsutusi5536 I heard ME is great, the trick is how you lay it's flex track, someone got a neat tool for it. I plan on an ON30 layout and they have the good stuff for it
Just remember some of your diesels that you worked so hard on will NOT run on Code 83. The Flange of the wheel will bounce on the plastic ties of 83. 100 is deeper.
As to the “reach” aspect, the average guy, standing on flat feet, has a single-wing span of about 30 inches. I try my best to keep all my layout benchwork within that measurement. I once had a layout with 36 inch deep framework, but reserved the rearmost six inches for scenery only…so I never had to reach farther than 30 inches to reach or re-rail rolling stock.
