I'm getting ready to redo my Holiday layout... with real scenery instead of trash-bag snow. I used Kato Unitrack for the layout before, but thought I'd go with Atlas Code 55 when I redo it. I know its not a prototypical thing to do, but I used 216mm (8.5") radius curves on the inner loop in my design. Can I bend the Atlas flex that tight? If not, how tight is it safe to bend it? Thanks in advance for all input.
I think you can do that, but are you sure you want to? 21cm is a VERY TIGHT curve. What rolling stock are you running on it?
I know you can do it with Atlas Code 80 Flex track as I've done it ACCIDENTALLY, letting the obstructions on my layout dictating the curve. As Denny said above, it is VERY tight! I tried a Kato SD70MAC just for grins and it almost got stuck!
On one transitional layout, I got down to 4.5 inches radius with C80 flextrack, so I presume C55 will go that small. But only the smallest diesels and 0-4-0 steamers would run through the C80 curves. With smaller flanges on today's engines, I'm not sure what will happen. I have trouble with 18 inch radius with Kato PAs,
At one point I had a 10" radius curve heading up a 4% grade to a possible logging operation. It was code 55 just like the rest of my layout. The four axle GP's would handle it (although with only a car or two do to the grade). I think I could have made the turn tighter, but ultimately chose to delete the whole thing because it just looked too toy-like. 8 1/2 would be really tight and don't imagine you could find too many locos that would be happy. Pete, I don't know why you'd have trouble with the PA's. I've run mine (LL and Kato's) over my code 55 17" radius curves (both flat and grades) without any problems. I don't doubt that you do have trouble, it's just that mine have been trouble free.
I have a mini layout with about a five inch radius curve using Atlas code 55 track. It's fine for little trolleys and railbusses and not much else, although an Athearn 2-8-0 will go around it with a train of old MDC 34' Overton coaches, but it looks funny. -Cody
Thanks everyone! I've been doing planning the layout using Kato templates, because Unitrack is what I have. I'm thinking about using Atlas track because its a holiday layout that will spend most of the year in the garage. I've re-planned the layout using 11" radius curves on the outer loop and 9.75" curves on the inner loop. It puts me within 0.5 inches of the edge of my board, but I guess I can live with that. If I go with flex I can tweak it a bit too. That should take care of any car-length worries I'd think.
Bob, Kato PA's are among the finest of engines, but their long, rigid wheelbases make them a handy tool for finding any track problems! Why fuss with a gauge when you have a Kato PA? There's nothing wrong with this engine in any way--but it will find your track problems for you. I've got no problem today, since they've located all my bad spots, and I've fixed them. The LL PA's are a little more tolerant, as there is more side-to-side play in the axles. There's a lot of geometry in my layout, and the Kato PAs found every mistake I made. But let me emphasize they are my favorite hauler by far--as smooth and powerful as N-scale engines can be. I spent months hunting additional engines down on e-Bay.
"Why have a guage when you have a Kato PA?" LOL!!! I can't believe my trackwork is all that good, just fortunate I guess that my PA's have been more forgiving. I've seen the photos of your layout and it's a beauty. I've got two Kato PA's (E-L) and four LL PA's (E-L and LV). They run/pull/look great. The engines that are my "track guage" are the Bachmann 2-8-0's. I have 3 and each one has to be perfectly in guage or they won't run smoothly through my code 55 turnouts. They're worth fiddling with though as they look great hauling short trains on my branchlines.
Bob, Glad you had a laugh, but it's true! I love them for their smoothness and power, but they will find the slightest dip in C55 and go off-line with that sickening "bzzt" back at my DCC power pack. They are not bad with curves--just dips.
I bent a couple of corners using Atlas Code 55 flex down to 4 1/2" & 5". No problem bending the track, just a little hard to keep it tacked down. I CA'd it to styrene, but it still feels like it wants to break loose (maybe nailing it would be a better idea.) I ran a trolly chasis around them no problem.
Greg, Back then I could nail the C80 down. Today I've never had much luck nailing C55--it's too easy to bend the ties downward and ruin the gauge. These days I use T-pins to hold the track in place while white glue or construction glue sets. CA is way too rigid, with no shear strength--although I routinely use it for quick repairs. For a "hard" bond between the plastic ties and the styrene, I'd use good old Testor's tube glue, or even plumber's contact cement, which is cheaper. The tie material does not readily accept glues. With construction glues, we're really just creating ridges between the ties that hold the track. The plastic to plastic bond, since they are differing materials, is not very strong. When I rough up the bottom of my flex track, I'm just creating more ridges of a smaller size. In essence, the tie material is really tough, slippery stuff that doesn't dissolve with the ordinary glues we use, so the bonds are more mechanical in nature than truly "welded."
