# Can someone explain flex track to me?



## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

This is a dumb question, I know. Hard to believe it's not clear, I know, but bear with me please.


What is meant by flex track? I have a piece of software called "rail modeller" that lets me insert  sections of LBG flex trax and bend them, within lmits--does it come in sections like that?  I ask because  I bought a few 5 foot sections of Aristo 335 track, and noticed it was very flexible--it seemed like it would be quite easy to take four or five sections of that track and make a nice gentle curve. Does that count as flex track? If I got a rail bender, could I get a five foot section to make a sharper curve? I have a beginner's book which says "if you need a rail bender, it's tme to switch to sectional track."


Then I see brass rail sold in single 8 foot lengths, and ties sold seperately as well--is this what's meant as flex track? I'd buy a bunch of 8 foot sections and bend them either gently by hand or usng a ral bender, then slip them into the ties? That seems extremely hard to do--how do you ever get two seperate rails to the same curve. It seems dauntingly hard.


Is there a good primer anywhere on using flex track? My wife and I are planning to add on to our holiday layout and make it year round, and I want to do it right.


 


Thanks!


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## peter bunce (Dec 29, 2007)

Hi Lownote,


 


Flextrack is like normal track BUT with some of the webs that can be seen under the rails cut out, these cut-outs are on altenate sides, so you have half the webs that fixed track has.


 


That will allow the track to be bent by hand, you do not need a rail bender. This is for code 250 track, yes it needs some force to bend it, and then a couple or so of fixing screws to hold it still; for joining sections of it some of the Hillman or such style clamps will keep it in place and at the radius you desire. Naturally curving the track means that the inside rail of the curve is a different length to the outer, and will need to be either cut or accomadated on the adjoing lengths.


 


Note I said 250 section track, LGB is 332 (I Think) that means it is much stiffer as it is a heavier section with more metal being used  in it. That requires the rail bender to bend it, or you use the pre-bent sections (R1/2/3 etc) .


 


I use Peco (I live in England) that is 250 section, as is Llagas creek, Peco is nickel silver,  Llagas creek is either nickel silver or aluminium. I join with rail joiners on straights, and bond them with a soldered wire jumper wire; the clamps do not need the jumper wire.


 


Hope the above helps!


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

Thank you that is very helpful. Am I right to assume I can find code 332 rail setup to flex?  I'm not talking about a lot of flex, just some. 


 


I never see code 332 track sold as "flex," although I read about it.


 


I have to look at the track I bought and see if the plastic connectors are cut


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## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

For Code 332 whihc is the most common rail size that Aristo, USA trains, & LGB sells/sold the long sections of straight track sold unassembled was or is sold as "flex" track. The idea being you used a railbender to bend them relatively consistently to your desired curvature. These lengths were/are available in 5 foot to 8 foot lengths. There are several brands of railbenders around but the hottest ones are dual rail benders. Train-li sells one that bends both rails simultaneously and while Brass rails seem to work best the SS rails will go thru too with a little more effort.


 


I've got track and I've got a Train-li bender. I've just not got a layout   ---   YET!


 


Chas


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## pimanjc (Jan 2, 2008)

Although the term "flex track"  was coined with 8ft strips of track, to which sets of "flex ties" could be added, and then bent to whatever curves desired, any length of track can be use as flex track for bending if some of the tie connectors are cut out and the rail anchor screws are removed.   Using my Train-Li dual railbender, I actually prefer two or three foot sections for bending to the longer rails. 


Hear are some links to archived threads on using the Train-Li.  


archive.mylargescale.com/forum/topic.asp


archive.mylargescale.com/forum/topic.asp


archive.mylargescale.com/forum/topic.asp


 


I have used the railbender on brass and aluminum 332.


JimC.


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## rpc7271 (Jan 2, 2008)

LGB sells their "flex track" as 5 ft rail sections and separate tie sections 6" long. You buy a box of tie sections and a tube of rail. It takes 2 boxes of ties to use 1 tube of rail. You use a rail bender to shape each rail then slide the tie section onto the rail. If you don't need mucc flex track you can usually firn a hobby shop/dealer that will sel lyou what rail and tie sections you need. I usually use LBG section track where I can as the flex track is usually twice as expensive as the sectional track.


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## altterrain (Jan 2, 2008)

Flex track has been around for a long time in the smaller scales. Just bend it as you go. When I was in HO my layout was all flex track and pre built switches. Aristo is developing code 25O flex track in brass and stainless. 

-Brian


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By pimanjc on 01/03/2008 12:12 PM


*Although the term "flex track"  was coined with 8ft strips of track, to which sets of "flex ties" could be added, and then bent to whatever curves desired, any length of track can be use as flex track for bending if some of the tie connectors are cut out and the rail anchor screws are removed.   Using my Train-Li dual railbender, I actually prefer two or three foot sections for bending to the longer rails. *


*Hear are some links to archived threads on using the Train-Li. *


URL1.   *archive.mylargescale.com/forum/topic.asp*


URL2.  *archive.mylargescale.com/forum/topic.asp*


URL3.  *archive.mylargescale.com/forum/topic.asp*


*I have used the railbender on brass and aluminum 332.*


*JimC.*



 


 


This is sort of what I thought--the train li bender's not cheap, but it looks like it'd work like a charm


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

Also as I look at those threads on the train li I see you can bend radius1 cruves. I have a ton of lgb 1100 curves, the result of some gifts given to my son over the years by his late grandfather. maybe 5 full circles worth. I could use the bender to re shape those and it would pay for itself in saving the cost of new track


Interesting--thanks!


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

When I first started out in Large Scale, coming from HO, I tried modifing code 250 track by cutting out some and then all of the connecting pieces between the ties. The effect was hideous to say the least. But to be frank, I was used to HO flex track, and didn't really treat the code 250 large scale track with the respect it deserved. []


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## Dougald (Jan 2, 2008)

I use Llagas Creek code 215 aluminum flex track and it can be laid just as HO track is laid. It is very flexible and readily accepts any curve - I spike through the tie ends to prevent twisting. The rail is readily cut with my flush cutting pliers. It is beautiful to look at, beautiful to work with and the lowest price - what more can be asked for (well maybe you would want something heavy and strong enough for an elephant to walk on!). 

Regards ... Doug


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## rkapuaala (Jan 3, 2008)

Doug, 
Do they sell aluminum in code 250? If so, where can it be purchased, and how does it stand up to salt air? Around where I live exposed aluminum tends to get a little oxidized displaying a whitish scalyness instead of the preferred rusty color.


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

I believe Llagas Creek (C&OC Ry) has Aluminum in code 250. They also sell 250 and 215 in Nickel Silver. I use 215 NS track from Llagas Creek and I like it.


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## Chucks_Trains (Jan 2, 2008)

I use a railbender on code 250 anytime I'm laying track because it makes it much easier and railbenders can be bought for under 100.00. 

The other day I was educated on the correct terms from a track dealer..a railbender only bends a single rail. 
Train-Li sells a trackbender..it bends both rails at the same time. I'd like to have a Train-Li trackbender but just couldn't justify the price.


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## JEFF RUNGE (Jan 2, 2008)

rpc7271 has it WRONG/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/hehe.gif   LGB flex ties are 12" long and come 50 to a box. so you need ONE box for ONE tube of rail. /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/plain.gif


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## pimanjc (Jan 2, 2008)

Micro engineering has code 250 aluminum track and ties.


JimC.


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

Flex brass code 332 comes in 5 foot and 10 foot lengths by LGB. Arisotcraft has 5 foot and 8 foot lengths. Ties are sold separately and for LGB these are 1 foot sections, 50 to a box. 
LGB 5 foot rail is 20 per tube, hence 100 feet of rail giving 50 feet of track (2 rails per foot needed). 

Aristo has American and european ties. 

I am not sure what USA offers. 

Aristo premade track has screws securing the rail to the ties, so using the Li bender means you need to remove some of these screws and possibly cutting between ties. USA may be the same. 
Flex track ties come with every other tie having the rib cut.


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Yes the  Train Li bender is not cheap but worth every penny of it once you have used it.   You can buy almost any  used curve track and adjust it to your needs.  


One thing about  FLEX TIES.   I keep several bundles on hand.    I bought a bunch of used  track were the ties were  toast.   Plus in the  deal was a buch of  RAIL ONLY  the ties were gone.  I use FLEX TIES to rebuild  the bad sections.   


Never throw any part of FLEX TIES away.  Even if it is just one tie.    You can use it for a fill in  at rail joints.   I have cut rail to fit a certian place and the  the tie spacing at the join look to large so I added a  single tie from a FLEX TIE sectionl to fill in.


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## imrnjr (Jan 2, 2008)

I utilize Aristo SS and have a Train-Li it works wonders!!  I've "adjusted" pre-formed track circles to deal with non-standard and increasing radius track meets, and straightened several pieces that were placed then the design was modified.  Make sure you acquire the track lock which keeps one end of the rails in place while bending.  The fewer joints you have the fewer conductivity issues you'll have to deal with with track or DCC power which makes me /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/crazy.gif, plus I think the more continuous rail is better looking.


 


Mark


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## pimanjc (Jan 2, 2008)

To add to what JJ said about Ties, above,  the singles can also be left alongside the mainline.  This simulates the ties left by MOW crews.  Also when using a track bender, you will often find that you need just one tie for an overlaping rail joint.


JimC.


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## rchawk49 (Jan 3, 2008)

AND.............   SwitchCrafters also sells aluminum track and flex ties at pretty good prices!   (shameless plug for you Bruce)


How do we get the 1st Class Member discount?/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/whistling.gif


/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/whistling.gifHawk-still moving dirt!


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## gigawat (Apr 4, 2012)

I have been under the impression that LGB track is the most robust track period... What do you guys think? 

If you do a deck layout would you choose a particular type over another? 
If you do a garden layout would you choose a particular type over another? 

Okay... I know this is a loaded question so let me fix some of the variables... 

Location, Southwest Florida... Warm year round. We get some heavy rain... and that is about it... (Okay... mother nature has been known to send some really bad hurricanes our way....) 
I don't care about prototypical railroad ties or rail height..... I want quality, something that will last "forever" I love my LGB track, but that is only because I have never seen / touched anything else. 

Looks like the rail bender is a must!


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

A rail bender is a fantastic tool--I use mine all the time. As to track, the are some annoying things about LGB track. The ties are too big. But if you don't care about appearance, that's no problem. But the joiners--they're very unreliable. They're great for a while, but then the lose tension and you get losses in track power. The ties are fixed to the track by the joiner, and it's sort of a pain to remove the joiner. I end up bending them open and kind of wrenching them off, then throwing them away. You can buy track clamps which fit over the joiners, and work well that way, which are a great idea, but Iv'e found over time that I've removed all the LGB slip-joiners. 

Aristo uses a system with very small machine screws, and it works very well--much better long term than the LGB slip joints. But the little screws are not easy to deal with. You should look at AML track. The quality is good and it's cheaper than aristo. 

If I were starting from scratch today I would probably go with code 250 track in nickel silver


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

gigawat, 
my experience is with Aristo SS because I liked the color of the rail. My temperature extremes meet or exceede yours plus the rain and wind. Add 300 pound cloven hooved pecarraries to the mix I've got no complaints. No kinks either! Should last for ever. 
Cleaning is simple, no oxidation. 
Before I got sick I was hand shaping siding tracks for a funky look, rails in/on the dirt. 

It's an empty question to me. 

Happy Rails 

John


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## Ron Hill (Sep 25, 2008)

Lownote, all of the rails on my double track layout is 8' flextrack. I have 8" between track centerlines and all the track is floating. Even with thermal expansion the track keeps about 7" between track centerlines. 
Ron


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## Dick Friedman (Aug 19, 2008)

Code 332 track is the most robust of all the sizes. I can see no difference in the mfgrs. Maybe they all come from the same factory in China. Code 250 is smaller in height, has less metal mass, regardless of which material it is made of. 

Train Li bender is great, but expensive. It's worth joining a club to get use of one. 

The difference between large scale flex and smaller stuff is that LS flex track is bendable but springs back. My old N-scale flex track would maintain its curve.


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

All track comes from China ???????? Where did this come from???? 

LGB track used to be from Germany and now is from Hungary, and Train-Li pro-line track is from Germany. These are located far from China. 

Interesting as to how the china made brass track has a bright brass finish that stays for years and the track from Europe outdoors gets a dull finish in less than a year.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I'm certain there are differences in the brass alloy composition, and USAT track ages more quickly than Aristo (which does indeed seem to stay the shiniest). But both of these are manufactured in China. 

Not really sure if this has anything to do with quality, but there's definitely quality differences in track. One well known brand has had many reports of cracking in cold climates and poorly located holes etc. 

There is a difference. 

Greg


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Posted By lownote on 03 Jan 2008 07:14 AM 


This is a dumb question, I know. Hard to believe it's not clear, I know, but bear with me please.


What is meant by flex track? I have a piece of software called "rail modeller" that lets me insert  sections of LBG flex trax and bend them, within lmits--does it come in sections like that?  I ask because  I bought a few 5 foot sections of Aristo 335 track, and noticed it was very flexible--it seemed like it would be quite easy to take four or five sections of that track and make a nice gentle curve. Does that count as flex track? If I got a rail bender, could I get a five foot section to make a sharper curve? I have a beginner's book which says "if you need a rail bender, it's tme to switch to sectional track."


Then I see brass rail sold in single 8 foot lengths, and ties sold seperately as well--is this what's meant as flex track? I'd buy a bunch of 8 foot sections and bend them either gently by hand or usng a ral bender, then slip them into the ties? That seems extremely hard to do--how do you ever get two seperate rails to the same curve. It seems dauntingly hard.


Is there a good primer anywhere on using flex track? My wife and I are planning to add on to our holiday layout and make it year round, and I want to do it right.


 


Thanks!


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Dang a hours worth of answer stolen when I used the Quotation option. 

Shad It's time to renew my 1st class member ship, be nice to have 1s class software too!


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

That quote option makes a mess out of posts unless you are sure you are "outside" of the html tags... the only way I can be sure is to switch the "1st class editor" to html to move my input outside the "danger zone".. 

Greg


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

It's time to renew my 1st class member ship, be nice to have 1s class software too! 
I second that emotion.


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

What is so difficult about the keyboard shortcut {Ctrl+End}? Which by the way has been around since the introduction of WordStar (c. 1978 & CP/M).


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

for some reason Steve, it does not seem to always work for me, nor does control home, which is where I prefer to put my replies... 

On top of that, the html 
stuff seems to make the reply a morphing glob of text sometimes... Trust me, with 11,000 posts, I'm not making this up! 

Greg 

p.s. the first editor I used on my pc was WordStar on dos... used the Wang word processor system which of course predated that... I use keyboard shortcuts all the time... people are amazed that there are keystrokes for cut and paste... I even used IBM's FORMAT system on punched cards... BTDT


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## kormsen (Oct 27, 2009)

Posted By lownote on 03 Jan 2008 01:59 PM 


Also as I look at those threads on the train li I see you can bend radius1 cruves. I have a ton of lgb 1100 curves, the result of some gifts given to my son over the years by his late grandfather. maybe 5 full circles worth. I could use the bender to re shape those and it would pay for itself in saving the cost of new track


Interesting--thanks!








it is not too difficult converting R1 curves to bigger radii.
have a look in the following link. most of the straights and all of the curves were R1s before. http://kormsen.info/tracks/

there are just a few things to think about.
for larger curves cut the tie-webbing on the inner sides of the curves (between all ties)(if you want to make straights, cut out the webbing of the outer side)
because of different lenghts, you will either have to cut one rail of every section, or you stagger the connectors of the two rails, then cut just one per curve.

the benders do not help much to bend 1 foot sections, because they can not bend the two ends. your hands and a small hammer used on the railfoot work perfect.


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg

All I can say is I haven't yet not had the respective keyboard shortcuts work for me in any one of the browsers that I have installed, although I primarily use MS/IE. Additionally, it is very easy to visually confirm if it didn't because the insertion point cursor wouldn't be to the far left of the message content area. It would be offset to the right (i.e. indented) because of still being within the "blockquote" HTML tag.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Steve, it used to work fine, I didn't know until it was lost that I needed to jump through hoops first! 
As for protocols that's greek to me, I became pc literate durning the For Dummies era, heck I can't even get Save As back to jpegs from ping! 

I still think there oughter be an easier way! 
John


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Not to belabor the point, but I have done this many times: 

hit the quote 
used the cursor keys to go to the upper left... hold the left arrow until the cursor stops... and still when I started typing I was "inside" the quote block. 

I use Firefox pretty exclusively, but such a simple function should not be difficult... also what is worse is the "morphing glob" of the quoted text that often happens to me. 

I believe you have no problem. I do encounter problems, and I work around them, but I've been using computers since 1969 and earning a living doing it, so if I have problems, then I would assume that others do also, especially people of less professional experience with computers. (it's too friggin' touchy)

Greg


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Greg Elmassian on 07 Apr 2012 02:58 PM 
Not to belabor the point, but I have done this many times: 
Greg

Nowhere within my reply did I suggest that you weren't encountering a problem, now did I.

The HTML editor will not allow you to break out of a tag at the beginning of the content area, it never has, and you can go to the CuteSoft web site and try that same thing on their latest & greatest demo software and you'll run into the same condition. Why their software is written that way I have no idea, except that while it emulates the MS/Word user interface, it also follows the rules to create XHTML compliant code???? I guess it could also be a configuration thing that can be altered but I haven't happened across any documentation that implies that that is the case.

Which may be why when the editor opens and displays the content of a quoted reply, it's located at the top of the message content area, expecting the reply text to be placed below the quote and not above it.


So yes you are correct, in so far as if you wish to place your reply above the content of a quoted reply then you'll have to manually switch to the "HTML View" insert the respective HTML tag you wish to use prior to the opening "blockquote" tag, to acomplish the task.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks for going to the effort to understand me precisely Steve... it's a little goofy that you can't get "ahead" of the html formatting, and for people who don't jump into the html view, just gives unpredictable results when trying to go there. 

I have never tried to put the quote at the beginning and my response at the end, I guess my habit is to put the new information first, and anyone who needs the supporting information can read further. 

Old habit! 

Greg


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Now what does all THIS GARBAGE have to do with the main topic. I think flex track was the key. Later RJD


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

No Problem Greg.

It may be a generational thing, until the advent of computers especially the PC with its ability to rearrange things at will. In English speaking countries the habit has always been left-to-right, top-to-bottom, and beginning-to-end (i.e. a repeat of the left-to-right) when reading or writing.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Relax RJ, it was an old topic revived 4 years later, and the revival was not about flex track either. After a topic has run it's course, it's pretty much open season here at mls. 

I guess I put my response at the beginning of the quote because sometimes the quote is so long that it takes a lot of scrolling to see the response. 

Greg


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