# Bending flex tracks with TrainLi rail bender?



## mymodeltrain (May 14, 2013)

I don't know when I will design new railway but just in case in the future; And I prefer to use flex tracks. I wonder whether I can bend a single flex track using TrainLi rail bender?


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## John Allman (Jan 2, 2008)

yes.


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

When using the Trainli bender, do not push down, just glide it along like ironing cloth.
Alos, do not make a bend in one pass, do several passes and over bend slightly as the metal will 'spring' back a little. More passes are needed for stainless than brass!!


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Were you meaning to bend a single rail?

The question about bending a single flex track is strange.

Maybe you meant a single section of flex track, not connected to anything else.

Greg 1,185


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## mymodeltrain (May 14, 2013)

Greg Elmassian said:


> Were you meaning to bend a single rail?
> 
> The question about bending a single flex track is strange.
> 
> ...


Greg,
I meant to bend a single flex track, not connected to anything.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yeah, the issues you will have is bending the ends if they need to be curved.

If the ends need to be curved, you need to get some rail clamps and temporarily add a section to the end of the track that needs bending.

I use split jaws.

Greg


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## mymodeltrain (May 14, 2013)

Greg Elmassian said:


> Yeah, the issues you will have is bending the ends if they need to be curved.
> 
> If the ends need to be curved, you need to get some rail clamps and temporarily add a section to the end of the track that needs bending.
> 
> ...


Today I found a piece of track in the garage and I decided to test on the TrainLi bender. it works very well, simple and no need of much force to bend the track. Can't wait to have a chance to design a new railway in the future. I learned from my past experience that it is costly if we use R1 or R3/R5 rails, particularly, if we used split jaw clamps to connect them.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

And it is so much more fun to curve the rails just exactly the way you want...

Have fun!

Greg 1,151

edited for Nate.


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## Tomahawk & Western RR (Sep 22, 2015)

Greg Elmassian said:


> And it is so much more fun to curve the rails just exactly the way you want...
> 
> Have fun!
> 
> Greg


 
oh no greg! you forgot to put your posts number countdown on this one!


We found the same thing on our o scale layout. flex track is much easier to use and it can be bent anyway you want


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## Chris Scott (Jan 2, 2008)

I've found with practice and care the Trainli will bend the rail all the way to the end of the individual rail, and this is when bending the rails are offset due to the inside versus outside curvature difference. It just takes some patience to learn. 

Might me my simple mind but I've always formed curves in this way because if the rails are connected with rail clamps the clamp interfere with the rails moving in the ties as their arc's are different, the ends don't line up anymore when curved. This is a good thing because I want the rail joints offset on a curve otherwise if the match the curve is not smooth, it has a kinda kink where the joints line up.

Little hard to explain, hope that makes some sense at lease how I bend flex track. I only use Code 250 so it's probably easier bending than 332. I've never tried 332 so I can't relate.


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

You can bend one section of pre-assembled flex track, join it to the piece already installed on the railroad, then just go over the joint with the rail bender to bend the rails at the joint where they may not have been fully bent prior to being set in place. 

I find running my railbender over my track is part of my annual maintenance, as natural forces work to move rails here and there over the seasons. A quick pass to "remind" the rails where they're supposed to be cures a number of ills.

Later,

K


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## mymodeltrain (May 14, 2013)

Chris Scott said:


> I've found with practice and care the Trainli will bend the rail all the way to the end of the individual rail, and this is when bending the rails are offset due to the inside versus outside curvature difference. It just takes some patience to learn.
> 
> Might me my simple mind but I've always formed curves in this way because if the rails are connected with rail clamps the clamp interfere with the rails moving in the ties as their arc's are different, the ends don't line up anymore when curved. This is a good thing because I want the rail joints offset on a curve otherwise if the match the curve is not smooth, it has a kinda kink where the joints line up.
> 
> Little hard to explain, hope that makes some sense at lease how I bend flex track. I only use Code 250 so it's probably easier bending than 332. I've never tried 332 so I can't relate.



Thanks the experience, but it is indeed very difficult to comprehend since I have not done that yet. I guess if I start to work on that, the encountered challenges will give me experience and I will understand the issues better.


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