# Plastic Track Review



## Tom Parkins (Jan 2, 2008)

At the Falll ECLSTS I purchased 10 ft of ProRail plastic track and ties. It was just over $2 per foot. I am battery powered. I currently do not need a track for any upcoming projects, but I thought if I put in 10 feet now and use it for a year to test it, I might be in need of some by then. The rail is molded plastic and "rust color" It is code 332. The ties come in 1 foot sections and then you have to slide the rails onto the ties. This was not difficult, just a little tedious. There are places in the ties for placing screws to hold the rail to the ties. The screws did not come with the rails or ties. I used a short sheet metal screw. The head has to be big enough to hold the web of the rail, but it also sticks out a little and can become a visual distraction. I dabbed a little black paint onto the screw heads. 

 


Here is the rail. I tried a variety of cutting techniques. I used a hack saw, which is what I typically use on brass rail, and a variety of cutter and nippers. This piece of rail was cut with Craftsman end cutters. Easy, but not a very clean cut. Hack saw was the cleanest. 



I selected an area of straight track and replaced the existing brass track with plastic track. It attached to LGB and Aristo track at each end no differently than brass rail. I used both rail joiners and Aristo track clamps the same as I would with brass track. I have a variety of joiners and clamps on my railroad. At this portion, the Elm Creek RR is a dirt track. I have had few problems with this in the past. I occasionally have to "re-dirt" the roadbed after heavy rains, but that is no different than pouring in stone ballast on other sections. Here the track sits on top of the dirt and then the dirt works in between the ties and compacts and holds the track in place. Moss frequently grows on the track. (The Elm Creek is a back woods Appalachian short line 1960s) 

Here the track is down, but the dirt has not yet worked in between the ties. The plastic track is so light it is difficult to keep it aligned without compact the dirt around the ties. 




This piece of the railroad is on a 2% grade. My initial test were with the trains running down grade. WOW! It was so quiet. I actually did a few test rolling cars on the track. They definitely roll more smoothly on the plastic track. The acceleration of a car coasting down grade increased as it hit the plastic track. So far so good. 

I ran some short trains around with no problem either up or down grade. The track was down nearly a month before I was able to run some big trains. (Hate it when life gets in the way of garden railroading) Here I met my first problem. The motive power on a heavy train would spin violently when it hit the plastic rail. The train would actually stall while the wheels were spinning. This was totally unacceptable. I tried a few things to "clean the track" thinking perhaps residue from the falling leaves were compounding the problem. NO. The bottom line, this track is just too slippery to be used on grades. 


There are a few places on the Elm Creek that are nearly flat. I may again try the plastic track. I do not see me using this on a large scale, because I do not have a flat enough railroad and the property available for expansion is not fully flat. I was pleased with the ease of use, and that the squirrels did not eat it right away. I am keeping it out in the weather, probably on a siding for a year or so. UV is not a big issue in my back yard due to heavy shade. So far the squirrels and other critters have not nibbled on it. I'll let you know how it holds up in the Delaware winter. Yes we get snow and ice. I'm very interested in this idea, and I may play around with some sand paper to rough it up a bit. But for now, it's to the sidings. 


Tom P


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Nice to hear a real report based on some time spent. Others have found the rail incredibly slippery (Jim Carter) on a grade, and one other thing I suspected and see in your pictures is the rail is so flexible, that unless it is supported and locked in with ballast, it can "writhe" and "squirm" like a snake... I see the wiggles in your picture above. 

I think that this stuff is best indoors where it can be fastened down to a piece of plywood and have no grades. 

The other plastic track, where the plastic is rigid and the rails and ties are molded together, is sectional and would not appear to have these problems outdoors. 

Regards, Greg


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## Tom Parkins (Jan 2, 2008)

*Wiggle???? I don't see no wiggle. What you talkin about????*


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Yep your right no wiggles just poor alignment.







Later RJD


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