Is Code 40 worth "the trouble" (if there really is any)?

[Walkercolt]

John, your trackage is undoubtably better than average. People have differnent capabilities when it comes to laying track, and especially handlaying track. I know I'm pretty ham-fisted when it comes to trackwork. I'm pretty good at spotting defects after it's lain, but I can't do flawless trackwork. Smaller size rail and smaller flanges are easier to de-rail, I don't think anyone can deny that. I just said there would be more effort involved to get it right, not saying it can't be done by someone willing to do it.

[Hyperion]

I do appreciate all the feedback everyone.

I decided I had to pull the trigger on a decision today and so I went ahead and pulled the trigger on Atlas Code 55 and put a sizeable order in.

I think it came down to me not wanting to discourage myself with either the "work" of hand-laying or any operational trouble with the Code 40 later on.  I figure if it really comes down to it, and I was really desperate, I can pull the track up and hand-lay later on.  That's a lot easier than never getting the layout even finished because I can't get myself in the mood to make another 10 #7 turnouts.

I still want to give hand-laying a try though.  I'll have to come up with an excuse to do it when it's not quite so integral to me getting any sort of layout at all up and going.

[Mark5]

FWIW, when I was a teen (mid 1970s) I built my layout completely with C40. I had to scratchbuild my turnouts as there were no kits back then (just rail and ties).

I quickly learned that turnouts need to have certain "standards" (ie frog guardrails, etc) to work. So, I used the Kadee (now MT) wheelsets as the "standard" and designed the guardrails to keep the flanges from "picking" the frog. I gauged my locos to the same standard.

Since I used the Pliobond method on the track (For the turnouts, I had to make my own PC board ties, as I thought soldering those rails would be better) there were no flange issues (other than the fact that the "pizza special" flanges look incredibly ridiculous on C40 rail!).

The layout operated flawlessly until I had to dismantle it (when I went to college).

Today I would build it to NMRA specs and use wheelsets that conform to the same.

But in reality today I have 4 kids and a fixer upper house, so I don't really have time to hand lay track. Fortunately I was able to achieve a happy compromise as I am using Atlas C55, which also meets NMRA standards. ;D

[Caleb Austin]

I would do this:

Atlas code 55 turnouts
ME code 55 flex on mainlines
ME code 40 on sidings (and for variety, cut out 20% of the ties).

Thats what I'm doing on my new layout.

[sd80mac]

The only thing about ME code 40 is that they are using code 40 rail in the c55 mold...

[Denver Road Doug]

I would do this:

Atlas code 55 turnouts
ME code 55 flex on mainlines
ME code 40 on sidings (and for variety, cut out 20% of the ties).

I think this might be the best possible not-handlaying option today.  I am using all Atlas except for some ME concrete tie flex on my layout.

I have a question though.  I've never handled the ME wooden tie flex, but is does it have the same stiffness that their concrete tie stuff has?  So, the quality similar to the Peco flex, where it basically holds its shape?  To me, that makes laying track so much easier.  Easier to wire feeders, easier to weather (i.e. you can take it outside to airbrush/spraybomb it with curves in-tact)...just overall easier. 

If so, I may switch midstream to ME flex if I can find it. (I think my LHS has it)  I always liked that quality in Peco track, and I anxiously await Peco's NA proto track.  But if I can get the hang of installing, tuning, and motoring Atlas turnouts and use the ME flex I may not even bother with the Peco when/if it gets here.

[wcfn100]

I've run on code 40 rail at Balboa Park in San Diego and your very limited on what you can run on it.

I think you just got run over by the rules they have more than the rail actually being a problem.


Jason

[rschaffter]

I've run on code 40 rail at Balboa Park in San Diego and your very limited on what you can run on it. To me it's to low profile. It looks great but limits what you can run on it. Swapping out a lot of wheel sets along the way.
                                        Railhead

Back in the '80s I handlaid some code 40 track and a switch for my test track, and you could run anything on it. With handlaid you have the entire 0.040" clearance-even ancient Rapido stuff worked.  I was going to handlay my whole layout, but graduate school intervened.