Atlas Code 55 Flex New look

[Jeff AKA St0rm]

Well i had some old flex so i thought i would compare them. Sorry about the photos it is with my phone can't find my cam.

Old track is at the top.

The new tie spacing is closer, the new ties are a little wider, the new rail spikes are larger and there looks to be some flash on some of the ties at the end of the piece but only on the one end. All and all nothing that i can't work with.

I have not found any problems with the turnouts yet we will see after i have a few installed.

[wazzou]

The flash thing is a major turn-off for me.

[rochsub]

Wow, even bigger spike heads?   They were already much bigger than Micro Engineering Code 55 track.  Definitely sticking with ME.

Daryl

[chuck geiger]

Happy so far with ME C-55, haven't run on it yet.

[Jeff AKA St0rm]

After looking over all 200 pieces of flex that i go i found flash on only 25 pieces and with a #11 blade cut it off. It cleaned up well. The only problem now is the rail spikes.   

[Cameron_Talley]

Did you happen to file down the spike heads on the old Code 55, or are the new ones really bigger?  Major disappointment if that's true--I have a lot of old equipment that I'd like to run.

[Jeff AKA St0rm]

They are bigger. I ran old MT wheels over it and they almost don't roll over it at all. with the old flex you would get ticking but they would still roll with the new the spikes are big enough to almost stop the car.

[bbussey]

The original MTL wheel flanges are grossly oversized and shouldn't even be a factor in this equation.  As long as the current low-profile wheels operate on the new track (which they do), it's a non-issue performance-wise.

[Jeff AKA St0rm]

This is true low pros work fine. The point i was trying to make is the spikes are both wider and taller.

[peteski]

Larger spikes?  I guess Atlas did this even being well aware of the grousing that the previous version's spikes were problematic (to many modelers).  I guess the only way they will find out whether that was a good move is to watch the sales figures.

I suspect that made the spikes larger for reliability reasons.  That track will be easier to manufacture dependably with fewer rejects for incompletely molded pieces.  I guess they are catering to the low-flange crowd (the pizza-cutter crowd should be happy with c65 and c80 track). 

EDIT: spelling 

[Cameron_Talley]

I seem to remember problems with the original code 55 where the rail would come loose from the molded ties, so I'd assume that's why they made them larger.  Still, this pretty much means that I'll likely never have a code 55 layout--I have too many older locos that would protest.

[bbussey]

Given that all equipment currently offered adheres to NMRA standards at minimum, there won't be any issues running on the revised c55.  20th-century model railroad equipment never operated on c55 anyway, so how is the beefing up of the spikes relevant regarding operational issues?

[Baronjutter]

ah, this will just make running european or japanese stuff even more difficult.  Going to have to learn how to file down flanges.

[peteski]

ah, this will just make running european or japanese stuff even more difficult.  Going to have to learn how to file down flanges.

...or just go with the other brands of c55 track.

[arbomambo]

Yea...
ALL those other brands of code 55 track...
i'm really glad to see Atlas code 55 track coming available again.
Bruce