Atlas Code 55 Flex New look

[sp org div]

I notice that the new version seems to have a shadow beneath one of the rails. 

Mark H.

Ya that is what the images makes it look like...  it almost looks like the rail is floating above the ties on that piece of track in the foreground...   

Yay, we have track again... but I wish to see forward progress, not backward progress in the trackage department, as casually made products that show up in photo image foregrounds are a real eye catcher to me.     

My main staging yard is about 150' of Atlas 55 flex, and that loose rail syndrome is frowned upon over here.  My preference has been the ME flex (and been using it since the Railcraft days), but their latest runs of flex have the rails off center on each third as you look down a piece.      They also dropped the random double spikes on the C40, but at least added tie plates, both understandable since their C40 and C55 appear to use the same tooling now.

Here's to great progress in 2015!
Happy RRing to all this Holiday Season

Jeff
http://espeeoregondivision.blogspot.com/

[Hamaker]

Let's face it.....if you gave some of these guys a million dollars, they'd complain about the denomination of the bills.   

[Kisatchie]

Let's face it.....if you gave some of these guys a million dollars, they'd complain about the denomination of the bills.   

Yeah, who wants all $100 bills?


Hmm... I'll take payment
in either bananas or
termites...

[wm-webb]

Let's face it.....if you gave some of these guys a million dollars, they'd complain about the denomination of the bills.   

Is that delivered or do I have come pick it up myself? New or old bills, no torn ones , they do not work in the vending machines at work. Never mind, I see already that this is going to be too much trouble.

[bbussey]

Let's face it.....if you gave some of these guys a million dollars, they'd complain about the denomination of the bills.   

Agreed.

[mark.hinds]

How loose is the loose rail on the new version?  I notice that the new version seems to have a shadow beneath one of the rails. 

Mark H.

In case anyone cares, I bought a piece of the new Atlas code 55 today and compared it with the old (single samples).  The moving rail is perhaps a little looser with the new version, but only slightly.  My NMRA gauge says both old and new are almost (but not quite) over-gauge, so that's no worse.  On both you can force the gauge down due to the loose rail.  The ME and MT gauges think both are OK.  My MT standard wheelsets seem to allow reliable centering and uncoupling on both, so my guess is that the gauge might not matter; I would put the loose rail on the inside of my curves to tighten it a bit. 

The new spike detail is definitely bigger, but in looking at it under magnification I think that it is probably more durable that way, especially for layouts with temperature and humidity changes.  It still is very good looking track. 

Mark H. 

[nkalanaga]

I'll take the million dollars in any bills you wish to send, except counterfeit.  That includes Canadian, Australian, and/or New Zealand.  Even with the exchange rates a million would make a nice retirement account.

[sp org div]

Let's face it.....if you gave some of these guys a million dollars, they'd complain about the denomination of the bills.   

I can't see any difference, what's all the fuss about?

[Scottl]

Well, in the spirit of exacting and demanding expectations that are TRW, that photo makes it clear to me that there are some substantial differences.  They look like track from two different manufacturers.

1.  The ties are taller which makes mix and match with sections of old track and turnouts an issue.
2.  The nubs that hold the rail are visually larger and cruder to my eye.  This was one of the strong points of the previous generation Atlas track.
3.  The tie spacing does seem slightly different.

I'm surprised that if they changed the tooling that such a simple design could not be done to the same tolerances as the prior tooling.

[C855B]

Uh... Scott... you bit on some tomfoolery. The upper track with the 70-tonner on it is Code 80.

[nkalanaga]

Scottl:  You forgot one difference, which was the first thing I noticed. 
4.   The top ties are narrow on top and wide at the bottom, while the lower ties are narrower on  the bottom.

I know, I looked right past the rail and spike sizes, which probably says something about my thought processes.  For what it's worth, I like the narrow-top ties better, although those are too thick, because they lock into the ballast better.

[wcfn100]

Uh... Scott... you bit on some tomfoolery. The upper track with the 70-tonner on it is Code 80.

And the lower is ME track.

Jason

[peteski]

I enjoyed that comical diversion! 

[nkalanaga]

Jason:  That's what I thought, but never having bought Atlas flex, I wasn't going to assume anything.  So, that's number 5.  As Scottl said, "They look like track from two different manufacturers.".

[basementcalling]