rail code

I'm going to take a guess in the 185 area.

Code 215, as it Atlas O 3-rail.

Gargraves, Ross and Atlas are all code 215.  MTH Scaletrax is code 190 and Atlas 2-rail is code 148.

Thanks to all that replied and have a HAPPY NEW YEAR. This is what i needed to know before i order a track bender.

Well.....I have to ask.....  What is the "code" referring to...a measurement of the rail?

How tall the rail is, and the width of the top of the rail.

Code is the height of the rail in thousandths of an inch.  Code 215 rail is 0.215" tall.

That's what i thought it was, it is height only. Thanks for the info.

Well I learned something new.....Today was the first time I heard the rail height referred to as code.  Thanks.

Mark

As others noted, it refers only to the height of the rail measured in thousandths of an inch.  Most 3-rail O gauge track is rather grossly oversize (compared to what it would be for 1:48 scale track made to conform to most prototype rail).

Before anyone asks, prototype rail is measured in terms of pounds per yard of length.  During the period that most of us model, common mainline rail sizes were 132 lb. to 155 lb.  The PRR was the only railroad to use the big 155 lb. stuff.

132 lb. rail is 7 1/8" tall, which equates to code 148.  The size of two-rail track makes sense now, doesn't it? 

155 lb. rail is 8" tall, equating to code 167.  Our code 215 track would be 10 5/16 inches tall on the real railroad.

Do I dare ask what code Lionel tubular is, and would equate to?

I remember you from the other post.  Contact them directly, they will know exactly which one you need.  I told them Gargraves and he knew instantly which one I needed.  Want you to get the right one the first time...

Yes i did that, they have them on eBay, ordered one. Gargraves is code 125.

Typo????

Dave, that's what they told me when i ordered the track bender, maybe i should buy a mic and check it. Has anybody else checked it? I thought it was 215.

I just took a quick measurement of a piece of GG track and the height of the rail above the wooden tie is around 0.22 inch. So, code 215 sounds about right.  It's hard to tell, accurately, because of the way the GG rail is formed into the shape that it takes to be inserted into the slot in the wooden tie.  Definitely NOT code 125.

Thanks Arthur, hope they send me the right bender, told them i was bending Gargraves and they said this one would do it.

I am also in search of the information for our club layout.  The possible explanation of the height / typo /wrong measurement is that the bender is not really critical on the height of the rail. The important part is how wide the rail head is. The bender presses against the SIDE of the rails to perform the miracle. I thicker or thinner rail head would mess up the alignments.

Feet, would you please let us know how the bender works out.

Sure will, as soon as i get it and figure out how to use it.

My guess is the bender will include adapters for Code 100, 125, 148 and 215 track, like this one:

http://www.choochoostuff.com/O...AL-TRACK-BENDER.html

That's where mine is coming from.