Rail for handlaid track

You may be better off using Code 148 for 2 rails, realistic handlaid track. I use Code 148 or code 125 depending on the engine I want to display. You may find code 172, but it is usually reserved for 3-Rails operation.

Micro Engineering manufactures both sizes (Micro Mark resells them).

Yves

Code 172 represents very heavy rail.   

code 148 would be more appropriate for typical mainlines and code 125 for sidings.    Some guys even use some code 100 for industrial and light traffic areas.

Brass is not as good as either Nickel silver or steel.   While brass is a very good conductor, the oxide is not conductive.   So once the rail heads oxidize a little, contact gets bad.   Nickel silver is not so good a conductor, but the oxide is conductive.   so if the rail oxidizes a little,  you still get good contact.

I don't know much about steel, A number of the big O scale clubs use it.   I do know that it is less slippery for traction than Nickel silver.   Conductivitity is probably someplace between brass and nickel silver.

Once upon a time I tried to buy code 172 rail. Only rail I could find was in some S-ga RTR track. It's the only rail that will handle all 3-rail flanges, especially older stuff.

Fast Tracks sells the Micro-Engineering Code 148 rail, but at $4.11/rail (36"length) and a minimum of 66 pieces per order (plus shipping) it adds up. Micro-Mark sells the 36" Code 148 flex for $53 for six sections. You're almost better off just getting the flex and pulling out the rail.

"Micro-Mark sells the 36" Code 148 flex for $53 for six sections. You're almost better off just getting the flex and pulling out the rail."

   Yeah, I did most of the sidings and spurs on my O layout using Atlas code 100 rail that I pulled from HO flextrack that I'd bought cheap at sales or train shows .........DaveB

Right-O-Way sells all the rail you're asking about except the 172.  The owner is Lou Cross, a WWII US Army veteran and wonderful person.  He's been around a long time (92+ years) and so has his business (50 + years).

Jay

Turns out Micro Engineering sells directly. http://www.microengineering.com

Which LHS? O scale in Houston seems almost non-existant.

G&G Models has been in business for a long time.   They are located in Rice Village.  A lot of their scratch building stuff is oriented towards architects, but they do have plenty of Lionel and other gauges in stock.  They are a dealer for the micro engineering rail.  They have also special-ordered Tamiya paint for me in the past.

Thanks. I'll drop by on my next trip to Houston.

Interesting comments, I just measured a piece of 3 rail Gargraves track which mates to Atlas and Ross track , the rail top is .231 above the tie . This would be accurate for G scale  or close.

Code 172 was used with Truscale wood road bed from the 60's .It may accommodate 3 rail flanges .

I am aware that code 148 is the most common , when measuring the rails with a caliper there is .024 difference in height . Early Atlas sectional 2 rail track was .166.

I was just curious if many 2 rail guys still use  .172  rail . And yes the steel rail is often used on grades for better traction  . The O scale club that was at the LA fairgrounds , used .172 as did the old Santa Fe RR at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.

As many of you know , the flanges on the early Max Gray and USH  trucks had larger flanges than what is offered today.

Many 3 rail modelers should use those trucks do get away from the oversize flanges when going for a more scale wheel profile and could negotiate 3 rail track brands mentioned above..

Code 172 was used with Truscale wood road bed from the 60's .It may accommodate 3 rail flanges .

As I recall, code 172 was the default for the old Hi-Rail/2 rail modelers.

Many 3 rail modelers should use those trucks do get away from the oversize flanges when going for a more scale wheel profile and could negotiate 3 rail track brands mentioned above..

Right you are. I'm a sort of 2-rail modeler at a 3-rail club (3-rail locos, 2-rail rolling stock wherever possibler-conversion from 3-rail is an ongoing PITA). I use the old wheelsets whenever I can get them. I can back a train(15+ cars) through Ross facing point turnouts with out a derailment. Slowly, of course

"I was just curious if many 2 rail guys still use  .172  rail"

  When I first got interested in O scale back in the 1980's the code 172 rail was considered outdated and was not stocked in the train shops. I recall one shop with a large lot of used code 172 turnouts and track but the owner told me I'd be better off starting with code 148 .......DaveB 

So I have a bunch of left over Atlas code 100 HO scale track that I removed from a helix when I disassembled my layout.  Are you saying I could use this for light industrial sidings in the 50's or 60's ?

I will be modeling in P48 if that makes a difference.

Kelly,

The code 100 rail height would be good for that purpose, but the rail head would be narrow. Most rail meant for O scale, even the lighter stuff, has a wider rail head than that of HO flex.

It doesn't look bad for On30, but IMO not for standard gauge, particularly if you are going for more of a fine scale look for P48.

Also, if it is the older Atlas HO flex with the big plastic nubs holding the rail, it might have an odd, blocky cross section where the rail head meets the web of the rail.

Jim

I guess I shouldn't have passed up the two partial tubes Joe had at the Weaver cash and carry sale. I use it for MOW muck loads. A friend gave me a whole bunch of used atlas 2 rail a few years ago; it's almost gone.

Don

I am building a short line based in the Sierras and I plan to use light rail, Code 100 in O Scale, because the original used 75 - 85 pound rail. Heaviest loco is an SW9 and the lightest, if I can find one in two rail, will be a GE 44 Tonner. The railroad hauls dimensional lumber, wood framing and other forest products out, and general freight to supply the town in. The light rail helps enhance the feeling of shortline railroading.

I believe MicroEngineering has code 100 flex, but I can't guarantee that it isn't just H.O. rail strung into O scale tie strip.

I am using Micro Engineering code 100 flex, and plan to get set up with a #4 fixture from Fast Tracks to build the turnouts. Micro engineering has always done a good job with the details on their ties...etc.

I actually love code 172 rail, even though it's technically a bit tall. Most 3 rail wheels will run on it with very few exceptions. I'm nostalgic for old techniques and still love outside third rail too. I buy up all the code 172 I can find. I have over 400 feet of brass rail, which I'd actually like to get rid of, only about 80 feet of steel rail, and around 200 feet of nickel silver. I'd love to find more of the NS. I also have tie plates for it in both plastic and brass.

Actually steel has pretty bad conductivity compared to brass or nickel silver(which from what I gather from the following charts is sort of like brass a mixture of nickel and silver as opposed to a mixture or copper and nickel et al where the nickel component pulls the conductivity of the copper or silver down disproportionate to its alloy percentage).

Metal 1

Metal 2

Iron has better conductivity than steel but steel looks like the worst of the bunch.

I got curious and looked it up online and was kind of surprised by the numbers but I guess for our purposes the effects and amount are negligible.

Jerry

I looked at your charts to see where your nickel silver alloy came from.  Believe me, if nickel silver rail had any silver in it you would not be buying a lot of it.  It is possible that it has maybe a percent or so, but it is generally 60% copper, and 20% each nickel and zinc.  Aluminum rail has been produced, but it was not popular - hard to solder.

There is no silver in Nickel Silver.  The usual formulation is 60% copper, 20% nickel and 20% zinc.^[6] Nickel silver is named for its silvery appearance, but it contains no elemental silver unless plated.

Don

So basically nickel/silver is a brass or bronze type of alloy so not much different than brass rail as far as conductivity is concerened if the compositions are correct.  I learn more on this forum about things I probably should have remembered from school.

Jerry