Has anyone bought this product and have it laid outside?
I’m wondering if that track could be used to replace all of my brass track. I could sell the brass and get 2x the amount of track I’m thinking. Has anyone that’s battery power tried this yet? Will the rail slip into Aristo/USA/LGB Ties?
I haven’t used it, but I’ve heard good reports about it holding up over a winter or two. It seems to have good UV stability, too, though the jury is still out on both claims.
Film at Eleven.
I can’t answer as to whether it will mate with any other track. I don’t know if they have made any switches with it, either.
Thats the big question might do a test area this fall, 50’ or so to see how it does and to see if switches can be handlaid using the plastic track. I only need about 30 switches for my Plattsburgh Yard, lol
Aren’t the Train Li plastic track molded as one piece, rails and ties?
I stand corrected, the rails and ties are separate.
I remember someone reporting that it buckled in the Sun.
Ralph
It is very slippery, do not use on grades.
Too flexible to make switches, the unsupported moveable pieces will deflect under the weight of the loco.
People have tried.
Regards, Greg
The Train-Li plastic rail and American concrete style ties are code 332 and will mate with all other code 332 solid rail products.
Greg Elmassian said:
It is very slippery, do not use on grades.
Too flexible to make switches, the unsupported moveable pieces will deflect under the weight of the loco.
People have tried.
Regards, Greg
hmmm wondering then about a hybrid, only having the moveable parts brass
I guess adding scale sand tubes to the locos would be a bit tough, lol I only have 2 real grades getting in/out of the barn, of course both are the straightest sections and would do will with the plastic track. damn it
I guess i need someone to make plastic rail half this size then apply a steel covering like the old Bachman track, that rust has gripping power!!
Oh the reason I started on this journey,
I’m currently trying to model the D&H Ausable branch from Plattsburgh to Ausable Forks NY. My bright idear is to build post 1971(my birthyear btw) as 1/29 mainline. the Post 1971 track I am thinking of doing 3’ guage (using 0 guage track) dual track on the mainline to Bluff Point then take the 3’ stuff to Lyon Mountain for a mine area and the part of the Plattsburgh yard that didn’t exist pre’71 all in 3’ish guage.
I’d prefer all the track to be somewhat the same so I was thinking about the Train Li plastic rail for everything, then handlay the 3’guage stuff over the winter. This conversion would put about 100’ of Dual guage on the mainline and a couple hundred 3’guage in the mine and at the yard.
I was then thinking at the mine to use old 0 guage steel 3rail as a “dual guage” into the mine.
Mark,
A fellow modeler by the name of Marty Cozad. Laid a test section of about 100 ft, to see how it held up. He lives in Eastern Nebraska and so he gets the gambit of weather conditions. In a very short time the rails started to warp under the hot sun. It got so bad he wasn’t able to even go a year before he tore it out to replaced with metal rail.
I think the problem is the plastic is too influenced by the heat of the sun and it starts to deform. I’m pretty sure some have used is successful in indoor environments and in storage sheds, where the sun cant influence so much.
Hope that helps…
There was a lengthy discussion on what happened. Some felt it was the expansion of the plastic that caused the warping. Others felt it was the material itself deforming.
Mark Dash said:
Has anyone bought this product and have it laid outside?
I’m wondering if that track could be used to replace all of my brass track. I could sell the brass and get 2x the amount of track I’m thinking. Has anyone that’s battery power tried this yet? Will the rail slip into Aristo/USA/LGB Ties?
3 years ago I bought some of this rail in 5’ lengths, and took it home to Australia in my suitcase. Just bent it in a parabola to fit it in! Once home it straightened out easily by laying it in the sun then reverse-bending it. I use all battery power. This is going to be fantastic, I thought.
I used the plastic rail and nailed it to wooden sleepers. I nailed through the rail foot into the sleeper, so there was no possible movement at each sleeper.
The first section I laid as a test is about 6’ long anda straight siding. It worked pefectly for a year, so I thought I’d try some more.
This time I laid about 10’, screwed down every couple of feet with a curved section of siding. After the first hot day it buckled terribly. The difference between the two ??? - one is always in shade under a tree, the 2nd is in full sun for most of the day.
I then put another length down in full sun and concreted the sleepers in, in a location where I have to walk on the track. Still perfect after 2 years.
So if you plan to use in the sun, you need to really think about expansion. Hold it at one end only let the other end slide. It should be better using slip-on sleepers.
These tracks were all on the level - no grades.
Once the rail has buckled over short lengths (inches) in the sun it cannot be straightened.
I took one 3’ length of straight rail and laid it in the sun - no fixings, just lying there. And it has buckled! Can’t explain that.
I’ve used another 8’ straight length as a siding, mostly in shade and it is fine. This time I didn’t nail through the rail foot, but bent the nails over the foot, as I do for brass rail. It still doesn’t allow much movement as the nail-bending action causes the nail to ‘bite’ into the rail foot a bit, thus restricting it’s movement.
So I’m using up all the plastic rail as guard rails on bridges, check rails on turnouts, fence posts and telegraph poles. To use as guard rails I grind a liitle off the foot of the rail to lower its height. Some will get used when I extend inside.
Unfortunately, I’m not at home, so I can’t provide as pictures.
This is not meant to denigrate Train-Li. Just to share my experience. Axel quite plainly states it’s not for outdoors. And in the right place it is great stuff.
On the other hand it would be great for a train of welded rail!
Several years ago at ECLTS Louis mentioned his concern about the rising cost of track and that they were going to experiment with carbon fiber and plastic or fiberglass. The next year the idea had been abandoned.
Great information, thanks for the reply, eh it was a thought.
Dont really know why people cant read!!! Web page…Display track…
The fibers came out of the surface of the rail… expensive to put a smooth, hard, consistent finish on carbon or glass fiber…
(notice I said consistent… since you don’t want the gauge to vary)… once you get that finish, it would be slippery… problem again.
Greg
p.s. the new MTH catalog is out
p.p.s. don’t take the bait Nick!
Nick S. said:
Dont really know why people cant read!!! Web page…Display track…
Well it doesn’t say anywhere on their site to use it only indoors, nor does it say that it can’t be left out in sun.
In fact if YOU actually read the site it says
"ProRail Display has many uses:
ROFLMAO OMG 2 FUNNY
Quote Report
Mark, Thats a good price in today market.You run plastic now that your a battery guy rite?
You should check out Train Li they have some great plastic track
Nick
MTH what ??? DCS Please…USA Yummy
President Hudson Valley Large Scale RR Club
Kingston N.Y.
www.(http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/nicholas_savatgy/_forumfiles/HVLSRRCLOGO.png)
Nick S. said:
Dont really know why people cant read!!! Web page…Display track…
Uncalled for, Nick.
