I was looking at some of the old track I have. I noticed on the back side of the 18"R track there is a letter G on the back of some of my track and a letter J on others. I then look at the thickness of the rails and found the ones stamped with a G had a thinner flang and the J had a thicker flang. I want to make sure of one thing ,the G must be for Code 83 track and the J for Code 100 track. I want to remind most of you this track is almost 30 years old and is like new. I looked up on Atlas site and these days Code 83 ties are brown and Code 100 ties are black mine are all black. I have got my layout all planned and I am going to start buying track and will be using both Code 83 and 100. I am going to have a switch yard modeled after The Beltway Railroad of Chicago and my Main lines are going to be Burlington. I plan to use alot of my old track that is in very good condition and replacing all my switches(which have seen better days)so any help on the leeter codes on Atlas track would be a GREAT help Thanks Mike
Is this brass track? Brass track may be a bad idea. Are the ties plastic or paper/fiber type? I presume it is flex track?
Atlas didn't come out with code 83 until the last decade, and the brass track is all code 100. If you can, replace all that brass with nickel silver (which is about all you can find anymore). Brass tends to oxidize real quick, and affect locomotive running. For good prices on Atlas track, check out some of Trainboard's advertisers, or maybe even some of the discount houses like Trainworld or Standard Hobby Supply (they advertise in Model Railroader, and also have sites on the Web).
As for Nickel track you want to talk about oxidizing I had alot of Nickel track along with Brass,as a kid you bought what you could aford and after 27 years the Brass track came out of the box just like the day I put it in there. The Nickel track well it needed alot of cleaning and some pices were pitted and had to be thrown out. I have to think that Atlas added tin to the mix when they made the Nickel track back then. I also remember replacing more Nickel track than Brass on my layout because of wear. I have to think that the track made today is of better quality than it was 30 years ago. I was just woundering what the letter codes were on the back of the track. Thanks Mike
I haven't had any problems with Atlas nickel silver track as far as oxidation. Can't say anything about other brands, though. As far as the letters on the back, I've never really paid attention- I looked for the radius on the curves.
Thanks It's just one of those things your sitting there and flip a pice over and you see something you have over looked for years. I have gone through so much stuff and still have box's of train stuff I havent opened. It's getting overwhelming with all my old stuff and the new stuff I have been getting. Thanks friscobob Mike
I am an avid searcher of ads for low prices. I believe no one has a better price on Atlas code 83 flextrack than NHSHobbies.com I'm not affiliated with them in anyway but I think they deserve our business when they offer such a good price.
