Any clever tricks for straightening flex track?

Question

I'm in the process of laying a lot of track using Micro Engineering flex track (Illinois Central's Markham Yard (!)). As you know, this flex track has a fair amount of "memory". That is, when bent to a certain shape, it tends to hold that shape.

Anyone who has used this stuff knows that, even when you first untape a fresh bundle, the individual pieces of track are rarely perfectly straight. To get them straight, I've needed to spend a fair amount of time tweaking, bending, sighting with one eye down the length, tweaking again, etc.

Has anyone come up with a clever way to get these pieces straight with somewhat less effort?

Regards,

Vince

Frank A. Rosenbaum · Accepted Answer

I have rapped them gently along a table to straighten them out. (Shinohara HO flex.) Should work for all.Or you could line them up between two straight edges.V

Jim McLaughlin · Answer

Many moons ago I found a 12 inch long (real world measurement) commercially sold tool that was a flat strip of aluminum, fit exactly the inside space between a set of HO gauge ME rails and was just the right height / thickness that it matched Code 70 rail. Using that was an easy way to get the rails straight in 12 inch long segments. This worked / works well on the layout for doing straightening segments of flex track as you go.

I liked it so much that I persuaded a machinist friend to make me another one, a yard long. I use that to "pre straighten" the flex track before it goes on the benchwork for track laying.

Your mileage may vary.

-- Jim McLaughlin

Please don't just hit the reply key. Remove the obvious from the address to reply.

res0xur8 · Answer

I don't know how well it works; I'm told to mail it to yourself shapedlike a bow and the P.O. will straighten it out when they deliverit......(VBG) I think the best is to use 2 long straight edges and numerous tacks ornails. Happy Hollidays!       Paul in Fl

Matthew Latham · Answer

I use the HO gauge track alignment tool by Ribbonrail on the Micro Engineering flex track.On the Walthers web site:

Jim McLaughlin · Answer

Thats it!   Ribbonrail   makes a  foot long version of a flex trackstraightener.   thats what I had.   I had a machinist friend make me  a 3foot version.

JCunington · Answer

Hey, watch it! You don't know what we go through. Five times the normal mail volume, short-term temps, everybody's grumpy, no place to put the extra stuff.

Just for that, I'm gonna make sure we DON'T straighten yours. So there!

Jay P.O. employee Oak Creek, WI Priority Annex

Beowulf · Answer

SalvéVince Guarna  skrev idiskussionsgruppsmeddelandet:Xns95C965B8AC9B4vinceguarnacomcastne@216.196.97.136...Dear Vince,In most British railway modelling magasines a device known as a setrack issold these come in N and HO gauges and are to various radii as well asstraight sections , you place it between the rails and pin down and you getthe absolutely straight section you wanted without any hassle , the same forvarious curves :)Useful bit of kit I think.Beowulf

Any clever tricks for straightening flex track?

Join the Discussion

Didn't find your answer?