Staph,
They are very old but satisfying, including 2-railed and somewhat detailed Märklin BR 01 (1956), BR 23 (1955), BR E94 and BR 104. I'd sold the other older items by the time I started with Code 75 in 1998, except for a few Märklin coaches and wagons, where I simply changed their original Hamo wheels for current Märklin 2-rail, Trix or (selected) Alan Gibson ones.
Even then I had to file down the rail fastenings on parts of Code 75 turnouts, on the 36" radius only, not the 60"/30" or 60" radii. This is (was?) a tooling problem at Peco, I think.
The last new loco to foul the check rails and need re-gauging was the first of the Fleischmann BR 86s. I sold all the Fleischmann locos with plated wheels and I'm sure some would need Code 100 rail, hence my advice to Neil.
I have admired a friend's operation with "NEM"-Kadees, having only used them myself on American stock years ago, but decided not to try fitting them to a large and varied loco stock now I concentrate on DB.
Regards,
David
No model currently sold by Fleischmann (or any manufacturer) requires the use of code 100 track and there is no excuse for using such a coarse track. The fact that a BR86 fouled the check rails has nothing to do with the rail height and would have failed both code 100 and code 75 track.
Thank you, Tim, for the reassurance about models sold new today. You are right, I'm sure, about that and the back-to-back/ check gauge relationship. I have no recent experience of back-to-back difficulties but I was responding to Steph's guess at which of my older models had fouled Code 75 clearances. Fortunately that BR 86 was the last and it was some years ago now.
My point about Code 100 was that it does allow the purchase of secondhand older models which cannot run on Code 75. They may be few but they do exist; even though some may need wheel re-gauging this is easier than turning down the flanges so that they clear the rail fastenings of Code 75 track. I am sorry to take issue with you but that is one simple reason for using the coarser track for a first, economical, layout.
I would endorse your support of Kadee couplers. They do work well although the slight lack of rigidity within a coupled pair sometimes means that a larger gap is needed between vehicles than with the popular close-couplers when you are catering for sharp curvature.
Neil, I'm not trying to muddy the waters for you but you've probably gathered by now that personal preference plays a large part in one's choice of rail height and couplings!
David
I agree with David! Code 100 does not look overscale when ballasted and painted and you can run what you like on it and it takes a lot of punishment before it gives up and breaks,my pointwork is now over 20 years old and Only one failure experienced in all that time.
As for couplings? Hmm,Roco close couplings I would recommend and either Gutzold or Roco conversion units fitted to old stock so they can be used.
If you intend to run and operate Kurzwagen you will need to plan your coupling system into your trackplan.
Regards
David
I though the layout discribed was a heavy main line ie:- Wurzburg which has a heavy traffic flow or have I misread other threads associated with this topic?
Regards
David
Couplings (and track)Tim,
I agree with much of what you say but I'd like to think that there is room in railway modelling for shades of opinion, wouldn't you? I intended to demonstrate possibilities rather than positively advocate the purchase of old models and Code 100 Track.
I like and use Code 75 track with RP-25 wheels where possible but the latter are unfortunately still rare on European locomotives.
NEM recommendations for modern main line rail are (metric) Profiles 25 or 20, Profile 18 being recommended for older main lines or branches.
See
http://www.morop.eu/en/normes/nem120_en.pdf
for NEM 120 in English.
David
Sorry Tim, you've lost me. I don't think our opinions do differ.
I was most certainly not implying that my many years of "scale" modelling (following Trix Express/ TTR) give my view any greater weight than that of any other practical modeller who's built layouts and made them work.
Yours are universally admired, with good reason. They've given me great pleasure.
I am sure that's enough from me about this subject
David
Guys,
I really appreciate you sharing your opinions. The fact that you don't all have the same opinion helps actually - the discussion provides additional information :D .
I think I will go for code 75 track because I have no intention of running old rolling stock - when I buy something on eBay it will be because I am unable to find the locomotives or carriages in a regular store - unfortunately most model railway manufacturers, it seems, keep models in their catalogs for only a short period of time, and I will not buy anything more than a couple of years old.
As for the couplers, I think I will reserve judgment and just try a few different types. I have just purchased two trains worth of Roco Epoch 3 express coaches - I assume that these will have Roco KKs. I will see how I get on with those first and then try a couple of pairs of Kadees.
Once again, many thanks.
Neil