Track Codes?

[Dtox]

Hello everybody,

I recently have been getting back into the hobby for the first time since i was a kid and was wondering if anyone knew the differences in code 83 and code 100 track? Also if I need to be concerned with whether or not my locomotives will fit/run on it?

Thanks for helping newbies such as myself
-Dtox

[ACY]

Code 83 rail is not as high as code 100 and code 83 is more prototypical of mainlines in real life. If you have Rivarossi/AHM or other European locos then they will have trouble with code 83 due to the wheel flanges anything else is usually fine.

[Doneldon]

Dtox-

Dtox?

The code numbers refer to the height of HO rail in thousandths of an inch. Thus, Code 100 is .100" and Code 70 is .070". Code 100 was standard for decades and still comes in many train sets. Code 83 is about the largest with an actual equivalent prototype. It is widely used, maybe even the most used. Code 70 is prototypical for many rail lines other than mainlines on large, current day railroads. If you go smaller than Code 70 there's a pretty good chance that you'll have clearance problems with wheel flanges, at least on older rolling stock. You can find any turnouts or crossings you might need in Code 100 or Code 83. I think that's true for Code 70, too, though I haven't made an explicit effort to find out. There are smaller rails yet, down to Code 40, but the smallest of those are limited mainly to narrow gauge tracks or decrepit branch lines. Code 40 can look smashing twisting its way through a mountain forest or as tracks leading out of (into?) a mine.

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[ebtnut]

Doneldon covered this topic very well.  I would only add that any HO wheels that comply with the NMRA standards will operate on track down to Code 40.  However, at that small size you usually have to glue the rails down to the ties with some form of contact cement becuase virtually any spikeheads wil interfere with the wheel flanges.  As noted, the older Rivarossi equipment came with European-style wheels with very deep flanges that are only good on Code 100 rail, or maybe 83 with thin-head spikes. 

[jward]

i have handlaid code 83 and code 70 rail on my layout. as was said, nmra rp25 wheelsets will run on these rail sizes with no problems, but if you have older cars that may have larger wheel flanges, you'll want to replace those wheelsets.

an alternate method of securing the rails on codes 55 and 40 is to use ties made of pc board, and solder the rails. even with the larger codes i use, i do this for critical areas like switches.