Is MicroEnginering code 70 rail too small for reliable running?

[minerjoe]

I was wondering if anyone has an opinion concerning reliable running of equipment on the new Micro Enginering code 70 rail.  Also, what is a good minimum radius for running all of the Bachmann locomotives?

[ebtnut]

You can certainly use Code 70 rail with On30 equipment since the wheel standards are the same as HO.  If you're hand-laying, make sure to use thin-head spikes (Micro-Engineering makes them).  Most of the Bachmann equipment will handle 18" curves, but if you plan on getting locos such as the MMI K's or C-19, then you should consider at least 22" minimum radius for more reliable operation and appearance. 

[ebtnut]

One other thing.  Code 70 rail represents 35 lb. rail in O scale, which is about as light a rail size as any narrow gauge line used in the earliest days.  A lot of folks use Code 83, which is about 60 lb. rail.  Code 100 rail represents about 90-100 lb. rail, which is about as heavy as any n.g. line (D&RGW; EBT) used. 

[Woody Elmore]

As I posted earlier the SPNG used some very light rail for a time inherited from the Carson and Colorado. As the decades passed they put in used SP rail. You could model sidings with code 70 rail.

If the flanges on a car are RP-25 they should have no problems on properly laid rail or sectional track. Of course you have run the trains at prototypical slow speeds not the speeds possible with some model locomotives.

[railtwister]

Be careful about assuming the wheels on On30 and HO are the same. The earlier Bachmann On30 stuff has deeper flanges than the current production items, and were NOT RP25! As always, test what you have on a sample of the proposed track/rail BEFORE you heavily invest in code 70 track. Don't take someone else's word that it will work, just because you saw it on the internet!

Test first, buy later, OR Buy first, cry later! 

Regards,
Bill Nielsen
Oakland Park, FL
Florida On30 Renegades

[minerjoe]

Thanks to all who replied to my inquiry concerning radius and rail size.  I am gathering info before planing and construction of a new layout.

[NelsOn-30]

Joe
The prototype convention of measuring rail size in pounds per yard is difficult to scale down to relevant scale rail size that is measured by height in thousandths of an inch. Code 70 is 0.070” high.

A conversion factor (Prototype to scale) that I find very useful is that an O scale inch is 0.020”. (1 ft = 0.25” scale size, divided by 12”/’ = 0.020823”)

Code 70 rail represents rail 3 ½“ high, very light in O scale.
Code 83 rail = 83/20 or 4 3/16” high.
Code 100 rail is 5” and so on and so on.