Which type of Gargraves

The piece are about 39" in length.  Buy one of each and see which is easiest to work with.  Along with bending you also need to consider the Ross/Gargraves connection.  Usually the connection pins from either will work.   These bends were done by hand, more bend than this becomes difficult.

The stainless track may not work very well with magnetraction. If most of your 

locomotives have rubber tires it may not matter.

 

Al W.

Hi, I have Gargraves flex track for my G scale loop.  It is stainless but it is inside.  I don't have any trouble bending it by hand.  My radius is 5' (10' diameter).  The hardest part is moving all the ties.  You have to keep working the ties to get them to conform with the curve.  It's not hard you just have to keep doing it till they are positioned right for the curve.  I really like this track compared to the other large bulky G scale track.  Gargraves looks a lot more to scale.

 

Rick

In the current issue of OGR magazine, Jim Barrett provides a 'how to' for bending Gargraves track in the Backshop section. Good article.

I have used Gargraves Flextrack since 1992. Basically, and bottom line, it gives one flexibility. Nuff said.

I used gargraves flex phantom track if I had it to do over again i would use the ross 29" straights as my mainlines not up to class 1 road classification for being straight and true!

 

works well for curves or those nagging spots where sectional tracks didn't quite line up as planned.

 

I also am in az and the standard gargraves does well in dry and our humid months so far no rust.

 

dusty yes but then what isn't in the desert!

Guys this is all extrmely helpful. Thank you so much for input.  Is Ross and Gargraves identical when getting wood ties?

I first used the stainless track on the bridge module for our club modular layout. For whatever reason, it stays cleaner than any track I've used. I would suggest you go with the SS.

 

For my home layout, I'm using the SS Gargraves with Ross switches. The wood ties (GG vs Ross) are not identical, but they match closely enough. Track pins are the same between Gargraves and Ross.

 

To bend the GG flex track, I just bend it against my gutt. I do use a 072 sectional curve as a gage when bending. As long as my bend is not at tight as the 072 piece, I'm good to go.

 

Gilly

Interesting point about the stainless steel staying cleaner. I am an MTH guy so magnatraction is not a concern.  I am a steam guy as well so I prefer to have wood ties.

Now this begs another question. To secure the track to the table what are the lessons learned out there?

Pre-drill the ties so the screw slips through the tie and secures only to the table. Do not over tighten. Even on a 37" straight section, I only use 3 screws. For flex, start with two screws on the first tie and work from there.

 

Gilly

 

 

Gilly made a good comment on tin plate verses stainless steel rails, both of these rails have to be formed by drawing either material through a die to form the cross section. Many times in forming steel the die drawing lubricant is drawing oil or wax. Stainless steel is most probably formed with a wax die lubricant and carbon steel formed with an oil drawing lubricant. Also stainless steel is subject to more springback than carbon steel.
I use the tin plate track, the dirty rail head is most commonly caused by residual drawing oil bleed, dirt and oxidation, never had a rust issue.