Rail bender for code-332 rail

Rail bender for code-332 rail
Empire Builder Railroad Designs
4418 E. Lariat Lane
Phoenix AZ 85050
Price: $130 + $14 s&h

Heavy-duty rail bender; brass, aluminum, and steel construction; case-hardened steel rollers; larger adjustable roller; mounting holes. Dimensions: 3″ x 3″ x 3″ (not including handle)
Pros: Excellent, high-quality unit; easily adjustable with wrench; large crank makes rolling easy; case-hardened rollers are durable
Cons: No handle supplied for adjusting roller

Anyone handlaying track or using flex track is in need of a rail bender. The unit made by Empire Builder is a solid, rugged machine intended for code-332 rail (LGB and Aristo-Craft size). The body is made of a block of aluminum with a brass keeper plate on top. Rollers are case hardened, making them extremely durable, and the effective length of the handle is 5″. The design follows a traditional three-roller pattern, with the adjustable center roller being larger than the other two. The adjustable roller also has a knurled edge to help the rail through and minimize slippage. There are two mounting holes through which the unit can be screwed to a work surface. The spindle on which the adjustable roller rides ends in a hex nut, necessitating a wrench to adjust the roller (not supplied).

I tested the unit by holding it in a vise. You’ll need a 3″ vise to hold it this way, or you could screw a cleat to the bottom via the mounting holes, then grip the cleat. I tried the bender on both brass and steel code-332 rail, and it performed flawlessly. I was able to easily make long, smooth curves, S-curves, and impossibly tight curves, simply by adjusting the large wheel with a wrench. I was also able to straighten already curved rail with little fuss. This well-made unit should be able to tackle just about any rail-bending job and last a lifetime.