Price: $5.95 per 24″ length
Manufacturer
Atlas Model Railroad Co.
378 Florence Ave.
Hillside, NJ 07205
www.atlasrr.com
Comments: A long-time manufacturer of N and HO scale track (as well as O scale track under its Atlas O brand), Atlas Model Railroad Co. is now making Z scale flextrack.
At 24″ long, Atlas Z scale Super-Flex Track is the longest Z scale track section on the market. Each track section features code 55 nickel-silver rail on an injection molded plastic tie bed. One side of the tie bed has spaces between every other tie. This allowed me to easily curve the track to a 4″ radius without kinking the rails.
I used digital calipers to measure the track. The track gauge is correct per National Model Railroad Association standards.
I easily connected several flextrack sections together using Atlas N scale code 55 rail joiners. Then I ran a Z scale freight train led by a Micro-Trains SD40-2 along the track bent to a 6″ curve. The locomotives and freight cars rolled smoothly over the rails and joiners.
The Z scale track uses the same code 55 rail as Atlas N scale track. Code 55 rail measures 1 foot high in Z scale. This is a few inches higher than the heavy rail used on prototype railroad track. For example, prototype 155 pound rail measures about 8″ high.
The plastic ties measure a scale 10″ wide, with a scale 21″ spacing between ties (centerline to centerline), which is within the range of North American prototype railroads. The plastic ties also have molded spike, tie plate, and simplified wood grain details.
According to an Atlas representative, the firm is planning on making Z scale turnouts as well. Modelers should check the www.atlasrr.com for updates. This new flextrack is a helpful option for Z scale layout design.
