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 Posted - February 24 2011 : 9:15:41 PM
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Looking thru some of my old flex-track, I found one piece that is really unusual - it appears to be made of cardboard, and has staples holding the ties to the track. Anyone know which maker made this obviously cheaper product? There's no name on it anywhere that I see.
Funny stuff, it's still relatively straight , too. I"ll hold onto it as a conversation piece. 
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - February 24 2011 : 9:22:13 PM
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| Fiber ties were the standard in "ready made" track, long before plastic became popular, and even for a time after. If I'm not mistaken the Mantua line used fiber, as did early Atlas, as well as brands and makers forgotten to time. Note that what you have there is flextrack as well. I've come across some that was far worse for wear: victimized by the damp basements of the day.
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waw47
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Posted - February 24 2011 : 9:22:49 PM
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| It is Atlas Flex-Track, from the late '50s.
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Posted - February 24 2011 : 11:12:30 PM
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| Ditto...its death knell came when the water based bonded ballast methods we're so familiar with would wreak havoc on the fiber ties, making them swell out of gauge. One fix was to use thinned flat shellac and mineral spirits as a bonding method, noxious fumes notwithstanding...
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Posted - February 25 2011 : 06:39:44 AM
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Yeah, I can see why it's use became obsolete, dampness and scenicking would wreak havoc on a fiber-type substance like this. Plus rusting staples wouldn't help the situation any, either. Although might make it more prototypical looking.  Anyway, thanks for the ID, never realized this stuff was used way back, since that was WAY before my time in trains,and I'm sure not much survives intact today. Most people probably throw examples like this out. the ties are also curling up as well. I'll probably add it to a track display I made for a boy scout exhibition with many gauges of track on a 2x4 foot pegboard.
Jerry
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Posted - February 26 2011 : 12:09:59 PM
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quote:Looking thru some of my old flex-track, I found one piece that is really unusual - it appears to be made of cardboard, and has staples holding the ties to the track. Anyone know which maker made this obviously cheaper product? There's no name on it anywhere that I see.
Funny stuff, it's still relatively straight , too. I"ll hold onto it as a conversation piece.
Jerry
Originally posted by AMC_Gremlin_GTÂ -Â February 24 2011Â :Â 9:15:41 PM
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I had some of that at one time. I mainly used it for dioramas, since that's about all it is good for these days. Besides moisture problems, the fiber ties start deteriorating, even if they are dry, after a few years, creating shorts on a layout.
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