[J.P.]

Hi! I'm pretty new to this - I'm looking to put together a track setup around my tree this year with some old LGB trains I found from when I was younger. I don't have the track anymore and am currently searching everywhere for a set that makes up a circle 36" or less since my space is limited. I have looked into flex track but I don't want to invest in a rail bender only for this project. It would be great to get something pre-assembled. I know HLW and Aristo Craft had once made smaller radiuses but there is nothing to be found online. I've been searching ebay for the Aristocraft ART-11140 (21" diameter circle) and ART-11145 (32" diameter circle) with no luck yet. If anyone has any recommendations or knows anyone doing custom rail to order please let me know. Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[Greg Elmassian]

JP, find your local club, and see if they have a bender to loan, then bend up some brass rail.

Yes, those custom small circles are very hard to come by, I have both the Aristo sizes and fend off offers to sell them several times a year!

Greg

 

[OldNoob]

Check out Victor Smiths work

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Victor has done great stuff, but that does not get him a loop of track under the tree Bill....

 

[SophieB]

I have a circle of Bertram Heyn's R0 track. It works out to about 32" diameter. It is NOT cheap, but at least it is available. As I recall the 16% VAT gets subtracted from the cost and I am not sure if you can get things shipped from the EU right now. I found his rustic looking ties to be very brittle, ended up replacing all of them the LGB flex track ties.

 

[J.P.]

JP, find your local club, and see if they have a bender to loan, then bend up some brass rail.

Yes, those custom small circles are very hard to come by, I have both the Aristo sizes and fend off offers to sell them several times a year!

Greg

Thanks for the reply. I'll have to check that out.

I have a circle of Bertram Heyn's R0 track. It works out to about 32" diameter. It is NOT cheap, but at least it is available. As I recall the 16% VAT gets subtracted from the cost and I am not sure if you can get things shipped from the EU right now. I found his rustic looking ties to be very brittle, ended up replacing all of them the LGB flex track ties.

Oh, wow. This is what I've been looking for but you're right, not cheap! I'm going to look into it though. If I can get it shipped here in a reasonable amount of time then I just might have to do it. Thank you so much!

 

[Dan Pierce]

I bent 8 foot flex track and got a 29 inch circle. I run Kadee body mounted couplers on LGB short FRR cars and HLW short kit cars. Since it is one piece of track it can be stored hung on a wall!!

 

[Greg Elmassian]

I was going to say, that for the cost of that circle from Europe, you could probably buy a used rail bender outright and 8 feet of flex track.

Bending rail is fun, I have 2 benders.

Greg

 

[suzroark]

I bent 8 foot flex track and got a 29 inch circle. I run Kadee body mounted couplers on LGB short FRR cars and HLW short kit cars. Since it is one piece of track it can be stored hung on a wall!!

I've been searching for smaller radius track as well. When you say you "bent" the flex track, did you have to use a rail bender? I'm new so please excuse me if this is a dumb question!

 

[David Leech]

I use flex track but for 10 to 15 foot radius (20 - 30 foot circle).
I use code 250 aluminum rail and even at these radii, if you hold one end, and let the other end go, it will try to go straight, like a spring.
So when you get even smaller radii, and as the material changes to brass or other stronger metals, and perhaps code 332, then the springing would be even stronger even if you could bend it that much, so you need to make the metal remember what shape it needs to be, hence the need to bend it permanently.
Cheers,
David Leech, Delta, Canada