Grooved (tram) rail question

MasonJar

It's not rocket surgery
I am sorry that you haven't found the info you are looking for. Do you have any pictures or diagrams of the track you are seeking? I am not sure I understand your description, not having much experience with tramways myself.

Andrew

PS - if you ask a new question, or make any sort of new post in your original thread, it will bump back to the top again.
 

jetrock

Member
Are you talking about girder rail? Richard Orr girder rail (used for trolley layouts) is available from http://www.customtraxx.com but I don't think they make a girder rail/conventional rail crossing. They do make girder rail to girder rail crossings but they are a single casting with a common ground and thus no good for streetcar/steam railroad type crossings.

HOm would be a challenge, but for standard gauge couldn't you just use a railroad crossing and then add the appearance of girder rail by filling in between the tracks with plastic, plaster, etcetera?
 

TEP 60

Member
jetrock said:
HOm would be a challenge, but for standard gauge couldn't you just use a railroad crossing and then add the appearance of girder rail by filling in between the tracks with plastic, plaster, etcetera?

I just check, whether are such things produced industrially?
 

jetrock

Member
Walthers makes a "Street System" package, these are basically bits of plastic that you stick in between the rails of Code 83 or Code 100 track to make them look like street trackage. Richard Orr girder rail is just the rail itself: it must be attached to the layout surface by the purchaser, and the spaces between the rails filled in as well. It's comparable to handlaying track in terms of difficulty, and gives the modeler the choice as to what sort of street surface you want: concrete, asphalt, even brick. If you're modeling a section of streetcar/tram track that isn't in a street, it is perfectly appropriate to use a conventional railroad track crossing to represent where a tram crosses a railroad mainline: assuming the tram is standard gauge, there's no particular reason for them to be different.
 

jetrock

Member
I suppose that I am unfamiliar with European-made "tram grooved rail tracks." I assume that by "tram grooved rail tracks" you meant what is called "girder rail" in the United States: rail with a built-in flangeway that facilitates its use for modeling track in city streets.

If I am not correct in my assumption, please post a link or photo or something to these "tram grooved rail tracks" and maybe I can be more help. If my assumption is incorrect I'd hate to steer you down the wrong path.
 

jetrock

Member
Okay, just making sure.

I have no idea how European girder rail attaches to anything, not being familiar with it. Richard Orr girder rail is Code 100 (.100" high, or 2.54mm) so it mates up to Code 100 track, although conventional rail joiners must be modified to attach them: soldering is a common method of attaching girder rail end to end. If you are using conventional flextrack for the rest of your tram layout's rail, then you just use regular rail joiners.

If you do have links to an European manufacturer of girder rail or "tram grooved rail," please post it: it might be very useful to us American traction fans, especially if it is pre-made and doesn't require handlaying track.
 
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