Peco SM-32 / SL700BH

[wot4wayne]

I have been offered some peco sl700 flex track and some sm-32 track, because I am new to garden railways can these be mixed.

The sm-32 is curved track and it would help me get the right curved track plan, I have had a look on the peco web site but that has not helped a lot all I know is both are bull head rail but I think the sl 700 is smaller in section.

Any help would be very much appreciated.

Wayne

[MDLR]

The sm-32 is curved track and it would help me get the right curved track plan, I have had a look on the peco web site but that has not helped a lot all I know is both are bull head rail but I think the sl 700 is smaller in section.

................... and that is where the problem may lie - 16mm flanges may bump along the sleepers on the SG track.

[Chris Cairns]

SL700 flexi track is O gauge Code 124.

SM32 track is Code 200.

The code numbers relate to the height of the rail in the imperial measurement of thousandths of an inch, i.e. Code 124 represents 124 thousandths of an inch, and Code 200 represents 200 thousands of an inch.

So different heights.

Chris Cairns.

[wot4wayne]

thanks gents I can see that SM-32 is the way to go.

[Si]

I have been offered some peco sl700 flex track and some sm-32 track, because I am new to garden railways can these be mixed.

It depends: are you asking because you are on a tight budget, or do you just want the easiest solution?

If you are on a tight budget (like me) and thus are scrimping together cheap track from anywhere that you can find it then they can be mixed - but it's not just a case of slotting them together, rather you are going to need a file and soldering iron. You need to cut a step into the larger rail and then solder a segment of the smaller in making sure that the tops and inner edges align. Then you need to add packing under the 700 track.

There is also the problem, as raised above, of the flanges whacking the chairs. I've got a couple of garden locos (Andel and Busted Bricks) with larger flanges and these are fine on peco flat bottom O flex track, but I can't speak for other wheel sets or bull head rail.

Finally I would recommend not using O points on your garden railway - they tend to be built for finer scale wheels with different b2bs and the rolling stock will lurch skyward when it hits the check rails. Of course it can be done (I've done it on mine) but it means slightly rebuilding the points.

[Graff B.]

Peco Sm32 is flat bottom rail section and not compatible with bullhead rail section as such. I've used peco points with tenmille track and silver soldered the two rail sections together. I've found the two makes of track are the same height and don't need packing. Hope this helps.