code 100...a mistake?

[wongsing]

Hey everyone...

because I'm new at this, I'm gonna be posting alot in the near future so please bear with me, LOL! My layout is 4x8 and because it started as an Athearn trainset it has Bachmann ez-track for the mainline....well, so far. Now because I'm not rich by any means, yet I still want to have a great looking layout, did I make a mistake by buying a trainset that included that type of track? From what I have noticed, there is not alot of selection in the way of code 100 track, and that becomes seemingly less when referring to ez-track! So my question, well the main one anyways, is should I continue to plan on using the track I already have to finish the rest of the layout, or should I just replace all of the ez-track sections and 2 switches. If I am going to have future problems using this brand/type of track in the future, please let me know. Already I have bought 2 switches (ez-track) and they both derail two of the cars I have for some reason that I cannot figure out... (and yes, just by looking at one of them they seem out of gauge!!!! ) I appreciate the help and if anyone thinks that this layout would be more beneficial and economical to switch to code 83 over code 100 please let me know! Any info on this or anything else above mentioned would be great! Thanks guys!

-Rich

 

[Larry]

I wish I could help you. I've always used code 100 Atlas flex & Atlas switches.
I have some of the ez-track & it would never work for me because of not enough flexability. I have to have big curves & U can't get that w/eztrack. As far as your derailment in a switch, you might check the track gauge w/a NMRA gauge & also check the wheels on your engine & cars to see if the gauge is correct before you make any big changes. For a beginner layout the eztrack would probably be ok & you can always add to it w/flex track.
I hope I helped just a little bit.

Larry

 

[sushob]

The code of the track actually refers to the height of the metal rail itself, and has nothing to do with the plastic base and snap-together style mechanisms.

Code 100 track in itself is fine, but the train-set style track with the molded plastic ballast (it's made by several different manufacturers) isn't necessarily best suited for permanent setups. I would suggest using flex track instead. It comes in 3' lengths and can be bent to any radius for curves and turns. It is usually laid on top of cork or foam road bed, and then ballasted with scenery products and diluted white glue.

Code 100 vs. code 83 is up to you. Code 83 looks finer and closer to scale, but code 100 is usually a little bit easier to work with. In most cases code 100 is a little bit less expensive than code 83, but for a layout your size the difference in cost probably wouldn't be that much.

 

[IronBeltKen]

I'm with Larry, I'd stop using the EZ Trak and go with the standard code-100 Atlas track (best value for the money IMHO). If you were planning on something larger than a 4x8 layout, I'd say to use Code 83 because there is a wider selection of turnouts [esp. curved ones] available for that. On the other hand, Code 100 is more forgiving of oversized flanges.

PS If you want to see a great-looking 4x8, go to Harold Minkowitz's web site: http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/

 

[jbaakko]

Code 100 is great, unless you've played with track for a while I'd stick to it, as the finer scale Code 83 can be more frustrating.

 

[BIG DOG]

I wish i had pics,

here is what I did, I scrapped the ez track switches and now use atlas cd 100, to make the pastic rd bed under the EZ track straights and curves I used Plasti-Kote flex stone paint, took the small wdth masking tape and covered the rails with it, then I sprayed the grey plastic with the paint and it looks like a med-to light ballast job (really similair to kato's version of exz track, since this spray paint is designed for platic type products it doesn't eat the foam like Krylon's version of flexstone does so, Where I have atlas track, Iused Woodland Scenics road bed and got about 15" away from the road bed and sprayed it the the Plasti-Kote paint, it is however darker than the EZ track, but not to bad.
I also drilled tiny holes in my EZ track at each end and since I am using extruded foam for my base I just push a 18ga x 3/4" wire nail through the hole and into the foam board, I attch the WS road bed with glue to the foam borad, and have clipped the connectors of the ez track off. with all that said, my next layout will either be all Kato track OR Atlas/peco, but thishas been a wonderful learning experience (i just started the hobby on Christmas with my daughter)