Lake wales, Florida model railroad club?


Gavin mccallister said:

Bachmann E-Z Track​

Or regular track which is better I am new to this
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Welcome to the group Gavin!

If your going to go the route of track with the attached roadbed. I would look at Kato Unitrack. Its bulletproof out of the box.

Regular flex track is probably the way to go since you won't be tied down to the track geometry that's produced. It would be more customizable. There is probably going to be a lot of opinions on this, but the ultimate choice will be what your comfortable using, and your budget.
 
Flex track will probably look better. This is how I approached my current layout. I used Kato track initially. I have since started changing it over to code 83 flex. These are the transition pieces I made to accomplish that. I pulled out the unijoiners and used regular code 83 joiners. I then soldered a piece of flex to it so now part is flex and Kato.

264CD783-9B99-4F10-8164-9F8E31D907A7.jpeg
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As you can see it matches up to the cork roadbed perfectly.
 
I would also advise you to use flex track and regular switches, along with some sectional track if needed. Uni-track and EZ track work for "around the Christmas tree" type layouts, or mounted layouts that are just made for running. To me, the cost and versatility is a killer for larger layouts.
I believe that there are several clubs in the Lake Wales area. Joining one and asking fellow members about their track laying experience would be helpful.
 
Gavin mccallister said:
When using flex track can you mix it with other brands of flex track
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I use Brass & Nickel Silver on mine & I also have a mess of Bachmann EZ Track. I mostly use EZ Track for all the mainlines & Brass track & switches for yards. I also use Flex Track for Sidings in NS & Brass. I use a Dremel tool to cut right under the end of the rail on my EZ Track so I can connect Flex Track w/a rail connector. Been doing it since 2017. I have a lot of Cramps in my hands & Flex track was getting hard to work with, so I got a good buy on EZ Track & have been using it ever since. Right now I'm w/out a layout, but soon as my building is finished I'm going to start again. I have every imaginable Piece of EZ Track that was ever made, So I can make it all work. On my last layout I had an outside curve that was 35" radius & the inside curve was 33" radius. Since I started the layout in 2017 people have given me new pieces of 18", 24" & 36" straights. I also have every switch & single & double crossover that Bach. made. So, I can make it all work 1 way or the other.
 
Larry Creel said:
I use Brass & Nickel Silver on mine & I also have a mess of Bachmann EZ Track. I mostly use EZ Track for all the mainlines & Brass track & switches for yards. I also use Flex Track for Sidings in NS & Brass. I use a Dremel tool to cut right under the end of the rail on my EZ Track so I can connect Flex Track w/a rail connector. Been doing it since 2017. I have a lot of Cramps in my hands & Flex track was getting hard to work with, so I got a good buy on EZ Track & have been using it ever since. Right now I'm w/out a layout, but soon as my building is finished I'm going to start again. I have every imaginable Piece of EZ Track that was ever made, So I can make it all work. On my last layout I had an outside curve that was 35" radius & the inside curve was 33" radius. Since I started the layout in 2017 people have given me new pieces of 18", 24" & 36" straights. I also have every switch & single & double crossover that Bach. made. So, I can make it all work 1 way or the other.
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With all that track your going to have a heck of a layout, have you decided on how big a layout you intend to build ?
 
Smudge617 said:
With all that track your going to have a heck of a layout, have you decided on how big a layout you intend to build ?
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As soon as my new building is finished probably sometimes in April or May(I hope) but will probably be in June. They haven't even started on it yet. My Building will be 18ft wide & 30ft long w/tables 3ft wide set 2ft from the wall. My last layout was in a metal building 24 by 40ft. The layout was 20ft. by 34 ft. I will start out w/a raised track about 6 inches & then everything else will be made after that. I have to build a large Yard to hold all of my running gear & 65 Diesel engines. I never finish a layout. If I get close to finishing it I always add on which I did 4 times in 4 years.
 
Gavin mccallister said:
Sebring is not that fat from lake wales where do you live
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I use to live in Arcadia,Fl. until Oct. of 22. I sold my house 3 days after Hurricane IAN & closed a week & a half later & moved out 3 days after the closing. Was there from Sept. of 1971 to Oct.13th 2022. I now live w/my Sis in Covington, Ga. My trains are in storage in Florida. I only brought personal stuff that fitted in my 2011 Nissan Cube stacked to the ceiling. I gave away thousands of Dollars worth of Equipment to 3 close Friends not including the large group of Metal Sculptures to the local College campus that I donated in 2021 that I had made from 2012 to 2018. I use to go to Train Shows in Plant City, Lake Wales, Bradenton, Palmetto, Sebring, Ft. Myers, Venice, Englewood & Sarasota. There were 5 of us MRR'ers that made all the shows every year for about 15 years between Sept. & May. Miss those days. My wife & I had been married for 62 & 1/2 Yrs. before she died in Jan. of 22.
 
I've also built 3 large Model railroads for Friends in Zolfo Springs, Wauchula & Arcadia from 1982 to 2001. the 1st one took me 2 yrs working only on Sundays. The 2nd one took me 2 yrs. only working on Saturdays & the 3rd 1 took me 3 yrs. only working on Sundays.
 
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