What's the best track to use?


C

ChiefT

Guest
Hello all. I plan on starting very soon and am submitting my Christmas list to my wife. What's the best track to buy and is there an economical way to pursue this hobby? Of course, I already know it's gonna cost me a ton, I just would like some suggestions. Thanks
Keith
 
Hi ChiefT, well that's a tough question to answer truthfully. What is best for some may be frowned upon by others. There are members on this forum who hand lay the whole track, building turnouts and all. Then there are some like myself who use flextrack and manufactured turnouts. Also there are some members who can paint a weather any kind of track and make it look real. There is a lot of good commercial track available from different manufacturers. The quality and looks of that track has a definite impact on the price you will have to pay
The most economical way to pursue this hobby, in my opinion, is to have a plan and follow it, buy the material that you need for each phase before you start it. ( I didn't do that and I know I have surplus stuff, but at this point I have no idea of what I should get rid of.)
Do you know how big your layout will be? Do you have a track plan at this time? If you can tell us a bit more about your plans and requirements you should be able to get the all the help that you need right here just for the asking.
Cheers Willis
 
Kato Unitrack has many fans. It's got attached roadbed like the LL and Bmann, but is of very high quality. It's also expensive but worth it.
Peco is very good, but looks less like real American track.
The best looking track is Atlas code55 (and MicroEngineering c55), but these are for advanced modelers and there are clearance issues with some locos and rolling stock.
 
I was just about to post a "What's the best N-scale Track" thread when I stumbled across this one. I'm starting a small (very small...as in 30" x 20") N scale "layout" (if it is worthy of being called so). It will be used as a portable display most of the time, and probably won't operate very often. I don't really have a track plan yet either...I was sorta hoping you guys could help me there too. Am I better off designing my own or trying to find one in a book or on the internet? I guess commercially availble plans would be easier to follow, and everything would probably "fit" better than if I designed my own, but I'm not sure I'll find one that has everything I want (including some countryside, an industrial (street-running) area, a stream or river, a mountain, and ideally a small yard). Hmm...I wonder how much of that I can fit in 4 sq feet... :rolleyes:
 
Atlas Code 55 has received good reviews only problem is some of the older rolling stock and MT without the low prifile wheels hit the spikes on it. It looks really great but Atlas also has a limited different number of turnouts. If I was redoing my layout it would be with Atlas Code 55, I have about 60 feet of mainline and a bunch of sidings and the yard so I would need a minimum of 30 pcs of track and all new turnouts of which I now have 30 on the layout. So Change is not an option for me right now as I have just started installing a Digitrax DCC system.
 
I just bought some of the Atlas code 55 track today...great looking but I will have to replace the factory wheelsets with low profile types. I've started working on my little display, but since I don't have any type of powerpack, the loop will remain unoperational for now
 



Back
Top