What type of track

Being new I was wondering what type(Atlas 55/80) or make(Atlas, Kato, Peco) of track should I use for my layout. I thank you in advance for your help.:tb-ooh:

 

Most of the track is pretty good. What are your interests? Easy to get started? Realistic looking?

 

Size of layout, ease of use and price are key factors here. Give us a rundown of what you would like to accomplish for a layout and recomendations can be made. Not all track is equal and the cost/benifits are dependant upon what your looking at doing.

 

Probably easy to get started, realistic will come second. Having done some investigation i will probaly start with 80 just have to decide on Atlas or Kato, any thoughts. Not having much space I have not decided on a plan but will probably go with a door size layout with a passenger line, and multiple freight lines with a nice yard. Would like to run multiple trains @ 1 time so probably go DCC.

 

I'm prejudiced because I use Kato Unitrack but it is the easiest and very reliable. The last 30 feet of layout I built I didn't even attach it permanently. Its weight and wiring for turnouts and feeders holds it in place.

And it can be made to look more realistic. Take a look at John Sing's website for examples: http://home.comcast.net/~j.sing/ John also has an article for making Unitrack #4 turnouts more reliable if you require them.


Ben

 

I am with Ben and use Kato Unitrack. I find it easy to use and flexible. Sure it is not as realistic as some of the others, however you can be up and running in no time.

If you are like me I have torn the track up quite a few times before I settled on a layout I was happy with. This week I got some trains running, and I am happier than, well quite happy.

Good Luck

 

I have to join the chorus for Kato track.
If you want:

• Relyable - Very
• Easy - A blind man can do it - (me)
• Quick - it's a snap
• Reusable - over and over
• Cheaper - in the long run due to the reusable nature

Appearance? Hmmm. That's a judgement call. It works for me but I have very poor vision. To acheive what John Sing did takes a lot of time per / foot.
Prototypical? Hmmm. A lot of people say it is not correct for North American roads

 

I have quite a bit of Unitrack and have used it on several small layouts. It is easy to use and very reliable. HOWEVER . . . No matter how much work you do to enhance the ballast or minimize the rail size, the tie spacing is 'way too wide, and you are very limited in geometry. Whether or not this matters to you is obviously your call. I have just gone back to Atlas code 55 as I couldn't reconcile some of these issues in my mind.

David

 

I've used Atlas 80 flextrack and Peco switches with cork roadbed for my 5x9 layout. Since you are doing a door layout maybe Kato unitrack would work for a first layout. See if "firechief" responds to you; he is in Montreal and has done a door layout.
Dave B. PAT

 

Just out of curiosity, did you mean to put the "thumbs-down" icon or was it the "question mark" icon that you wanted. I am thinking that there is a glitch here on TB that sometimes substitutes the one for the other. This is the third question post I have seen in three days that has a "thumbs-down" icon, and you don't strike me as an exceedingly negative person.

As far as track, I like flextrack and Peco switches, and that's mainly because I don't like trying to work out sectional track geometry and because I like the broad, not-necessarily-circular-radius curves you can get with flexible track.

 

For ease of use and reliability, go with the Kato track. It is hard to derail a train when using it.

For realism, with the choices you gave, go with Atlas Code 55.

First layout on a door- absolutely Kato. You will be up and running in a much shorter period of time than with the other tracks.

 

For a first time user, Kato all the way. I use it for my test loop. I used Atlas C55 for my layout, but I've been building layouts since 1972--and never with sectional track, always with flex track. C55 is a little fussier to lay than C80. When you buy locos or rolling stock, just be aware of the flange depth.

 

I'm sorry I thought it was a Question mark my appologies to all.