I'm thinking of building a small test running track and I'm looking at Atlas and Peco track mainly. I'm not really into the individual pieces and want to go with flex track of some sort. What do you guys find good or bad generally? Is there anything I need to be careful of especially with turnouts? I'm planning for it to be DCC ........... maybe switchable DC or DCC ........ maybe.
I would say there is no universal guideline that works for everyone. Here are some points I have seen others bring up in debating this choice. Do you have any rolling stock having old-style wheels with large flanges (sometimes called "pizza-cutters")? When you say "Atlas track", I am assuming you mean their modern offering (is it code 55?), which looks great but lacks the ability to tolerate wheels from older N-scale rolling stock that has large wheel flanges. The Peco track and switches include a code 55 option which is really clever, in that it imbeds the metal rails into the plastic ties in a way that looks like code 55 from the outside, but has clearance for wheels having larger (old) wheel flanges on the inside of the rails. I use Peco code 55, since I have a lot of old rolling stock. I have heard others who have only modern rolling stock (with low profile wheel flanges) say they prefer the Atlas modern track (code 55?) because they feel it looks better than the Peco code 55, and they feel the Atlas code 55 track has tie spacing that looks more like US railroads. I have never owned or used modern Atlas Code 55 track or turnouts, but based on pictures I have seen I agree it looks beautiful. Be aware that both Atlas and Peco have sold products that were code 80 rail, so you might find vendors offering Atlas or Peco branded track and turnouts that are Code 80. Those "work", but the railhead looks really high and unrealistic. Some also like that the Peco turnouts are quite rugged.
A big factor is what you can find......do you have a local shop, and what do they carry? Next is are you wanting code 55 or code 80......Peco code 55 uses code 80 rail set deeper in the ties while Atlas uses code 55 rail. this makes it easier to mix in code 80 track with the Peco code 55 track. I use Atlas code 55 track, but I really like the Peco switches ability to hold a setting....Atlas requires some sort of throw to lock the turnout in position. As mentioned, Atlas code 55 doesn't tolerate high wheel flanges........you get a lot of noise from the wheels hitting the spike heads, as well as a lot of extra drag and a lot of derailments. I also find Atlas code 55 flex is almost TOO flexible and it takes extra time to get it straight installing it.....it loves to get wiggly. Atlas Code 80 track is more forgiving......you can mix brands all you want, and you can also run any cars and locos on it with no issues.....if I was building a test track I'd go with code 80.....In fact my test track is done with sectional code 80.
I am a Kato Unitrack guy but if I had to start over and Unitrack didn’t exist I would use Peco switches and probably their flex track as well. I have 2 reasons for choosing Peco over Atlas. First, my experience with Atlas switches was less than stellar though it was 30+ years ago. I found them to be unreliable at best. Of course, Atlas track might be better quality today, and my issues with their track might have had more to do with my poor track laying skills than the quality of the switches. Second, before moving to Florida 8+ years ago my club in New York had an 8x16 N scale layout that used Peco flex track and switches. I can’t recall ever having a derailment or other operating problems caused by the track. My first choice would be Peco code 55, second would be Peco code 80, and last would be Atlas.
For a small test track/loop setup, it's hard to beat the convenience, selection and reliability of Unitrack... But we all have our preferences.
I am a Peco-holic but only for their Code 55 switches and track. However, since we are speaking here of a small test track then I would go with the Kato Unitrack. Easy to set up and take down. Save the Peco for the big layout and remember with Peco only use the Code 55 track and switches.
I do like the looks of Atlas track and turnouts, but they struggle to keep it stocked. They also have some issues where the frogs rise up out from the mold. Primarily my experience is it happens on the #10's. The #5's seem to always have issues for smooth running where the #7 and #10 don't. I had code 80 Peco many years ago and struggled with many aspects. The ties did not look American to the point people asked if I were in Europe. The points locked in nicely but my stuff picked them all the time. The orientation of the frogs and the guardrails were also problematic. I have read and heard from others that the Peco code 55 is much better, but I cannot say through experience. I would buy more Atlas than you need to have spares.
I've been really happy with Micro Engineering (ME) code 55 flex track. You can run 'cookie cutter' wheels on it. It is easy to shape into different radius and holds them. Looks great. Saying that I don't have experience with anything else but would do it again in a heartbeat. They only have one turnout #6 but are suppose to be good and I see a number of people using Atlas and other turnouts with the track. I'm building all my turnouts so that isn't an issue and build them with ME code 55 rail I get from Fast Tracks. Sumner
I spent a bit of time thinking about the "pizza cutter" wheels and yes I have some older cars that have deep flanges. Most are Kadee's from the 70's and 80's and those wheels can be replaced easily. I'm looking at my older locomotives and I'm starting to think some of these deep flanges could be contributing to intermittent power losses if the flange is riding up onto bits of ballast for a short moment. Even on a piece of Peco Code 80 flex track I use for programming only I can faintly hear a bumping noise in exactly the same spot with different locos. I don't have any Atlas code 55 but yes it does look quite nice on the computer screen. I figure once flex track of any brand is ballasted it will be harder to recognise and functionality is key to what to choose.
I learned something reading your comment I had no idea Atlas turnouts did not latch into place .......... I had Peco turnouts on a track my dad built in the 1970's and our current club track has Peco's .. I just assumed the all stayed in place. Disappointment narrowly averted !!!
I'm wondering what it would take to make Atlas turnouts latch one way or another like a Peco. The Peco seems to be more able to have any loco run on it.
I understand your point on ease and reliability of the Unitrack. I'm going to use the test track to test rolling stock and pave the way for choosing track and turnouts for a bigger layout.
I'm glad you brought up the Micro Engineering / Fast Tracks subject. It's probably a bit advanced for me and it does involve soldering which is one of my weaker skills. (I'm still trying to come to terms with the idea of replacing that component on a DCC card you suggested a while ago) The fast Tracks turnouts look beautiful and would be the solution to difficult layout problems that "standard" turnouts just can't do. I have seen a friends layout nearish here with a mind blowing amounts of Fast Tracks turnouts. I think he made "all of the above" and then some. Here's a link to Jim Costello's New Haven layout under construction. I saw the layout a while after this was videoed and it is looking fantastic.
Sit down with someone who solders a lot and pickup what they are doing. I'll bet I could have you soldering about anything in 30 minutes. Clean joint, flux and a iron hot enough to get on flow the solder and get off. I use a $15 iron, good flux, iron as hot as it goes for everything. Get on and off so you aren't heating more than the solder joint. Watch the solder flow and get off just a tad later. That is some beautiful track work for sure and shows how you can get more track into an area and create trackwork that as you said fits the needs and creates more realistic looking trackwork. It is easy to look at that trackwork and believe you can't do it but hundreds of people do. Maybe not quite as good as he has done but still usable, a lot less money then commercial trackwork and trackwork you can't buy. Looks like he is using a lot of Tam Valley electronics, love mine. Sumner
"Ahh, I see;" said the blind man. You are building a track/switch testing track, not just a typical loco/rolling stock test track. Well, if you want to try your hand at hand-soldering switches, crossings, etc., there's prolly no better way to learn than for a track testing layout.
I think Atlas went that way because very few people like the looks of the old throws, and a large percentage of the modelers are using some sort of under table throws (like tortoise). Throws that lock (like Peco) put more stress on the throw since they have to overcome the spring pressure. They can normally do it, but it puts more stress on them. I use caboose ground throws which work really well, and the version I'm using allows for powering the frogs, but the throws are very out of scale....but still look better than the old Atlas throws.
For the Atlas turnouts Caboose Industries 206S(sprung) work great or the 224S(sprung) with contacts to make the frog live. I don't recommend the rigid throws as you need a bit of play with slight pressure pushing the point rails against the stock rail. Some people use a homemade center over spring that is similar to how Peco secures the point rails.
Depends on if you want live or dead frogs. Some switch brands have frogs that are energized through the switch points, which rail they are against. Other brands (atlas is one) have dead frogs that you must equip with some sort of switch to change its charge to match one or the other rail. Usually this means having to run wires or even put a switch machine w/contacts under the switch. Which means drilling/cutting through the roadbed to install the stuff and wire up the contacts to switch the power. (Or you can leave the frog unpowered). Peco has live frogs. Micro Engineering stuff is great, but they recently changed ownership and finding N scale #6 C55 switches is impossible. Lots of their Code 7o stuff around, tho.
I've heard nothing but good things about Peco turnouts so I plan to use those and stick with Peco track just for consistency.