3 days in and the questions start to pile up

[Invicta Alec]

Guys forgive the newbie questions, but I've started to read (probably too much) and already I need a few pointers.......

1. Thirty years ago I remember using Peco flexible track on an 00 layout. Now I see track described as Peco 55 and Peco 80.  Should I be losing any sleep over this? If I choose one type does that mean I've got to make sure points and crossovers are of a matching type?

2. I like the look of the Kato Unitrack. Expensive maybe but easier than laying a track bed? Or is it too rigid and modular? Am I better off sticking with flexible track for making subtle curves where inevitably necessary in smaller layouts?

3. To be honest I don't see me doing too much scratch building. What is the consensus on Metcalfe ready cut card kits? Some of them look nicely detailed to me. Maybe plastic kits are better?

4. Are the manufacturers Dapol, Farish, Bachmann etc much of a muchness where quality is concerned?

Apologies for asking a lot of newbie questions, but any advice will be gratefully received.

Alec.
 

[Drakken]

1.The track "Code" , in this instance Code 80 or code 55 for N Gauge track, refers to the height of the rail in 1/1000's of an inch, so Code 55 track has a rail that is .055" high and code 80 track has a rail that is .080" high

2. I'd stick to Peco track but this is my personal opinion it gives you the possibility of making slight changes in track setup if needed

3. Metcalfe is what I decided to build. Very good kit's easily go together and get a good overall look ( Just make sure you felt tip pen the corners in the appropriate colour finishes the model off. Try UHU or Roket Card Glue for building. Also personally again I don't like to mix and match building manufactures

4. I've only had experience with the newer Farish by Bachmann all which have been very good runners, Have a read up on running in your loco if new

Keep asking only way you learn & were all here to help each other 

[keithfre]

1.The track "Code" , in this instance Code 80 or code 55 for N Gauge track, refers to the height of the rail in 1/1000's of an inch, so Code 55 track has a rail that is .055" high and code 80 track has a rail that is .080" high

The rail height on Code 55 is able to be so low because most of the rail is buried in the track. That not only makes it look better, it's also strong. If you get flexitrack, note that it's designed to bend one way and not the other (you'll see cuts in the base on one side where the inside of the bend will be).

[daffy]

Re track: I chose Kato Unitrack for its simplicity. It does have limitations of fixed geometry and limited point/turnout choice, and some dislike the high shouldered ballast base, though this can be disguised easily.

It's big advantage for me is the simplicity of its points/turnouts, as the trackbed contains the motor, so no fiddly set up. The No.4 points have issues you might like to read about. I'm sticking to No.6's for my planned layout. Also, it is harder, but not impossible, to solder wiring directly to the track for better conductivity than its plug-in connectors and Unijoiners (plastic ballast bed melts under a careless soldering iron.)

Read up on these issues and all you can on the pros and cons of both Peco and Kato (there are others) by searching this forum. Viewpoints from and about all aspects. Take your time, and make the choice that suits your need.

[Newportnobby]

My personal advice would be not to mix code 55 and code 80 owing to the height difference which can cause derailments if not dealt with by putting some packing underneath the code 55 but that's not for me If, like me, you're hopeless with electrics Kato track has inbuilt point motors. Sure, some don't like the high ballast base but that can be disguised fairly easily such that you wouldn't know it was there.

[Geoff]

Kato track does work out expensive  but it is easy to change things round, I use copydex to glue the track down and it is easy to pull up if you have a change of mind, like others state peco track will give you more variety in a layout,all the best with your choice.

[Railwaygun]

Kato does have good resale value, and the starter packs ( track + Power supply (PSU) are excellent value. there are some UK packs with UK locos ( see Osbornes, Train Trax ads).

the Kato Hints & Tips thread has lots of stuff for beginners.

http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?board=131.0

I'm obviously an enthusiast since i have  5 x (4mx3m) loops of interconnected Unitrack! (3 DCC, & unconnected -  2 DC)

the ease of wiring, reliability, and the ability to tear it apart and start again make it ideal for beginner & expert alike! However like Marmite, you love it.......

go to some local train shows or clubs and ask lots of questions!

details of most events / supppliers here:

http://www.ukmodelshops.co.uk/

[dannyboy]

Kato track for me. It does have a higher shoulder than Peco, but can be disguised easily. Whilst there are no flexible pieces, you can make pieces of track a bit flexible by using a fine saw on the track bed. There is a U.S. based website 'Fifer Hobbies' where instructions on how to do this are - in fact the website has numerous instructional videos regarding Kato track and wiring. Plus, the points are all wired up, so no fitting, (and buying!), of point motors or soldering mistakes  . There is a good Kato thread on this forum. I like Metcalfe card models, they look good and are relatively easy to put together, providing you follow the instructions, although I am contemplating a bit of 'bashing', (I think that's the technical term  ). As has been pointed out, external corners show the white card, so use a felt pen or something to disguise the white.

[Invicta Alec]

the Kato Hints & Tips thread has lots of stuff for beginners.

http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?board=131.0

Thanks for the link. I'm starting to plough my way through, there is a lot of information there. Thanks again!

Alec.

[Invicta Alec]

Kato track for me. It does have a higher shoulder than Peco, but can be disguised easily...........

I like Metcalfe card models, they look good and are relatively easy to put together.........

Thanks very much Danny for your votes for these two products!

Alec.

[Webbo]

I really don't think that there is a best track for all applications despite what some may like you to believe. What they really should be saying is that their choice suits their layout type, modelling skills and expectations.

Optimal track for each individual will depend on such factors as are you comfortable with a soldering iron (needed for joining flex track on tight curves), are you in a hurry to get set up and get trains running (set track and Unitrack win here), are you happy spending time on ballasting, drilling holes in baseboards and wiring (if not Unitrack or similar would get a tick), do you require maximum flexibility in terms of pointwork and track shape (Peco flex wins here) and finally how important is the look of the track (nicely ballasted Peco 55 would win here).

For me, the Peco flexi track route was always going to be my choice with daylight second, but I respect that others are equally enthusiastic about Kato Unitrack as it may be best for them. I have lots of Kato locomotives and these are of superb quality and I understand that Unitrack has the same exceptional quality so this can be a factor as well.

Bear in mind also that there are track manufacturers out there who are also worth considering such as Tomix & Fleischmann as alternatives to Unitrack for example and if you are modelling North American, Atlas would be the equal of Peco these days. Some even make their own track which has the potential of being the best looking and most versatile of the lot, but does require a lot more time than the manufactured types.

To me, the extra expense of Unitrack is a non issue considering how important getting a track type you're happy with and considering that the price differential may be less than the cost of a single locomotive.

Webbo

[bluedepot]

I prefer flexi track because you can get the track alignment to be exactly as you want it and not a fixed geometry.

quite a few times I got fed up with peco when things went wrong with the electronics or running and wished I had got kato instead for the reliability and simpler electronics.

anyway I learned a lot and solved most problems I had (often with the help of this forum) and I'm pleased I went with peco now - just for appearance reasons. I should have got code 55 looking back but didn't realise that it existed when I bought the track so too late! I have painted the rail sides brown so the height of the rails is disguised quite a bit anyway.

having said all this I have seen kato track layouts that look really good when people have painted and weathered it and adjusted the ballast height in some way.

so to sum up I have no idea what you should do really but good luck with it whatever track you choose.


Tim

[Invicta Alec]

I really don't think that there is a best track for all applications despite what some may like you to believe. What they really should be saying is that their choice suits their layout type, modelling skills and expectations..........

Webbo,

I really appreciate your balanced view on this subject. I believe it will help me to make a final decision. Thanks!

Alec.

[railsquid]

The big advantage of Unitrack is that it allows you to get some N gauge up and running very easily, saving a lot of potential frustration with flexitrack, points, frog polarity and all that. It's probably a big factor why N gauge is so incredibly popular here in Japan and is what got me hooked, as it was all so simple and stable compared to the flaky OO track I remember of yore. It also allows you to experiment with various layout possibilities without having to commit yourself; for temporary use it doesn't even need fixing down.

There is of course nothing stopping anyone from moving on from Unitrack once they've worked out what their needs are, as mentioned it is very robust and can be sold on (and/or migrated to use in areas like fiddle yards). Personally I've gone to Tomix Finetrack as this has a wider range of points and suits my requirements better (though I've ended up cutting some curved sections to achieve some angles not otherwise possible).

[Dr Al]

On code 55 vs code 80 - as others have rightly said it refers to the rail height.

However, Peco muddy the waters a bit as code 55 fine is no actually .055" tall rail, but instead .083" rail with a lot of that buried in the sleeper base with a double 'foot'. Therefore connecting code 80 and code 55 directly with rail joiners gives a bump at the transition.

If starting new therefore, it's best to stick to all one trackwork - many don't do this, but often because of reuse of older code 80 from previous systems, which is understandable.

You can see what is meant by this visually in this video towards the end (where here, "Super N" is the code 55, as it was originally called when first released in the mid 1980s)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_J5IZVamnns

Cheers,
Alan