Understanding Model Railroad Track

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“The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again.
But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked.
Don’t rejoice when your enemies fall;
don’t be happy when they stumble.
For the Lord will be displeased with you
and will turn his anger away from them.
Don’t fret because of evildoers;
don’t envy the wicked.”

Proverbs 24: 16-19 NLT

[wilzdart]

Jimmy I too used Kato unitrack for my upper level, my layout fills a 26X16 train room. It does work well but there are some down sides to it. Kato straight track longest piece is a little under 10" long. Which leaves a lot of rail joints ( I solder them together 3 ft long ) and leave sections with just rail jointers for expansion. the other issue is they dont fit flush so you get a bump over the joint. The other issue is with #4 turn outs, The great thing about the Kato track you can get it up and running in a very short time the other thing that is good you can cut the track to fit a space with first cutting the road bed in the middle take out the amount to get the correct size then just slide the road bed and cut the rails that hang past the end of the piece. I don't like the expansion track.

[Trains-With-Shane]

I will also sing the praises of Kato Unitrack in N scale as well. My "Rescue" layout that i'm working on used Atlas and maybe Peco code 80 track. And some of it being Flex Track. It has proven far more difficult to work with in regards to repairs and replacement. Kato Unitrack just snaps together and works. Also for beginners I don't recommend using Flex track. Just use standard pre-cut and formed curves, etc. Flex track can achieve a lot of great things but it can be a little bit of a hassle to work with because you have to keep pressure on it else it wants to straighten back out, lol.

[markliesegang]

HI Jimmy, Question - do you need to isolate a siding at the turnout so that the track beyond the turnouts is powered via a switch and that way not relying on the turnout to supply power to the siding? Mark

[NYandAtlantic]

Thanks for the info I’m probably gonna be using atlas code 100 still trying to figure out my layout just built a tunnel out of a cardboard box still have work to be done on it. I happen to like the Bsnf locomotive. My son likes Canadian national any suggestions on running 2 freight trains and 1 steam engine as my wife likes the steam era

[muir]

Actually Jimmy, I've found the tomix to be better looking, better quality, and better variety than kato, which I guess is why tomix is the top seller, although the Kato is a good second best, although the fleischmann could be a very viable alternative: the plastic roadbed looks superficially the best

[timtheeagle]

Whilst Kato unitrack is easy to use, and I have used it on an old layout, I find the look of the roadbed not to be convincing. No offense intended to anyone using it... I run trains from all over the world and different eras that would make some cringe lol. I just think it's a lot harder to make unitrack look "scale" with everything else you spend so much time and money detailing and getting just right. Just an opinion. Good way to start out and see if you like the hobby though

[TheTrainFreak]

Even though HOn30 can use N scale track to run, the sleepers or ties are too small and too close together to actually represent HO scale. Same goes with HOn3 using TT(Table-top) gauge (1:120) and On30 using HO/OO track. Great explanation nevertheless! - Jason

[timduggan]

So, the presenter here explains it well. IF you model HO? CODE 83 represents Main Line trackage, Code 70 (if you can find it) is for purists...and eould be "light rail".
In N-Scale? We choose from Code 80 and ...Code 55. Again, the more "realistic" the track? Higher price. It's up to you. When track is NOT visible? Tunnels, staging yards, ETC? USE larger guage.

[timduggan]

So, look. I bought a house in 1992 in Denver, it had a basement. Started my "dream layout" (HO). But? I had to move, tore apart the sub-road bed AND track. Moved to Phoenix....no basements there. Started a shelf switching layout...but circumstances changed
Now in LA, still no basement. Frustrated.

[timduggan]

Oh, gosh. This vid is two years ago. When I model in HO, I choose Code 83. It's closer to real world..
I am delving into N-Scale, and I see Code 80 and Code 55. Again, if you want reality? In N-Scale Code 55 looks more realistic. These "numbers" relate to what you'd measure using a micrometer. Standard track rails in the USA are about 3-4 inches. When we scale it down? We have to recognize reliability and usefulness.

[timduggan]

Also? In between had a basement in Arlington VA. Started a layout. Hint: IN a basement, pay attention to the I tore it down, I saw mold on the track. Don't let that happen to you!!!!

[Eduardomd]

As always, very good information you share with us. In my case I have been buying different brands and CODES of HO track. Piko, Atlas, Roco.
I Made a double track, and I found that even though I did not have issues in the connection itself, I have to install transicion joiners. but some of my locomotives, just did not run "smooth" as I expected, because, I believe the code rail in some sections, just did not behave well with the flange of the wheels. I Have in my roster of trains, Europeans, like Roco, JC. and in the American Roster: Athearn Genesis, Scale Trains, Rapido, Broadway Limited, MTH. And in the sections of poor compatibility they make a lot of noise ! like the Flange touching the ties !, I believe. So I think here is an issue so say more about track code and compatibility with Locomotives & Rolling stock.
I imagine the solution is simple: Forget different brands and standardise to Track Code 100 .
But I wish I could hear from an expert, like you, all of this considerations. I believe it will be important information to the MRR community.
Thank you Jimmy. Saludos desde México (greetings from Mexico)

[Ranger]

Michigan guy, eight o'clock beans, grind at home. Drinking it black, no sugar. Rather ordinary, I think.

[d.l.hemmingway]

Scale for me equals O or 1/4 inch equals 1 foot. Gauge = 2.5 feet or 30 inches between the rails otherwise HO gauge.

[dkaustin]

Now that you have gone over the track heights/codes are you going to do a part two talking about pizza cutter flanges found on older equipment that require a higher code to keep from banging along on the ties? How about the special rail joiners that allow two different codes to be joined together? Then there is the Peco N scale Code 55, which really isn't. In the way Peco manufactures their code 55 is so it is code 55 from the outside, appearance, and code 75 between the rails so it will accommodate most pizza cutter flanges of the older equipment. Just some ideas for a part two.

[raymondleggs]

I have to use code 100 because I run mostly European trains and the cars and old engines have huge wheels

[bradygamble]

Black rifle coffee every morning it will change your day around

[SFCRambo]

I wish you had a sample of all the track to view. You have me completely confused.

[bgm-]

The thing that confused me for the longest time about track code is how two different scales will use the same code track. For instance, both HO scale and N scale modelers use code 55 rail. For years, I wondered if code 55 in HO is a different (actual) rail height than code 55 in N. But they're exactly the same. Which is odd, as code 55 for N scale is already considered small. For HO, it's even smaller!

[davidsheriff]

HO track is also OO track in UK and is 1:76 scale...