jwse30I know it's tinplate, but Gargraves makes o42 sectional track. For about $1 more a section you can get it in stainless steel too. You'd have the same issue with magnetraction with the stainless though. Hope this helps, J White
Hope this helps, J White
Magnetraction works on GarGraves Stainless.
And it won't be an issue with his big steam engine. The GarGraves Stainless flex track is probably the way to go, GarGraves Stainless sectional can be mixed in if desired.
Rob
Here's my track. Look closely. It is stud rail. This was my first prototype so I didn't put too much time in detailing it. Currently I am on the 3rd version of the rails but I haven't gotten the new pieces back yet. These add on to existing 2 rail track and 3 rail wheels run on it. I also have outside 3rd rail as I am a fan of older products. This isn't for everyone and isn't a system that you can just set up on the carpet and run with though. It is meant for permanent installations.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/44365983@N08/4223773467/
i have been using mth realtrax for 10 years and have not had problems with it .i have over 500 +feet of track& 30plus switches and run dcs.
Doc, Prior to our club becoming a permanent exhibitor at the San Diego Model RR Museum we were a modular group that ran a lot. We had to replace some of the tubular track a few times, it was always the inside portion of the outer rail on curves that would at times would wear thru.
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I use lionel o tubular and it works great. I have never seen it worn out and I know i have some from the 1930s. I have seen it destroyed by rust but never worn out from trains running. Even a fairly rusty piece can be cleaned up and work. It is also cheap compared to the others especially used.
dogdoc
I have been over to the Williams by Bachmann's website and on their forum they are saying that the original Realtrax by MTH has some real issues with it. Won't stay together and won't conduct electricity properly at track connections. Also the Realtrax switches fall apart right out of the box!
Maybe MTH has revamped the Realtrax for the upcoming year, but right now I would stay totally away from MTH's Realtrax.
Lee F.
RockIsland52 lionroar88 HighOnDieselFumes Id have to think how many of my locos have magnetraction. I can only go to 042 because my platform is 4 feet wide & my T-1 requires minimum 042 radius, 048 will work but she may take the big plunge 4 feet to the ground. Im not taking that chance. I likethe track from Atlas & other manufacturers but trying to find smthg other than tin in 042 is going to be the problem. I hear MTH makes their version of fastrack in 042 but I dont like what I hear about MTH's track. The Atlas O-45 curves should work fine for you.I have been using the Atlas O track for my layout and love it. I can't run anything without speed control on the upper level due to the length of the incline and the fact that I love to run long, long trains. I haven't tried running the Postwar 681 with 2400 series passenger cars up there... that would require me to go through the bins to locate them! I borrowed your bins and didn't notice the cars were in there until I got them home. I'll send them back to you as soon as I have performed the Marine Corps level of cleaning, lubrication, and a thorough six month testing regimen. Jack
lionroar88 HighOnDieselFumes Id have to think how many of my locos have magnetraction. I can only go to 042 because my platform is 4 feet wide & my T-1 requires minimum 042 radius, 048 will work but she may take the big plunge 4 feet to the ground. Im not taking that chance. I likethe track from Atlas & other manufacturers but trying to find smthg other than tin in 042 is going to be the problem. I hear MTH makes their version of fastrack in 042 but I dont like what I hear about MTH's track. The Atlas O-45 curves should work fine for you.I have been using the Atlas O track for my layout and love it. I can't run anything without speed control on the upper level due to the length of the incline and the fact that I love to run long, long trains. I haven't tried running the Postwar 681 with 2400 series passenger cars up there... that would require me to go through the bins to locate them!
HighOnDieselFumes Id have to think how many of my locos have magnetraction. I can only go to 042 because my platform is 4 feet wide & my T-1 requires minimum 042 radius, 048 will work but she may take the big plunge 4 feet to the ground. Im not taking that chance. I likethe track from Atlas & other manufacturers but trying to find smthg other than tin in 042 is going to be the problem. I hear MTH makes their version of fastrack in 042 but I dont like what I hear about MTH's track.
Id have to think how many of my locos have magnetraction. I can only go to 042 because my platform is 4 feet wide & my T-1 requires minimum 042 radius, 048 will work but she may take the big plunge 4 feet to the ground. Im not taking that chance. I likethe track from Atlas & other manufacturers but trying to find smthg other than tin in 042 is going to be the problem. I hear MTH makes their version of fastrack in 042 but I dont like what I hear about MTH's track.
I borrowed your bins and didn't notice the cars were in there until I got them home. I'll send them back to you as soon as I have performed the Marine Corps level of cleaning, lubrication, and a thorough six month testing regimen.
Jack
IF IT WON'T COME LOOSE BY TAPPING ON IT, DON'T TRY TO FORCE IT. USE A BIGGER HAMMER.
I use Gargraves stainless steel track as I have a moisture problem as well. The other thing about Gargraves curves in 042 is that they are closer to 43 & a half inch radius curve than a 42 inch curve. So I have been able to run larger steam engines, a Reading T-1, and longer passenger consists on it, example is that I can run Atlas's 21 inch Amtrac passenger cars on Gargraves 042 curves.
While Atlas makes an 045 curve you may find yourself very near the layout limits when using 045 curves, if you have a 4 X 8 foot layout. Lionel's Fastrac in 048 won't fit into a layout having a 4 X 8 foot area.
From my personal experiance you may only need to swap an engine, SD-45 instead of an FP-40(six axles instead of four), and not go up to the next larger curve size if something don't work right. Try to use a differant engine, even a differant brand of say SD-45 or GP-9, instead of going up to a larger track size.
I always thought that it was stainless.
Doug, are you sure about Atlas's being stainless steel? Dave Hz has asserted that it is ordinary steel; and Atlas doesn't seem to have claimed that it is stainless: http://www.atlaso.com/solidsteel.htm
Bob Nelson
I have a preference for the Atlas track. Even though their stainless line has been discontinued by Atlas it is still available on the market and it works great with magnetraction. The best thing about the solid "T" type rail is that you ain't gonna wear it out.
Don't forget Marx O34: Its curves are gentler than O31 but don't take up as much room as O42.
And spiral curves can give the illusion of a large radius in a small space.
Track is always an interesting discussion I too am just getting back into O. I have some issues with carpal and ulnar nerve in my left hand, so I deemed it easier to go back to O. I used realtrax for a holiday layout. There are a few articles CTT Jan 2010 page 29 being one. The newest gen of MTH seems to be the best. The hollow rails have an advantage - you can install small cutoff finish nails as rail joiners if you are leary of repairing bad welds. Of course with those installed, one can no longer bend the track upwards to disconnect it!
I did sell it all just shortly ago - decided to join the ole tubular genaration! Something nostalgic about it i guess, and the postwar engines run on it no matter what shape its rails are in. I am doing O track, bought several O22 switches on the bay, found out how easy they are to repair, and am having fun.
I gotta run - maybe will add more later
Tim
HighOnDieselFumes I hear MTH makes their version of fastrack in 042 but I dont like what I hear about MTH's track.
Smart, very smart. Use the search feature of this forum and find the posts about MTH track and switches. DId you know that MTH Realtrax is now manufactured with a hollow track section?
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I know it's tinplate, but Gargraves makes o42 sectional track. For about $1 more a section you can get it in stainless steel too. You'd have the same issue with magnetraction with the stainless though.
Hope this helps,
J White
Same as you, I am just getting back into my O guage trains. I am going to start my layout soon and am pretty set on using Atlas O 20th Century track. I like it because it has a good prototypical look and it has prototypical spacing between curves of different sizes if that matters to you (O-36, O-45, O-54, etc., i.e. 9" spacing). Maybe you can tell, I am interested in building a hi-rail layout instead of a toy layout. One other thing about the Atlas O track that you may like since you mentioned the humidity problem - it is nickel silver instead of tin plate.
The downside of that is magnetraction wheels will not grip it like a tin plate track. I'm not sure how big of an issue that is, I'd like to know if anyone has feedback on that because I will have some inclines on my layout.
There are lots of other good track systems and lots of good books and articles out there. A little searching should turn up some results.
Good luck!
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