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3 rail track compatibility

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  • Member since
    November 2002
  • From: Colorado
  • 4,075 posts
3 rail track compatibility
Posted by fwright on Tuesday, December 21, 2004 5:56 PM
Am re-entering the hobby after a while. Have some post-war and MPC era Lionel, an MTH set, and am taken with the looks of Atlas track. Starting out with a 4x8 display layout with elevated sections; building with the help of the kids.

Some of my accessories require tubular track - the postwar stock car and platform, and the MPC-era drawbridge, and possibly the postwar milk car platform. Will Atlas track successfully work with 0 and/or 027 track at reasonable speeds on the mainline, using Atlas adapters? Will the combination work on curves, or does it only work with straight track? I bought 2 Atlas curves and 2 straights plus the adapters to try it myself, and will report my test results, but I wondered if anybody else had tried the combination.

Also, will the Lionel trestle sets work with the Atlas track?

The same questions apply to the MTH track, though I don't see buying more of that - other than the adapter track - due to costs and the better look of the Atlas track, but I welcome any comments.

Inquiring minds want to know!
  • Member since
    August 2003
  • 6,434 posts
Posted by FJ and G on Wednesday, December 22, 2004 9:35 AM
Looks like several questions in there.

Use whatever track works best for your unloading accessories. You can mix and match to your heart's content (even if you don't use transition tracks). Simply line the rails together (some shimming may be required). There can even be a tiny gap between the 2 types of track where the blocks go or if you don't want a block to go there, you can joint the rails by soldering or soldering a copper wire between the rails.

As for radii for your rolling stock and engines, if unsure, just bring to your hobby shop and try them out

hope this helps

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