G scale question

[Anonymous]

Hi,
I want to set up a garden railroad for my sons. I want to use 1:29 rolling stock with most likely USA Trains power.
My question is does anyone know where I can find a reasonably priced source of track? It seems like the track is more expensive than the trains!
The only other option would be to handlay it, but i don't know where to begin with that either. Does anyone know the names of suppliers for handlaying track or any informational resources on the web for such a thing?
Thanks in advance,
RM

[Anonymous]

Have you talked to your local hobby shop? They might carry g-guage. I looked in to buying track from trainworld(trainworld.com) and it was a little cheaper, but you have to ay for shipping which puts you at the cost at the hobby shop.
Craig

[vsmith]

If your running USA trains you should run USA track, Its by far the most reasonable priced track out there. I've been using USA and Aristo-Craft, Both are made by the same mfr, but USA is slightly less expensive. check advertisments in Garden Railways Magazine, mail order might be the best way to go if you cannot find a local supplier. LGB track is great is you have deep pockets.

WARNING! LGB two axel locos WILL NOT work on USA/aristo switches, they stall on the frogs every time, and Bachmanns Annie has a tendency to derail going over USA frogs, consider that BEFORE you buy switches. If you are even thinking of using LGB locos or Bachmanns. If you are, invest in LGB switches, and use rail clamps to connect to USA straights and curves, you're work will be much easier.

[Rene Schweitzer]

Have you thought about flextrack? You bend the rail with a railbender and slide the rails on separately. It costs less than sectional track, and you can make the curves you like, and not be tied to specific radii. Aristo-Craft, H&R Trains, J&W Model Trains, LGB, Llagas Creek, Peco, and Sunset Valley all offer some type of flex track. The downside is that you need to have a railbender, but sometimes local clubs have one you can borrow for free.

Rene

[Anonymous]

I just got started in garden railroad and bought alot of my track on Ebay for about 1/5th the price. But you have to pay close attention to the biding

[Anonymous]

Try making your own. Down here in NZ the imported cost of rail is mind blowing and perhaps one reason not many have outside trains. I use 12x3mm flat aluminium with 3mm l section as securing pionts every 30mm, cut trellis timber as sleepers/ spacers etc. Hard to explain but I have over 300metres of track ( Thats 900ft in your language) that works well with one bachman contoller, so the voltage drop is good, and it only costs in round figures $NZ5 per metre ( Works out about $US1 a foot) . A lot cheaper than the brought track. End result, every bit as good as the commercial track. Try it, you may be surprised how easy it is and the costs savings.

[Anonymous]

If you really want to try hand laid track try going to the Saskatoon model railroaders site at members.shaw.ca/sask.rail/ Don't need www in front of it. They have a very informative technical section on hand laid track and also for hand laid switches. You will still need the railbender though. Hope this helps.

[Anonymous]

or you could just make the trains remote controlled and lay wooden track. :)

[yellowducky]

QUOTE: Originally posted by train man

or you could just make the trains remote controlled and lay wooden track. :)

Joke or serious? I run my church's midweek club which is a (disguised) model rr. club for age 4 thru 5th grade. We have set up a 4ft.x15ft. layout of Brio type/size (about 1in. center of grooves). I made some straight sections of track for it out of some new 30yr. old hardwood flooring. I am into all scales/guages and have some cheap battery run guage#1 and a Bachman Big Hauler. I've been wanting to make wood track for them. Anybody out there know a good lumber company to find materal at? Or should I try a woodworking mag. fourm.?

[Anonymous]

Ok, anyone know a SUPPLIER for bulk rail? I have heard the alumium rail is cheap.

[Anonymous]

fallenhunter:

Here's a place to start, there ar others-

http://www.mgsharp.com/LGB_TRACK.HTM

scroll down to the flexi track section. No sections here, you have to put this stuff together from scratch, ties and all.

Be sure to check the -

http://www.elmassian.com/gtrack.html

...page for pros and cons on which TYPE of track you want to use and how you will use it.

Hope this helps.

LDH

[Anonymous]

Vettbass:
You seem to know track pretty well. Do you foresee any problem of tying all sorts of track together? Aluminum, LGB, Bachman, etc.? I have some handmedown laid switches and LGB switches.
Just beginning to set up on what is basically sand.
Mark

[Anonymous]

markdgls:

From what I understand there are conductivity problems with mixing track types. (Makes sense, inconsistent resistance). I believe Brass to to be the best, but lets see if we can an electric modeler to respond here. Being a Live Steamer, I'm NOT an expert on powered rails.

All I know is that steel is good when new, but rusts quickly. Stainless lasts forever but never looks prototypical unless you paint it rust color then sand the paint off the top rail surface. Aluminum corrodes and I understand is NOT the best conductor. I would think this would be the WORST to mix with something else due to an electrolysis problem it could create with a dissimilar metal. I here usuing aluminum TOTALLY is OK tho.

I use Brass because I like the way it weathers and is fairly middle of the road cost-wise and not that hard to bend. Conductivity is not an issue for me, but they tell me brass is best all around, when it is.

[cacole]

Try to avoid mixing different types of metal and track from different manufacturers as much as possible. Different types of metal react chemically with each other and corrode. Stainless steel is the most inert of track types, so that is what I used as much as possible, even though it is more expensive. I tried to stick with Aristo Craft throughout so there would be no problems with rail joiners not matching up and causing problems, plus the fact that they use screws to join the rail together for more stability and better electrical contact at the rail joiners. No one I contacted had Aristo Craft straight rail sections in stainless steel, so I had to settle for brass. From what I have read, brass and stainless steel do not react against each other. Ultimately I plan on using on-board battery power and DCC for my locomotives, so track corrosion and dirt on the rail won't be a problem. If you try to use aluminum rail, be sure you get a brand that is solid rail, and not just folded over hollow rail like Bachmann's. Garden Railways magazine had a review of the different types of track several months ago -- try to find that in their archives or back issues.