Track compatability

[Anonymous]

OK.. I admit to being a complete "newbie."

I just bought a Bachmann "Great Northern Express" on Ebay, and then the Garden Railroad book from Garden Railways.

My question, is that from what I have read, with an outdoor layout that is going to get some weather (I live in Oregon....lots of rain) I get the impression that I should use brass track...most likely from LGB.

Have any of you experienced any compatability issues with Bachmann products running on LGB track?

Also...will the Bachman transformer that came with the set work for an outdoor setup, or should I be looking at power units as well.

Thanks in advance for any help!

[Anonymous]

Hi Toys&tunes and[#welcome],
2nd welcome today, nice to get new RRoaders in the forum. Living on the west coast of the UK I also get lots of rain, today being a good example! Aristo brass track is good, the joiners give you good electrical conductivity and your Bachmann will like it. LGB is also good but it doesn't employ the track clamp, I used LGB on my first set up in the 80's and I used their copper paste in the rail joiners, it worked for me but I prefer Aristo now. Dump the Bachmann power pack, other guys who live in the states will advise you on the packs available but I do recommend you hook upto an Aristo Train Engineer, radio control, very reasonable & it will go as far as you imagination will take you, it has the capability to control many loco's and accesories. I said this earlier today, don't hesitate, get the track and get your train outdoors, you'll never look back!!
Cheers,
Kim
[tup]

[Anonymous]

Hey there, Kimn,
Nice to be here. I'll take your advice and look into the track options you mentioned. I'm sure I'll be upgrading the power pack as well. I was motly concered with size compatabilty..but sounds like it is all pretty mucht eh same sizse as long as I don;t go for a narrow guage.

Thanks again!

[toenailridgesl]

Toys& tunes,
all brass track is compatible so long it's the same code ie height. The usual GR track is code 320. You mentioned "so long as it isn't narrow gauge". The Bachmann set you have IS narrow gauge, modelled in 1:22.5 so that the 45mm track simulates Meter or 3ft gauge.
Kim makes an excellent point re radio control, give thought to going battery power also, especially since you are in Oregon, that way you don't have to worry about track conductivity, cleanliness, rain or power packs. There are a number of excellent R/C packages available, do yourself a favour & spend some time going through back issues of GR mag. Every newbie question & solution is in there somewhere.
There's an index of all GR back issues on the main page of this site, find the articles you want then ask! Someone here or over on MLS will be able to answer you.
Good luck, too, & welcome!

[Anonymous]

Toys&tunes, you'll have fun with the scale thing, we all do! The manufacturers all make their loco's/stock to fit the same track, they don't make them to the same scale!
1:32 true scale for standard guage - Railking
1:29 sold as standard guage but slightly out - USA, Aristo
1:24 narrow guage track track 3'6"ish - Delton (now Aristo)
1:22.5 narrow guage track 1 metre - LGB, some Bachmann
1:20.3 narrow guage track 3' - some Bachmann

It gets a bit more confusing when Bachmann sells some rolling stock as 1:20.3 and it's smaller than their 'G' guage stock (1:22.5). Personally I mix the scales and it doesn't bother me at all, others stick with one scale, all personal choice and something that will, at some stage, have you muttering expletives!! Don't forget there are lots of small companies out there making true scale cars so if you decide to be a purist and stick with one scale you will find what you want.
Again, enjoy.
Cheers,
Kim
[tup]

[toenailridgesl]

Kim!!!
Guage?
Wrong!!!!!
Gauge!!!!!
3/10!
Go to the back of the line! I'll see you after school where you will write the word "gauge" 1000 times!!!!!
(Kim, we can't let these Nth American Colonials see that our Queen's English isn't ALWAYS exemplary! You're letting the side down, old chap, don't ya know? (with elevated upper left lip in impersonation of Elvis' sneer).
Her Maj would NOT be pleased :(

[Anonymous]

Phil,
wot kan i sai, ive spellt itt rong, verri sorri.
gauge, gauge, gauge, gauge, gauge, gauge, gauge gauge, gauge, gauge, gauge, gauge, gauge, I'm getting the hang of it!! Is that 1000??[;)]
Cheers,
Kim
[tup]

[toenailridgesl]

"gauge, gauge, gauge, gauge, gauge, gauge, gauge( missing comma!) gauge, gauge, gauge, gauge, gauge, gauge, I'm getting the hang of it!"

Hmmm, I think you need to see Prof Snape after Potions class for a rather nasty punishment..
Signed,
Dumbledore, Prof. (Headmaster, Hogwarts School for Wizards & Witches)
PS, leave your wand in the dormitory, we will have no "Expelliarmus" curses used here!
Also, go & stand in the corner (bearing in mind that in this Muggle world the corners only have 2 walls meeting at 90°.)

[Curmudgeon]

332 not 320.

[vsmith]

Lets clear up this scale and gauge issue once and for all...

Scale = what a fish wears.

Gauge = what sizes a shotgun come in.

[:p][;)][8D]

[Anonymous]

Now then Vic, over here a shot gun is measured by 'bore', the most common being 12 bore. Being Brits we then measure some shotguns by the diameter of the shell, a common poaching gun was a double barrel fold over .410, a lot of old Lee Enfield .303 rifles were sleeved to this size after the war, I used to own several shotguns when our gun laws were a little easier. I can't remember all of the sizes now bit I seem to recall we had a 14 bore and a punt duck gun was a 20 bore. Sorry if i'm boring you!!
Cheers,
Kim
[tup]

[tangerine-jack]

I used a B'mann power pack from a Big Hauler set for a long time on 75' of track running one engine with no problems. Any more train than that and you will run into issues with amperage capacities. Use the B'mann pack for now, but look to upgrade soon. I'm running a 10 amp Aristo Train Engineer and I like it! Wish I did it sooner. The 10 amp was only $4.00 more than the 5 amp, so do your comparative shopping and get the largest capacity you can afford.

Vic, I'm confused with all this discussion, shoot, I can't even spell skail and gague.



[oX)]

[Anonymous]

To reply to the original post:

In Oregon, at least the coastal area, you get a lot of moisture... I'd think stainless steel would be much better, less corrosion. Aristo SS track is cheaper or about the same price as LGB brass.

I have a web site where I do a comparison of track types, may be of help: www.elmassian.com.

Good luck!

Greg