jboy wrote:I What is the hot tip for saving a bit on LGB track. I just got a large portion of my layout ready for track and I have a bad case of "trainitis". I am not interested in used track
Check with Ridge Road Station. They had the same type of sale as A/C last winter.
Good Luck,
Ron
Age is only a state of mind, keep the mind active and enjoy life
jboy wrote:I believe that Arisro track goes on sale every Feb., but does LGB track ever go on sale? I have given my old magazines a once over but don't believe I have ever seen it advertised on sale.. What is the hot tip for saving a bit on LGB track. I just got a large portion of my layout ready for track and I have a bad case of "trainitis". I am not interested in used track
Aristo track is pretty good when you consider they dont know the "LGB sleeper formula"...that secret formula that somehow keeps the LGB ties from coming brittle winter after winter.
Aristo ties will hold up almost as good as LGBs, but not quite at least thats what people have said running it side-by-side for 20+ in the garden.
The real difference you probably will notice at first and later, is the rail joiner systems.
They are VERY different. Be warned! If you are used to LGB system, the Aristo will be a surprise. I am not sure if Aristo has used better screws in the removable joiners---do the screws still rust and dissolve after years? I bought a couple pieces of Aristo and saved about $3.00 only to become so upset that their railjoiners were not as long as LGB's and did not temporarily connect tight like new LGB track does (for a Christmas layout.)
That was the only time I bought Aristo---from then on its LGB for me. To me, its worth the money for the simplicity of the LGb. I can add really nice railclamps if I ever need to. Also, LGBs new roadbed system is only for LGB tracks, so that is something to consider (the roadbed is NICE--i have seen and felt it --strong, easy to setup,etc.).
LGB track in price comparison is very reasonable. A box of Aristo normal price is about $34 mail order and LGB runs close to $40. Aristo gives you a free box if you go thru the hassles of mailing them ,etc. but I rather just stick with the best track system ever made.
If you must go with Aristo , only buy the straights and curves--i hear horror stories about their turnouts.
Cheers,
Tom M.
If you want a tip on LGB track , check garden railways magazine ads during the summer months. Every summer, Trainworld.com lgbpiko.com has a "summer " sale and will you save$$ and lots of goodies. it just ended, or is winding down right now....you may still get some deals. but regular 1000./1100 series track really never goes down that much if it does at all, because , hey, its going to last you 25+ years in the garden why should they sell it less than $40 a box? thats pretty darn good deal right there...
remember when starting a garden pike: dont skimp on the quality of your roadbed! you will kick yourself 4, 8,10,12 years from now i guarantee it if it you bought cheap stuff only to save a couple hundred bucks in the beginning.
if you think lgb is expensive, look at it as an investment that will last. how many investments do we make that actually last 25 years? certainly you won't find many on the shelves at walmart! we buy products year after year that only have a 90 day warranty--i wonder why? from coffee machines to flat tvs to christmas gifts for our kids, even the x box and the nintendo--only hold their attentions for a year or two (that is, if they dont break right after the holidays!) and then its something else.
Hey Guys
Thanks for the replies. I think what I need to do is to start a list compairing the various offers and see what the best price might be. I think I have pretty much decided on LGB track, as it will get walked on, and I like the idea of it being the strongest track out there. I will post my results when I have some more info. Thanks again.
My views on LGB versus Aristo track is well known, i am an LGB fan but i reckon Aristo rails are better, as they have a better alloy using more zinc and less copper, making them harder and oxidise less. They lose a bit on conductivity though, but such small amount its not worth considering.
However there it ends, I have had trouble with Aristy joiners filling up with dirt and losing conductivity and they are hard to solder. I just got rid of them, replaced with LGB joiner and soldered the whole thing, no more trouble.
The bit about winter makiing the sleepers brittle is a point that i cannot comment on as where i live their is no winter.
I actually use our club track here in Australia and it is ideal for me, being more like Aristo with LGB joiners, comes in 3.69 m or 12 ' lengths and i bend it to suit what I am doing and it's just the best.
regards Ian
Mike you are quite right about using rail clamps, I use Hillman on all connections to points (switches) but as good as they are they are not as good as LGB rail joiners soldered!
In my opinion anyway and they are pretty expensive if you are going to use a lot of them.
Rgds Ian
If you are gonna use track power for your layout you might conside using rail clamps instead of the supplied joiners that come with the track . I use LGB , ARISTCRAFT and USA track conected with rail clamps and have had no problems with any of it so far .
You need not take off the great LGB joiners to use rail clamps! San-Val trains in Calif. has railclamps that fit RIGHT OVER the LGB joiners. This makes for an even better secure joint/clamp combo at the end of the rail. They say there is not a voltage drop within 330+ feet or so with their clamps.
Also, consider using longer pieces of track when running an electrical powered layout. Get 4 foot sections (no gaps) or by flex rail in 5' or 9' sections that LGB sells. Hillman clamps are good too but try to get some that go over the rail joiners.
And when you lay track, put the LGB conductive paste inside the rail joiners before connecting. The conductive paste really helps keep the joint flowing with electricity. Many people have tested this over decades of use and it really improves the transfer thru the joints.
Regards,
jboy wrote: I know this is a dumb question. But, does LGB track come with rail joiners in the box or do I need to buy them as a special item.
Howdy! LGB track, everything except the FLEX Track pieces, come with their patented, superior rail joiners INSTALLED so rest assure--you can run trains once you buy the track pieces.
Not only are they installed, but if you never used LGB track before, you will find getting those rail joiners OFF the track a real problem! They have a patented way of connecting the joiner to the track. Its really not that hard to remove a rail joiner, but you need to make a certain "move" with a needle-nose pliers if you want to keep the rail joiner useable after its taken off. The "World of LGB" book should have a diagram of how to take off a rail joiner among other great tips.
SECTIONAL TRACK
Now, if you want a permanent layout in the garden, LGB brand products have everything you need and the prices they charge may be higher than the other guys--but for good reason. Less hassle and longer reliability. If you go electrical-powered trains, the best thing to do is keep the rail joiners on the tracks (try to have as little number of "gaps" between track sections as possible--use 4' sections,etc.) and use rail clamps over top the joiners. Use LGB conductive paste within the rail joiners before you clamp the tracks.
FLEX TRACK
Flex track comes in two parts: rails and sleeper sections. If you wish to make uncommon curves,etc. like a real railway use flex. You need a good railbender ($85) for this job. Not too difficult to make the sections, but you probably won't want to do this for the entire railway! You bend the rails then slide the sleeper sections onto the rails. This means you wont have any "gaps" within this section, therefore making electricity flow just fine. If you need to cut the LGB rail, a hack saw works PERFECTLY! You can make "custom sections" even with regular sectional track (like I have) by using a hack saw.
Any more questions feel free to ask!
iandor wrote: Mike you are quite right about using rail clamps, I use Hillman on all connections to points (switches) but as good as they are they are not as good as LGB rail joiners soldered! In my opinion anyway and they are pretty expensive if you are going to use a lot of them. Rgds Ian
San-Val has rail joiner clamps that go OVER the existing LGB rail joiner. This method is superior because keeping that quality LGB joiner on the rail and then reinforcing it with a clamp makes for a robust connection. Hopefully Hillman and other firms make joiner-over clamps as well.
Yes, clamps add much to the cost of the track! Clamps are about $1.59 each with a little discount if bought in bulk. But they really are fast and convenient (compared to soldering!) .
It all comes down to this: I prefer to pay more for avoiding frustration ....what is more precious: your time or your money? That is only something each individual has to decide.
Wow, had to disable my firewall software to post... guess I won't be posting often on the new whiz-bang forum. Looks like it's tracking cookies and third party cookies. Pretty silly to require this on a forum for posting.
I just had to reply. Conductivity problems are caused by dirt and oxidation between the rails and the joiners. Putting a clamp over a poorly conducting joint does nothing. If the joint is clean and you really screw down the clamp over the joiner, you will have LESS chance of problems.
I've read just about every post in every large scale forum, and to summarize their experience, don't waste your money. If you are going to use rail clamps, use Hillman or Split Jaw. Take off the original joiners.
The San Val clamps are a very old design, and don't work that well. Look at some of them installed, or pictures of them installed on the forums, they don't even tighten down straight in many cases.
OK, now that I've gotten everyone in this thread upset, don't take my word on this, ask a bunch of people, and go see some layouts. See what people are using nowadays.
Regards, Greg
Visit my site: http://www.elmassian.com - lots of tips on locos, rolling stock and more.
Click here for Greg's web site
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