dazed and confused....Im so lost!!!!

[Anonymous]

ok i need too get some serious help...I am working on my N scale and i dont know what to buy for track.i know i am doing the foam for the base but what track is best?what is good ballast? what is the best thing to buy first while starting a layout...As you can see i need help...Thankyou!!!!

[egmurphy]

Wow, there are a few pretty open questions. Okay, beyond saying that "best", like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder, let's see if I can at least give you some opinions.

I'm on my first N scale layout and I used mostly Atlas code 80 flex track, and Atlas switches. I like the flexibility of flextrack. It does require some basic skills like soldering (only really necessary on the joints of flextrack on curves) and cutting the rail (rail nippers, like those made by Xuron, are a big help) but nothing exotic.

Others really like the foolproofness (new word!) of the Kato Unitrak. It's pricey, but does yield very good trackwork. I think Bachmann produces something similar.

Some people are going for smaller rail, like code 55, but I didn't want to try to mess with it. Just my personal preference.

On ballast, I like the real rock ballast like that produced by Arizona Rock & Mineral. I find it easier to keep in place while shaping and gluing it. Probably the most popular stuff is that made by Woodland Scenics. That's made from gound shells (so they say) and is very light. Takes a bit more effort to thoroughly pre-wet it before gluing. But they sell a lot of it.

Best first thing to buy? Should I assume you already have a good selection of how-to books like those published by Kalmbach? A good selection of hobby tools? Give me some idea of where you are and what you already have.

Okay there are a few comments to start. Don't know if that did anything to help. Fell free to keep asking for more info.

Regards

Ed

[DSchmitt]

QUOTE: Originally posted by egmurphy

Wow, there are a few pretty open questions. Okay, beyond saying that "best", like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder, .......

I agree.

Atlas track and switches work, are widly available, an relatively inexpensive. I started in N scale in 1968 using Atlas track.

In the early 1980's I started using Peco switches exclusively. They are more rugged than the Atlas and have a nice feature, a internal spring that holds the pointes to the route set. Because of this they can be used, if desired, without ground throws, switch machines, etc .

Peco makes both code 80 and code 55. Both sizes are compatable with Atlas code 80.

I normally mix Atlas code 80 flex track and Peco code 80 flex track on main line with Peco code 80 switches. On secondary lines and spurs I use Peco code 55. However, I do use other brands too, if the work better to get the track layout I want.

[Anonymous]

We're building our first layout with Kato Unitrack. We went this direction mostly becuase when my son (who is obsessive about trains) was ready for "electrics", I steered him to n-scale (ok, mom steered us there). We liked the Unitrack, becuase at age 4, he could put together the track and take it apart... and it held up well (and would run on almost any surface, since it has the roadbed built-in).

As we accumulated more track, and finally decided to move away from Japanese model train operation to American [;)] (meaning, running it on weekends on the dining room table vs. a permamen layout)...so we strated our first layout with Kato.

So far so good (we aren't done yet). It is nice that it has the roadbed and ballast built-in...so we'll scenic up to the track and skip some steps. May not be as prototypical, but being our firs layout, I have enough challenges as it is.

My biggest suggestion if you go down the Kato route... buy a bunch of their "expansion" track pieces....they come in very handy if you are doing anything beyond a simple loop.