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N-Track

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  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
N-Track
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, January 30, 2004 6:24 PM
Hello everybody !!
I'm from Germany, living in CANADA for 10 Years now, and new in this forum. I'm collecting German N-scale for more than 25 years but never took the time to build a layout. I believe I own, may be 20 feet of track( Minitrix, Arnold, etc.) Now , I would like to get started but have no idea what I'm doing. !!(concerning the choise of tracks) I believe, back home there is one standard only .??
What I'm gonna do now. I was surprised by the different codes., and worse, I missed the November issue of Model-Railroader, with the N-Track article , which I believe , would helped a lot to bring some light into the dark. Is there somebody out there to post some links. I would like to learn more about it and would be very happy.[:)] Thank you all. Bug
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, January 31, 2004 1:11 AM
The "code" of the track refers to its height (the rail) as measured in thousandths of an inch. Code 70 is just another way of saying 0.070" tall rail. If you aren't sure what code rail matches the track you already own, you might try just buying a single piece of track in each of the various codes, and see which one(s) can mate with your track. If you don't want to invest in track like that, then maybe you could take a piece of your track down to a local hobby shop or even to a train show, and ask to compare.

I strongly recommend, though, Kato's Unitrack. For a beginner, it affords a wide variety or rugged and reliable track and is very forgiving of errors in the subroadbed or installation. It has an oversized rail which doesn't have a realistic railhead cross-section, which is why I'm not using it myself, but it'll probably be a long time before you find this unacceptable. I bought a basic loop of track (the K1 set) for just over $30 American at the last train show. This set contains about half of the amount of track you already own, though it does not include any turnouts. Their K2 set includes a pair of turnouts, and of course you can buy all of their track components individually rather than in sets. Kato also makes a transition piece of track, which probably would allow you to use your existing track with it.

I hope this helps! I cannot reproduce the article (and I imagine the forum moderators here frown on such a request), but I have been modeling in N-scale for almost 20 years and have tried all sorts of track brands.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, January 31, 2004 2:36 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by Avondaleguy

The "code" of the track refers to its height (the rail) as measured in thousandths of an inch. Code 70 is just another way of saying 0.070" tall rail. If you aren't sure what code rail matches the track you already own, you might try just buying a single piece of track in each of the various codes, and see which one(s) can mate with your track. If you don't want to invest in track like that, then maybe you could take a piece of your track down to a local hobby shop or even to a train show, and ask to compare.

I strongly recommend, though, Kato's Unitrack. For a beginner, it affords a wide variety or rugged and reliable track and is very forgiving of errors in the subroadbed or installation. It has an oversized rail which doesn't have a realistic railhead cross-section, which is why I'm not using it myself, but it'll probably be a long time before you find this unacceptable. I bought a basic loop of track (the K1 set) for just over $30 American at the last train show. This set contains about half of the amount of track you already own, though it does not include any turnouts. Their K2 set includes a pair of turnouts, and of course you can buy all of their track components individually rather than in sets. Kato also makes a transition piece of track, which probably would allow you to use your existing track with it.

I hope this helps! I cannot reproduce the article (and I imagine the forum moderators here frown on such a request), but I have been modeling in N-scale for almost 20 years and have tried all sorts of track brands.
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, January 31, 2004 2:43 PM
Hi Avondaleguy
Thank you for your quick reply. Yes, I believe you are right about the moderators and my request. I'm sorry, and withdraw this request. As I said, I'm new here and have to learn the rules, which I haven't found jet. Well, I guess I have to invest in a back issue. !!
Thanks again! Bug

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