I am a novice to model railroading. I see train sets by Bachmann advertised with their E-Z track system. My question is "If I purchased a set by Bachmann with the E-Z lock track system and later wanted to expand my layout, am I limited to only using the E-Z lock track system"
Well, no, you can use other track, but you would have to make "adaptor" sections. I think I would just stick with the EZ Track.
Just make sure to get the nickel silver track, it has the grey colored road bed. The black road bed is steel track. It works, but NS is better.
Mike.
My You Tube
I want to say EZ Track's rail profile is the same height as Code 100 rail. So any Code 100 system should be able to link up to it, you just need something to raise the roadbed to the same height such as cork/foam bed and some styrene strips. In my opinion, EZ Track though is really best only to set up temporary layouts. Got some kids over and want them to be able to 'play with trains?' Put some EZ Track in a loop on the floor, plug in a power source and put some cheap trains onto the loop and let them go wild. Want to see if a curve can fit on a layout? Build the curve out of the matching EZ Track size and place it on the layout, then trace the roadbed; then remove the EZ Track and start laying cord and flex track in its place.
EZ track is very rigid, so you'll be restricted in your track planning in the future by what your EZ track geometry can do. I started out with EZ track, and eventually switched to Atlas sectional track because even that allowed me to be much more flexable in my track planning.
I started off with an EZ track system. Did an 8X4 layout with two blocks. Expanded it slightly using Atlas True Track. Got hooked on the hobby and canned everything in favor of Atlas track and foam roadbed. Beware, it might happen to you.
Bear "It's all about having fun."
xboxtravis7992 Want to see if a curve can fit on a layout? Build the curve out of the matching EZ Track size and place it on the layout,
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I do my layout planning in 1:1 scale using Kato Unitrack. It has far more radius sizes to choose from, and then I cannot cheat to make it fit.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
In addition to this, there is a set of Bachmann forums with Bachmann reps and users. I suspect you would like the General Discussion and HO forum. Many diagrams and info about the track.
Just Google Bachmann forums and the link will pop right up.
If you do not care to join, you can search the forums and look through all the site.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
I built our Christmas layout, fairly large for a living room, but not overwhelming, out of EZ track. After that, I started planning a really large double deck layout in one of our large bedrooms. It rapidly became known I could not build the layout from the restricted number of radius curves available from Bachmann, and most all the other brands offered less options than Bachmann.
I decided and build the layout from flex track and cork roadbed. Like someone else mentioned, I occasionally use up to 3 sections of Bachmann 18", 22", 28", or 33" curved track to verify my turns are wide enough. If I have a place where I need a minimum radius of 22", I lay the Bachmann track over the flex track and verify the EZ track is at least the same radius or smaller than the flex track. Fortunately, I am using AnyRail train software to design my layout and I can set the curves, print the track profiles at 1:1 scale and use them as a pattern while laying the track, but many times the turns just "look" too tight, and every time that occured, I was able to confirm they were OK with the EZ track.
You will find that even though the EZ track is code 100, the roadbed is a very difficult height to match, and is not worth the effort. Also, sectional track in general has far more joint connections to cause electrical problems in later years than flex track. Flex track is also far easier to solder power feeders to than EZ track. So, in my opinion, even if the EZ track will work, I would shy away from using it on a more permanent layout.
Do your research on which brand of flex track and more important, turnouts, before you start buying and building. Bachmann, Atlas, Peco and others all make flex track. The rails are almost all the same, but the ties are very different in size, spacing and color. Once you start with a brand, you really need to stay with that brand, unless you plan to paint the ties and/or ballast the tracks.