Help picking the right type of track

[Anonymous]

Hello to all you railroaders out there! I hope some of you will take the time to advise (or bring me up todate) as to which type of track to buy for my layout. I had a 4X8 layout about 30 yrs ago. Now the kids have left the nest and I have some room again. A 20x20 bonus room all to myself, the wife does not get to come in (unless I want to eat again)
I just came across a box of my old train stuff. The track is in very bad condition. Most of it is brass.
I see on ebay (it was my only sourse of information until I bought a copy of "Model Railroader") that things changed a great deal, WOW have they ever DCC and all.
I am wondering what way to go as far as the track is concerned (HO). I see this new track (at least it is new to me) N/S track, and even in 3 foot sections.
I sure could use some help here. Should I stay with brass or go with this new N/S track and why?
thanks for you help.
ennout

[BurlingtonJohn]

Go with the nickle silver. Much easier to keep clean than brass. Also, the 3 foot sections (aka flex track) give you much more flexibility than standard fixed sectional track.

Regards,
Burlington John

[retsignalmtr]

the brass is out. nickel silver is in. it doesn't tarnish like brass and is easier to clean with a bright boy. never use sandpaper. the long sections are flex track. you use it in place of the sectional track for curves and straight track. i.ve been using flex track for over 40 years so it is not new. dcc is new but expensive. you can wire your layout now for easy conversion to dcc later by running two heavy gauge wires (14 awg) around the layout and use 20 gauge wire from there to the rails.

[cwclark]

welcome!...(ain't it grand when the kids leave home?...second childhood time!!!..;).. )ok...throw away all the brass!....and go for the nickel silver...I use the code 100 NS in 3' sections from atlas or model power...atlas is better track and more flexible...model power is cheaper and will work, but it's a bit stiffer and I've got pieces with ties broken off the ends before right out of the box....a lot of modelers (I hope you are in HO scale) will go with code 83 and as low as code 70 and a few..(The real diehards) code 55...I like the code 100 throughtout the entire layout because it's the highest rail and will take me years to wear it down to a nub with a bright boy track cleaner...another popular way is to use code 100 for the mainline rails and code 83 or 70 on sidings...either way ...it's up to you and your choice...If you are doing a large layout order it by the case..you get 100 sections at 3' for around $170.00 us dollars and you won't believe how fast you'll go through a box...I'm on box 2 1/2 right now...keep it Nickel Silver and a little hint...very sparingly (and i mean very sparingly) put a few drops of wahl's clipper oil on a rag and wipe it on the rails to keep it cleaner, longer...Chuck

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your help. I order the big box today of the flex N/S. 100 x 36".

[twhite]

Welcome back to the hobby!. Along with the nickel silver flex-track, I might suggest you visit your LHS and pick up a selection of Ribbonrail radius guides. They come in everything from 18" to about 40" (and probably larger) and will make laying your curves much, MUCH easier. They're about four inches long, curved to the proper radius, fit in between the rails, and all you have to do is slide them along--slowly and carefully--and spike the ties behind them. You'll have a perfect curve if you work slowly, and no kinks to jerk those new, wonderful BLI and Proto locomotives you're bound to buy, off the table.
Tom [#welcome]

[Don Gibson]

ATLAS is alive an well.

Code 83 is the track d'Jour. It looks closer to real.
If you are going to run old engines, code 100 would be better.

LAYOUT:
Start with room size. Don't be limited by a single 4 X 8 board .
Passeger or Freight?
Old ply frames still work. Foam adds scenic possibilities
Buy a book
DCC is the new operating system. No blocks. DC works

[wjstix]

I'd get some planning books before you start building - John Armstrong is probably the best place to start, there's an updated version of "Track Planning for Realistic Operation" waiting for you at your local hobby shop !! It's very easy to dive in headfirst now buying track and whatever and find out later you really should have gotten something else.

BTW DCC isn't all that expensive really, a Digitrax Zephyr is only around $150. If you still have a lot of old loco's I'd suggest putting them on the shelf and going with newer ones from Atlas, Stewart, Bachmann-Spectrum or Life-Life Proto 1000 or 2000. You'll be amazed at how good the new ones run !!

[flick]

QUOTE: Originally posted by twhite

Welcome back to the hobby!. Along with the nickel silver flex-track, I might suggest you visit your LHS and pick up a selection of Ribbonrail radius guides. Tom [#welcome]

I've seen these Ribbonrails mentioned in several places, but can't find a thing about them when I do a Yahoo search. Anyone know where I can get some? Are they for a specific scale? I'm afraid to try laying flextrack on my own, but it sounds like these things could really help!

Thanks,
Peter

[Anonymous]

Thanks again guys, there is so much that is new in this hobby. every day I learn a little more (and for this old fart that's alot).