snap track

[Anonymous]

What is snap track by Atlas? Is it different than regular HO track? I'm building a new layout for my grandson and I'm not sure what the snap track is and if it will go with regular HO track.

[Anonymous]

Snap track is standard gauge HO track in sections - 9" straight, curves with 18" or 22" radius, etc. For the longest time, it was "regular" HO track. Sometimes called sectional track (as opposed to flex track, or handlaid track).

Snap switches have a different geomtery than regular turnouts that are numbered. Snap switches are designed to replace a 1 1/2" straight connected to a 18" radius curve section. This makes it easy to insert a turnout (switch) into an oval of track.

What are your goals for the layout? Is it something to go on the floor for him to play with, and then put away, or are you going to do a layout with benchwork, etc, that will be a semi-permanent fixture in a room of the house?

If it's going on the floor, you could try track with an integrated roadbed, like Atlas True Track (TruTrack?), Bachmann EZ track, or even Lifelike PowerLok.

If it is going to be a benchwork based layout, try Atlas Code 83 flex and code 83 turnouts. Track from different manufacturers can be mixed, like Peco switches with Atlas track.

Anyway, good luck! If you want to share some more ideas or ask more questions, there are lots of knowledgable people here who are happy to share their experiences with you.

Andrew

[BR60103]

If you bought a train set, you got a loop of track with it. Most sets come with snap track or something compatible, unless you got bachman or lifelike or (is there a third one?) that make their own.
Snap track is compatible with the commonest flex tracks and switches. The other sectional tracks have special connectors (and they're all different!) and are raised on "roadbed" making it hard to interconnect them. The special connectors do make them stay together when the whole loop is picked up.
There was an article comparing different types of HO track in the October Model Railroader.