I am sure this opens up a can of worms, but what types of track are good to use? If I decide to use TMCC and MTH DCS is any one track better than the other for these systems? I was thinking about Gargraves stainless. But I seem to recall problems with stainless, like soldering to it, or soldering to the black center rail in general. I really like the lamps on the FastTrac system, but....I am planning a layout that will at least run track the width of my basement (24 feet), and the length of my basement (33 feet) if this helps. Thanks for your help.
Jeff Haertlein
Jeff,
The best advice I could offer for track is to buy a bit of each type that you are considering and play around with it until you find what you like. TMCC and DCS should work equally well with any type of track. I really like Lionel's Fastrack, but it was too costly for me to use on my 10x14 layout, so I settled for traditional Lionel 031 tubular.
I agree with Jim. Get a little of each to see what you like.
I ended up using the O27 track from my childhood set and expanded with Fastrack that came with the Polar Express set that got me back into O scale.
OK thanks. I have worked a little with Fastrack also, and do like it, but it is costly like you say.
OK thanks...I had 027 for my layout growing up back home.
I'm in the process of building a new tinplate"toy train" layout so I can run my PW Lionel in the proper setting. I went with a combination of Gargraves tinplate flex/ lionel O42 switches+ operating tracks/and 2 Ross O31 switches + some Ross tinplate track. I had to use the Ross items so that the geometry worked out. I stayed away from the gargraves stainless because I wanted to solder my power connections to the rails. So far, it's working out Ok.
A Day Without Trains is a Day Wasted
I use Gargraves stainless steel track and Gargraves switches and I have DCS by MTH for the PS-2 engines I have. The Gargraves switches work better than Lionel switches, I might go to Ross Custom switches next year or later as some of my MTH engines don't like two of my Gargraves switches. I grew up with tubular track and I won't let go of it as it is much easier for me to work with.
I have tried Lionel's Fastrac system and would say to stay away from it!! Biggest reason is that it gets expensive to make a layout as you can not cut custom pieces or fitter tracks, you have to go buy any fitter pieces(1&1/2 inch, 1&5/8 inch) and at the cost of a regular 10 inch section of track that adds up quickly. Also Fastrac was difficult for me to align on a 9 foot by 3 foot layout, and would need cleaning more often than my 042 tubular track.
Lee F.
It's hard to beat Gargraves flex track when it comes to customization, that's for sure. Ten years ago, when we began planning our family layout, we would never have thought of using anything but gargraves track. The layout was planned (mostly by dad) with pen and paper, and gargraves was the track of choice for making the "freehand" curves on the plan a reality.
Now, with the newer track-planning computer programs, it seems that more and more people are using sectional track for their layouts--perhaps because the higher quality of modern sectional track lines has now converged with the ease of using the computer to generate layouts from pre-programmed radii. But we could never have gotten the layout we have in the space we have with any sectional track system--and for that reason, for anything but the simplest layouts, I would recommend gargraves as the track system of first resort.
Plus, if there are some areas where you do want to use sectional track, it mates well with O-27 (need special pins). And O-27 is dirt cheap. We use it for hidden storage yards.
Sounds like I should settle in for tinplated Gargraves. I ran into a friend of mine who has a layout, that I have never seen, and he too is using Gargraves. He too has tinplated track, but he made a comment about soldering to stainless steel using acid flux solder. I use both types of solder in some of my projects, so I have it on hand.
Thank you for building the case for using Gargraves track. I have not tried to make my own curves, but it certainly gives you lots of options with flexible track. Thanks for the idea of using 027 , (which is what I had on my layout back home when I was growing up), for hidden areas/storage tracks!
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