The best N-Scale display track available?

[Anonymous]

Hello everyone here.

I need to find some very realistic N-Scale track to display a model train I am going to build. What kind of track would you recommend? The track has to be straight, nine feet long or longer, and very realistic looking. The model train is going to be very long when complete and none-running (it’s a display model).

I have never built any model train or track before, so I would like to hear your opinion about the best display track available. Assume I am willing to pay any price, which track would you recommend? Please inform me its brand-name, and where to purchase, etc.

Thank you very much to your very knowledge people.

Yours truly,
Luke Hu

[Anonymous]

Kato Unitrak

[Eriediamond]

Atlas code 55 flex track or other brands, laid on cork or other roadbed and ballasted. I sat flex track because it comes in approximately 3 ft sections so three woud give you your 9 ft. Price runs about $3 a section plus the road bed material and ballast. Kato and other brands of section track with plastic roadbuilt into it will not look realistic in my opinion, unless you go over it with ballast. Just my opnion, Ken P.S. Check out www.atlasrr.com , this will give you some Idea of what I;m speaking of.

[bcammack]

Most realistic? Scale-wise, I'd guess that Code 40 would be most realistic. Micro Engineering makes it.

[jnichols]

This question is somewhat weighted, as the era you are trying to represent and the line within that era are very important. For example a short line prior to the transition era would likely be very light weight rail, and would generally have a unkept appearance in terms of tie laying and ballast, whereas a modern mainline would be very heavy rail and would most likely have well manacured ballast and nearly perfect tie spacing.

With a little effort you should be able to reproduce either with good results while using RTR trackage, but I wouldn't use anything larger than code 55 rail as this is huge even by modern railroad standards... [:D]

[Anonymous]

I totally forgot to give the year information.

OK, I believe the train I am going to build was widely used during 1941. Any suggestion what kind of track they were used during this year?

I have another question for you people. You kept saying Code 40, and Code 55, etc. What does these code number mean?

[ukguy]

The code is the hieght of the actual rail in thousands of an inch I believe.

Have fun & be safe.
Karl.

[jnichols]

Here is a table I compiled from information I found. Sorry the table borders didn't copy over, but you should still be able to follow the information.

Rail Size
(Code) Model Scale
Z N TT HO S O G
100 Too Large Too Large Too Large 155+ 115 75 20
83 Too Large Too Large Too Large 132 85 55 Too Small
80 Too Large Too Large Too Large 132 85 50 Too Small
75 Too Large Too Large Too Large 115 75 45 Too Small
70 Too Large Too Large >155 100 65 35 Too Small
60 Too Large > 155 85 80 50 25 Too Small
55 Too Large 155+ 115 75 40 25 Too Small
40 >155 115 75 40 20 Too Small Too Small

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Stuckarmchairing

Kato Unitrak

[Anonymous]

I'm just starting out in the train model hobby. So far i have just been buy engines. I have 5 kato's and 1 atlas N- scale. But i'm having trouble on what track to buy. Either the Kato unitrack. But a lot of guys that i have been talking to. Say that i should go to atlas flex track code 80. I am planning to go DCC. Some guys say unitrack is good for DCC but the switches burn out. And it's hard to get the track to line up. The space that i'm working with is 7/18 feet. Please help

[Wdlgln005]

THe Display Track can be ME Code 40. It's the smallest Nscale trak available. Since the display will be non operating, you should have no problem with pizza cutter wheels on the small track. You can always use a plastic railer to place the cars on the track & move them into position. If you can't find Code 40 then any of the Code55's will do fine. If you make a little diorama, perhaps you could "hide" the larger Code 80 track. It is the most common.

For an operating layout, Kato Unitrak is nearly bulletproof. I doubt if there is a problem with DCC, but you could ask the Nscalers on the Atlas Forum & other Nscale forums to be sure. Ntrak maintains Atlas code 80 as the standard, with optional Peco turnouts for the Atlas ones. It's hard to break a 30yr tradition.