n-scale track??

Hello,
I am new to the hobby. Can anyone tell me if there are different sizes of n scale trake? (IE Code 55) and if so what are the differfences?

Thanks Wo-Joe

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Posted by chad thomas

on Thu, Apr 27 2006 2:05 PM

Welcome to the forum. You should post this question in the model railroader forum though. You will get much better responce over there.

Posted by n2mopac

on Thu, Apr 27 2006 2:09 PM

The two primary sizes of N scale track are code 80 and code 55. Code is simply the height of the rail in 1000ths of an inch--code 80 being .080" high and code 55 being .055" high. Code 80 has been around the longest and is sold in greatest quantity and with the greatest variety of switches and other special track components. Its primary drawback is that it is much too large for actual scale rail. This is more noticeable and more of a problem for some than others. In my opinion much of the oversize nature of coed 80 can be hidden by painting. Code 55 is more prototypical in size. One early drawback was that N scale wheel flanges were often too oversized and thus would bump the ties on code 55 track. Much of this problem has been aleviated in newer rollingstock where manufactures have narrowed the flanges for use on code 55 rail. The primary drawback now is that there is less variety in specialty trackage/switches avainable in code 55 and it is more expensive.

Ron

Owner and superintendant of the N scale Texas Colorado & Western Railway, a protolanced representaion of the BNSF from Fort Worth, TX through Wichita Falls TX and into Colorado.

Check out the TC&WRy on at https://www.facebook.com/TCWRy

Check out my MRR How-To YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/RonsTrainsNThings

Posted by Anonymous

on Thu, Apr 27 2006 8:45 PM

THANKS

I will be using this forum alot.
A friend and myself are working togeather on our frist n scale layout.
We will have alot of questions.
Good bye for now...Joe