I was just wondering if on my HO layout, can I use train sets from 2 different manufacturers if their both running on just one of the manufacturers type of track? For example, if I have a set from bachmann and a set from life- like, can they both run on the life- like track?
Pretty much any engine or rolling stock available in the USofA will run on any of that gauge’s track. You might have a bit of trouble using, for example, very low profile Code 55 HO track with some cheaper trainset wheels, but these days there is little problem with most combination.
You might see problems with very old rolling stock, which had really deep flanges on the wheels, when running on Code 83 HO track. Rivarossi engines, which are made in Italy for European use, had the same problem. I’ve got some that won’t even run on Code 100.
So, feel free to mix and match. All of these play together very nicely.
Any brands of H0 trains can run on any brand of track.
I would recommend that you avoid LifeLike’s Steel track, their nicklesilver track is fine. The steel track can rust and may cause issues with conductivity. The nicklesilver looks like a nickle, the steel track has a gray appearance.
If it’s the track WITH the “built in roadbed”, Like Bachmann EZ-track, either/or will work, but they will not work together without adapters. [tup]
If it’s the track WITHOUT the “built in roadbed”, they will work together.
Someone has (Walthers?) adapter tracks for Life-Like, Bachmann anad Atlas “road-bed” tracks to each other. I’ll have to look.
The equipment will run on either track, no problem.
Rotor
Thanks to the efforts of the National Model Railroad Association, track and wheels are so standardized that any manufacturer’s HO scale rolling stock will roll on any manufacturer’s track - with the few exceptions mentioned above. In fact, your Bachmann and Life-like trains will be equally happy with Atlas or Peco track products, as well as pricier or more labor/skill intensive things like Micro-Engineering track and hand-laid turnouts. The things to avoid are brass and steel rail - brass because it may have contact problems (requires frequent cleaning) and steel because it rusts.
Your next compatability issue will be couplers. Rather than open a BIG can of worms, just try to couple your cars together. If they couple, and can be easily uncoupled, you’re good to go until you start getting into really serious modeling.
There is no reason why you can’t couple locomotives and cars from one ‘set’ into a train with locos and cars from another. Looking at one short train on my layout, I have a Bachmann Spectrum locomotive pulling cars from several different Japanese manufacturers as well as Athearn and Life-like (the last two heavily modified - "kitbashed,’ as we call the practice.) The only modification to any of the others was to fit them with compatible couplers.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
[:-^]
One other problem comes to mind, and that is in multiple lash-ups.
When lashing several (two or more) locos it really does work best if they are from the same manufacturer. Otherwise they get quite a fight going on with one pulling harder than the other.
Atherns should stay together, but I have had very little trouble putting Bachmann Spectrum diesels together with Proto2000 diesels. That seems to be OK. Can’t say about Kato as I don’t have any.
Maybe some others here can add to this.
Johnboy is headed for bed…
Night All…
The “Wobbly’s” lights are out.
IMHO, I dunno about that one. I’ve had packaged A-B sets drag one or the other. Unless you are using DCC and speed matching (again, IMHO), I personally wouldn’t lash anything up.
I’m sure others may have had a different experience, but the test is: separate the locos and run them. If the distance 'tween locos remains equal over time, then you’re good. Otherwise…
TL:
People don’t like the steel track much, but if you have some, you can still get some use out of it. Use the Gleam method discussed on this forum (do a search) to start things off, and avoid the abrasive cleaners after that, except maybe crocus cloth.
Cheap adapter track: Place a piece of track on a piece of cork roadbed and use plain rail joiners at each end to connect to the EZ-track, Powerloc, etc. You may need to do some trimming. This assumes you are putting together a permanent layout.
Hi trainlover38
There is generaly no problems mixing and matching trains to your hearts content.
But do standardise on one and one only brand of track and do make sure that brand of track one with nickle silver rails avoid steel that has issuies with rust.
By standard using only one brand of track it makes planning and building a layout a lot easier as there could be differences in std track lengths from one manufacturer to the next.
regards John Busby
Yes that’s fine. The only thing you want to be careful about is that different types of track may not work together, like mixing Walthers code 83 and Atlas code 100, or Bachmann code 100 EZ-Track and Kato code 83 Unitrack. There are different heights of rails and they won’t easily work together without an adapter, and the different track-with-roadbed tracks won’t mix with other brands. But, once you have the track down, anything in HO standard gauge should run on it…keeping in mind that a very large piece of equipment like an 80’ passenger car with body mounted couplers or a huge 4-8-8-4 steam engine aren’t going to go around 18" radius curves!!