I could use some help…I’m helping a friend construct a rather large ‘O’ gauge layout, I know little about Hi-rail and need advice on the best type of three rail track to use that is compatible with Ross turnouts. The track must be flexible. He has mentioned using Gargraves, but even with the wood ties, there is something lacking in realistic appearance. This will be a scale layout except for the three rail track and state of the art equipment. His minimum radius will be 36" or in ‘O’ gauge terms…72" diameter.
Think you will get better answer if you go to the Classic Toy Trains section of the fourms. Most folks here deal in HO and N scale. Not that they don’t have a Lionel layout in their past, but what is available today is far different than when I got my first layout in the late 40’s.
I only know of two makes of 3 rail flex track - Atlas and GarGraves. The Ross turnouts are made from the same hollow rail and are designed to mate with GarGraves.
Atlas uses solid nickel silver rail in their track. Atlas does make adaptor rail joiners for tubular track (and perhaps GarGraves), but because of the differences the joiners won’t keep the tracks lined up by themselves. You have to get the track fastened down with the rails between the different types of track held in alignment by the fastened track.
I have never owned a Ross switch, but I would assume (perhaps wrongly) that the ties would also match GarGraves flex track. The Ross switch ties are unlikely to match Atlas track.
Atlas does make a complete line of turnouts for 3 rail that matches Atlas sectional and flex track. However, the early versions of the larger turnouts - #5 or O54 and up - had some problems. I don’t know whether these have been fixed in newer production or not.
Final point - Lionel Magne-Traction does not work on either Gragraves or Atlas track. In the case of GarGraves it is the lack of a magnetic metal connection between the outer rails. In the case of Atlas it is both the lack of magnetic metal in the ties and nickel silver instead of steel rail.