I am looking for track to construct a temporary (as in on the carpet) layout in a large 35’ by 20’ oval. I am leaning towards True Track because the roadbed appears to snap together, plus it sits the train up a bit higher off the ground which seems ideal for temporary floor layouts.
As I design a more permanent layout, I want this temporary layout to test trains.
So is Atlas True Track track any good? Or should I go with Kato Unitrack?
There is a negative comment on Amazon.com about Atlas True Track roadbed being flimsy and breaking, but I want to get other opinions before I spend money on track.
Because you want a temporary layout, I would like to steer you towards Bachmann EZ track. It snaps together as well, but is cheaper than the Atlas true track.
If your looking for snap together track with good electrical connectivity and the most realistic roadbed then KATO is the best choice. It is also the most expensive choice. If all you want is to run trains around a test track then Atlas, Bachmann and Lifelike all make built-in roadbed track which would suit your purpose. All of them are less expensive than KATO.
You’ll also find many people use KATO on their more permanent layouts because it looks good and runs good.
Whatever sectional-track-on-roadbed you choose to use, make sure it has nickel-silver rails. Some of the breed come with steel rails, which can cause problems down the road. You can check it with a refrigerator magnet - if it sticks, the rails are steel.
My personal heartburn with sectional track of all breeds is that it doesn’t include proper spiral easements, doesn’t allow smooth transition from level to graded right-of-way and is impossible to superelevate properly. To get those things, you will have to go with flex track or hand-laid.
As for Kato Unitrack looking good - just go to the right-of-way of your favorite Class 1 and compare. The real world is nowhere near as machine-regular.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - on flex track with hand-laid specialwork)
The big advantage of Atlas over the other brands is the fact that the Atlas track is removable from the roadbed. Removing the roadbed allows you to use the track you have already bought on your new layout with other code 83 sectional or flex track once you do build a layout bench/table.
Bachmann is also. And some of the MRRs have ads of Bachmann track under Ballast with base. Ther plastic cheater becomes hidden underneath the scenery and no one but you is the wiser. If you can fgure out a wayto support the curves, which if your going wider will have to be flexed, then you don’t need the bases to be removable. Most of the plastic bases are thicker than the cork roadbed stuff. plus you have the extra connector knuckle toi worry about. If you want to go this route, make sure the track you get has actual rail jooiners,. not power passed through touch plates actually in the roadbed. Because flex track and bridges if you put them in, will need it.
statistician, I am happy you are stipulating that it will be temporary. Floor layouts don’t do well over time due to dust and mishap.
Your oval is large. You will want perhaps 3 or 4 feeders to the tracks at various points to ensure all of the oval gets sufficient voltage. Otherwise, you will find your engine(s) getting slower and slower as they get further from the power feed to the rails.
One thing to consider is that if you actually do assemble and disassemble this oval frequently, the joiners on the tracks will weaken and fail. The first sign will be drop-out in power at certain points, and is one of the other reasons you will want multiple feeders.
You will want to consider benchwork. Keeping the trains pernamently off the floor leads to great contentment and happiness.
Even the best of Kato Track Joiners have to be replaced after several floor manuvers.
Flextrack on Cork offers advantages in many ways, I myself stick with Kato because the train room Im in now will be replaced in the future by a new room triple the size.
I have used both Atlas TruTrack and Kato Unitrack. I built a small layout with TruTrack but I found that the turn-outs aren’t reliable and the track doesn’t fit well together. I took it all apart and changed to Kato Unitrack. The Kato track fits together far better and the turn-outs are superior. Mind you it does cost a lot more. However in this case I believe you get what you pay for.
While I have the track fastened to a table, I used the sectional track as this layout is just a learning proposition and I wanted the ability to try different layouts and also be able take it all down as I plan on relocating it in the future.
I would suggest that you buy a few sections of each brand and then you can compare for yourself how they fit together. Also should you decide to use it for a more permanent layout you can see which one has a better appearance. For me, it is again the Kato track.
I haven’t used EZ track but do have a few sections of it. I didn’t use it as I wanted code 83.
I agree…IF you are going to make a layout from built “road-bed” track, Kato is probably the best. Also, the most expensive. BUT…if you are doing a permanent layout, I am of the school of thought of flex and cork roadbed.
I tried cork once 35 years ago, never used it since. Last layout used ‘Ribbonrail’ upsom board roadbed strips; new layout is using Kato - the track is near to “Proto” scale size, and the track locks together well. I ‘paint’ the rail sides with Neo-Lube, an electronics lubricant that turns the track dark flat gray, then use a Bright Boy to shine the tops…
I tried cork once 35 years ago, never used it since. Last layout used ‘Ribbonrail’ upsom board roadbed strips; new layout is using Kato - the track is near to “Proto” scale size, and the track locks together well. I ‘paint’ the rail sides with Neo-Lube, an electronics lubricant that turns the track dark flat gray, then use a Bright Bo
I have a fair amount of Atlas True Track that I have used for “temporary layouts” to test engines and trains.
As already stated the only advantage is that you can remove the track from the roadbed to be used with other brands or to be used with another type of roadbed.
You are limited to 18" 22" & 24" radius curves as already stated and the turnouts are the snap track turnouts with a insufrog so the frog cannot be powered.
I have a problem with a few engines (Bachmann 2-8-0 and 2-10-0) hitting the switch on the turnouts also. That in turn derails the engine or stops it in its tracks until you lift the engine to clear the little tip that is used to manually trip the turnout. This problem is not only on the manual turnouts it also remains a problem on remote turnouts because both have the sliding tip on the switch. Since I have all remote turnouts my fix was to clip the tip off. However, if you do this it makes it very difficult to throw the switch manually.
If I had it to do over, I’d go with Bachmann track since they have various turnout sizes and larger radius curves to choose from.
The Kato track is very good. The drawback is the price and the fact it is permanently fixed to the roadbed. But if price wasn’t an issue it would be my first choice.
