Newbie here, doing a bunch of research before making a plunge into the hobby.
One question that I’m still unclear about the answer for, is about the interchangeability of all the various track types, couplers, power supplies, etc. I’m finding plenty of options and opinions about different companies’ offerings, but wonder how interchangeable it all is?
For example, if I purchase a Bachmann starter set with their EZ-track, how easy would it be to expand by attaching Atlas Flex or another company’s track, attach additional non-Bachmann rolling stock, haul the Bachmann stock with a new loco, etc. Are there easy adaptations or difficult modifications that I will need to make? Any gotchas to be aware of?
If I puchase a new loco, will it run fine with the power supply that came with the Bachmann starter set?
How will my first purchase choices limit my future options to expand? I’m not ready to spend big-time money until I can grow into the hobby a bit.
I’m loving all the info I’m finding. Thanks in advance.
Most section track and flex track and turnouts are interchangable as long as they are the same scale (HO, N) and t6he same code, which refers to rail height.
Pieces like EZ trak and other brands are very different in that they have built in road bed, and a propriatory system of connecting.
A car should be capable of fitting on any track, and couplers can be changed out with one that matchs other that you have.
Whether a locomotive works with your system depends on if it DC or DCC equiped when you buy it. Most trains are DC, so if you buy another DC loco it will work, perhaps a very different speed for a throttle setting.
A model train shop or some of the members taking part in local shows should be willing to help you.
I guess I’ll jump in here. Brand interchangeability in HO scale keeps getting better and better all the time.
As far as track, most any HO gauge track product will connect with any other HO gauge track product. The only real problem is matching rail heights. Take the Bachmann EZ Track for example. I believe this is Code 100 track (rail height is 0.100") set into plastic roadbed. Since this track is fixed to the roadbed, attaching another brand of track will require you to find a roadbed material that will allow the tops of the rails of both brands to be equal. For simplicity, it will be easiest to join Code 100 track to Code 100 track. However, transition joiners can be used to connect Code 83 track (rail height is 0.083") to Code 100. Rail joiners are pretty similar between brands and most will work on various brands of track. Joiners meant for smaller rail can be used on larger rail with a little persuasion. For instance, I like to use Altas N scale Code 80 joiners to connect HO scale Code 83 track. Turnouts, crossovers and other specialty track should also interconnect with top of rail height being the main concern. You can always stay with the Bachmann EZ Track as they offer a wide range of track products. However, you would want to buy only nickel silver track (grey roadbed) and try to stay away from the steel track (black roadbed). I don’t know whether Kato Unitrak plays well with other brands.
Most current HO scale rolling stock comes equipped with some brand of knuckle coupler that is compatible with a Kadee #5 coupler. New rolling stock still equipped with the old horn/hook X2F couplers is probably lacking in so many other features that you would want to stay away from it altogether. Most modelers eventually decide to equip all of their rolling stock with one brand of coupler. The Kadee #5 is the long time standard upgrade although the newer #148 whisker coupler is far eas
Equipment compatibility with today’s products is usually a non-issue in the major scales.
In this photo of my HO scale layout, there are cars from Intermountain, Bowser, Model Die Casting, Athearn, Atlas, ExactRail, Accurail, Red Caboose, Walthers, and probably others. They all work together. I did replace any plastic wheels with metal, and any of the old “horn hook” type couplers with Kadees. Fortunately, most rolling stock in HO today comes with good quality metal wheelsets, and the stock couplers are “knuckle” types that work well enough together or with the popular Kadee brand. Plastic wheels can be retained if you so desire; replacement for me is out of personal preference.
Track is another matter. Until you have some experience laying reliable trackwork, mixing brands can create a lot of headaches. Different brands often have different rail cross sections, which can make connecting them challenging for beginners. Different brands of track with built-in plastic roadbed also aren’t necessarily designed to be compatible, and are typically more expensive than brands without roadbed.
[#welcome] to the Forum Colin.
What Hornblower says is true, and it may seem to be a simple and silly mistake to make, but there have been problems with fflokes not realising they are trying to join tracks of different codes. Just something to be aware of.
