Last year, when I decided to try my hand at this hobby, it was suggested by the good people at the San Diego Model Railroad Museum to use Kato Unitrack. I took their advice and built a basic N-Scale oval, with a siding and a small rail yard. I am now hooked on the hobby and am looking at building a larger, more permanent layout, and just assumed I would continue using Unitrack. I am now considering using conventional track and turnouts, and would like to build a very simple trial layout–a small oval with some sort of a turnout–to see which I want to use on my permanent layout. The test track will be a DC track and I want automated turnouts.
Okay, enough background, now for the request for help. As I look and the materials needed for my experiment, I am confused. Let’s start with track. The first question, which code track to use? When I use Unitrack, the decision is made for me. Next, what brand should I use? (Assume cost is not a consideration.)
Hi Richard; I have been in N Scale for 30 years so here goes. I am a grounds up Modeler so I suggest Midwest cork on top of your bench work top, for me that is good quality plywood. I am an avid flex track person so Atlas or Peco C55 track. All of my layout is Peco and I use only Electrofrog turnouts. I use alot of hand throw for my turnouts but I do have Tortoise machines powering some turnouts. A good example of a very fine layout is this Months issue (January Feburary) of N Scale Railroading Mag showing David Pop’s New Haven layout. All Peco C55 track and Electrofrog turnouts with great fall scenery.
As far as Unitrack I guess it is ok. I have never used it but I like the Flexibility of flex track leading where I want it and not being held to a precise curvature. I always try and lay all my curves much larger than N scale minimum. Electrofrog turnouts are spring loaded and as long as I keep my points and point hinges clean I have no power routing needs. If I use a Tortoise machine on an Electrofrog turnout then I remove the spring on the points of the turnout because the tortoise will keep the points tight with constant preasure. I use DigiTrax DCC for my operating system. I was DC for a very long time and I have never looked back since changing too DCC. I just mention this because in your case you can start with a small DCC system and not have to change over later like I did. The key here is Clean track and points.
Hope this helps. Good luck. The above is my opinion. Model Railroading never leaves you. Doug
Doug: Thanks! This is perfect, just the information I needed. For my little test track I will probably use out-of-the-box curves for the oval and flex track for the turnout/spur so I get a chance to experiment with flex track. I have a 28"x48" piece of 3/8" plywood that I am going to using for my test (I told you it was little) and will even build a little benchwork underneath to learn about benchwork. I am excited to give it a whirl and to see what I can do and to learn from my mistakes.
Richard I added a couple thoughts to my first reply to you. Also I would not use any less thickness than 1/2 inch good quality plywood. After your experiment you can always reuse the plywood if kept flat. Doug
Doug: Thanks for the additional information. I want to move to DCC in the future and was going to wire the permanent layout in such a way as to minimize any changes required for the conversion. The same approach will be used on my test/prototype. I think the 3/8" base should be okay for my test, since I plan on putting a layer of 1" foam on top. If it doesn’t work, I will know before I attempt the larger, permanent layout. Did you DCC enable your turnouts?
Richard; I don’t know what you mean by enable the turnout. If you mean are the Tortoise’s controled via DCC, No. They are controled by DPDT mini toggles. There is no need to do anything else to the turnouts regarding DCC. I have not had to power route the Electrofrog turnouts as long as they are kept clean. Just some simple maint. with denatured alcohol every few weeks on the points and hinges. DCC saves so much extra wiring as opposed to DC. My previous layout that I started in 1985 I think and took down 2010,2011 was DC and I had wiring cabled together the size of a 900 pair phone cable. Never again and you can start with a DigiTrax Zepher for about $125.00 or so and it is expandable later. I did not do that though and because of my future requirements I started with the Super Cheif Xtra. There are other brands out there too but this was my choice. Doug
Doug: Sorry I wasn’t quite clear, but you answered my question anyway. I meant do you use DCC to control your turnouts. I am pretty excited to have a managable project ahead of me.
Hi Richard; I made a mistake on the magazine that David Pop’s layout is shown in. I have corrected it in my first post answer too you above. I get most all of the mag’s and got turned around on this one because David Pop works for Model Railroader. Tnx, Doug
I model in HO but I agree the frame work should be well built and I would use all flex track and all #6 turnouts because you may want to run some larger loco’s and rolling stock down the road. Sectional track will be difficult to keep in gauge especially on the curves, to much movement with the expansion and contraction and the rail gaps every 4-6 inches will cause you some grief also, Jim.
First off why even use ply, 2" foam is fine for a test track of the type you are planing. Also you can still use the type of track you have been and you can ballast it etc.
Doug provided excellent information; like him, I’ve been in N for over 30 years. While I use Code 80 Atlas track and Code 80 Peco Electrofrog turnouts, Code 55 is definately what guys are going too. All my turnouts are hand thrown, and all have Hex Frog Juicers attached to them (by Tam Valley Depot). This is an electronic polarity toggle switch that requires one wire to be soldered to the frog to ensure perfect running thru turnouts with small locomotives with short wheel bases, and eliminated the hassle of having to clean the point rails for an operating session. The use of the frog juicers totally eliminated ANY loco hesitation or stalling on turnouts, a real problem when operating small switchers doing yard work in the middle of an operations session. I can’t say enough about them as a solution the hesitation//stalling issue.
If you like laying track, adding ballast, and going back occassionally to fix the track when a change in the weather kinks the track, then flextrack is for you. If you just want an easy way to build a layout, with almost no track maintenance needed for derailment-free operation, then go with Kato. I’ve been the hobby over 40 years and used lots of different track components, but nothing in my experience is better than Unitrack.
p.s. not sure about the N version, but the HO Kato switches I use (the no. 6 ones) have a screw in the bottom with two holes. Depending which hole you put the screw in determines if the switch is power-routing or non-power-routing.