sold all my o gauge, moved, now getting into n scale building a 86" l by 22" w with a r/s L that is 46" l by 24 " was wondering what " code " n track and switches to use read so much that I am totally confused on the 86 " run I want to put two dead end sidings but confused what radius switch to use want everything one height thereby not mixing c55 with c80
Hello Kenrk,
Welcome in the N scale world; I’m sure it’s a good choice, like I did since Arnold Rapido introduced his little trains and I never regret it
About track, if you have locomotives build after around 1998, use only code 55 track, it’s more close to the scale and even if people say it, code 55 is as strong as code 80 in N scale.
There is now, we can say, three excellent brand of N track which are closer to the reality, there are Atlas, Peco and Micro Engenering often mentionned as ME.
Kato, Bachmann and other like stuff are more toy track with small radius and small turnouts, this is my opinion even if they are good looking and good running track.
Atlas and Peco offer both a full line of track in N scale code 55; the line includes turnouts, crossing, crossover, double slip, three way turnouts and flex track.
Micro Engineering offer flextrack and only #6 turnout.
The three line are compatible togheter with a few adjustement, Peco use only electrofrog frog system, which mean the frog is electricaly live, the two others offer metal frog too.
I highly recommand you to use only live frog in N scale because the small locomotives need a full electrical continuity to not stall.
Atlas and ME are fine track, Peco is a little bit coarse because is a “Great Britain origin” looking track with a little bit less ties, but it’s nearly impossible to see this when ballasted and weathered; this track is really bulletproof like all the Peco products.
All the turnouts can be motorized or used manualy, from Tortoises to self made linkage like in the other scale.
It’s important to say many locomotives produced before 1990-1998, have so named “cutter pizza wheels” which don’t run well on code 55, because of the oversized flanges which hit the molded spikes or even the ties of the code 55 track.
Anyway, most of these locomotives aren’t DCC or even DCC friendly, wi
This may be true for Bachmann track, but certainly not for Kato N scale Unitrack. Kato offers a great variety of large radii and also large switches. With a little extra work, i.e. re-ballasting, the molded-on roadbed will lose its plastic look.
MR employed Kato N scale Unitrack in one of their past project layouts “The Salt Lake Route”.
Kato Unitrack is very reliable, but it´s code 80 track.
Thanks for the reply and info Found the PECO website and did some measuring and inventory work. Like the look of it, was thinking about doing the whole layout with their Wooden Flextrak. Also found # 4 turnout that should work w/ my space requirements Think its a good idea before I take the dive ? If needed, I would use Atlas track for short straights or whatever else I may need
Thanks Again Ken K