Still trying to decide which type of track/switch combination will be most reliable, compatible for my new layout. It will probably NOT be TMCC. I will run the following engines:
Pre War 2-4-2 and 2-6-2
Post War F-3 SW-2
New Lionel 4-6-4 MP-15 0-6-0 RS-3
Any new engines will be of the traditional size.
I will run Aluminum Passenger Cars (Surfliner)
I do not like the size of the O guage profile, like the smaller profile of 0-27, but plan on wide radius curves/switches.
What about Gargraves track WITH Gargraves switches??
Or Atlas steel track and Atlas switces?
How difficult to wire/power the Ross switches with Gargraves track?
Thanks for help, my knowledge is basically from the 50’s when there were only two choices, Lionel or Lionel.
Welcome to the forum! All of your ideas have merit - especially if you do not like the profile of traditional tubular track - though you can certainly get tubular track in wide radius curves too - you’ll need them for your longest engines. I would recommend visiting your local hobby store - if you have one - to check these different track types (and their relative prices) in person or at the least browsing the websites of the manufacturers to see which style you prefer.
I have a Prewar 2-4-2 #204 and a 0-4-0 #252 along with the appropriate tinplate rolling stock.
On my old Lionel 0-31 layout with Lionel 0-22 switches, the tender and cars of these sets would buck through switches and derail sometimes due to their DEEP flanges and floating on the axle wheels.
I now use MTH Realtrax and the prewar stuff runs better through the Realtrax switches than the 0-22’s, but its still a little rough for my tastes.
Never tried them on Gargraves or Atlas.
Here is what I do now: I always have one loop of track on my layout with no switches at all, just a big oval. (My other two loops have many switches and crossovers.) The big switchless oval is where I run all my Prewar stuff, and the short wheelbase units like the Beeps, Plymouths, or Thomas. These units run a little funny over switches too.
Having one solid loop with no switches is my way of having no shelf queens.[:)]
As Craig has mentioned, prewar flanges ( the stamped steel ones in particular) have problems negotiating some switches smoothly. Just a heads up if you decide to use Atlas track, you’ll encounter the same problems with deep flanges on their switches.
On Atlas’s larger switches ( O72 on up )the gap in the power rails near the frog will stall out engines whose power pickups are spaced closely together. This includes just about everything short of some of the most modern products. I’ve found anything with utilizing only one pair of pickups spaced any closer together than 4" will stall on the switch at low to medium speeds. Tying a power wire into a tender pickup solves this. Adding extra pickups to a deisel with only one pair of pickups on one truck can become complicated but not impossible.
