As a track person with varied interests, I am curious to see what type of track some people wish existed but currently doesn’t. I know many of you are content with tubular, MTH, Atlas, etc track that has been around forever and I find absolutely nothing wrong with this. There is a place in the world for every style out there. What I want to know is, if you could create your version of the ultimate 3 rail O scale track, what would it look like? Any of you that know me know that I am pursuing stud rail and even outside 3rd rail on my home layout. Not because of any ease of use or superiority complex but rather just because it is what interests me. I like building track and hand laying is my favorite past time. My question also doesn’t mean what track system do you wish would come back.
Obviously there are many caveats to this question as some people may want to run scale wheels while others only hi-rail wheels. Some don’t care about fine detail while others do. Some like wood ties while others prefer injection molded. There is no right or wrong answers provided the answer isn’t something we’ve already seen on the market.
So let’s hear it. What type of track do you wish was available? Describe it.
How about tubular track with solid copper wire in the railhead? Twelve AWG fits easily into O27 and O31 rail. With soldered joints, it would be as good as separate feeders. I wish I had thought of it before I built my layout.
I actually offer this to the public as it has been my pet project. It adds on to Atlas 2 rail track so it is really aimed at scale wheels but I am working on a 3 rail wheel solution. www.deltatracksystems.com
Track made completely out of foam with thin metal strips on the top of the rails to conduct current. They could even sell the machine to make it in straights, curves or whatever. Might have some problems with producing fumes. I can just hear it now, mom calling to little Billy in his train room: “Billy, are you making that foam track again? You know that stuff gives your dad a headache”. Aww come on mom, I don’t have enough track for the toy train tunnel I have planned going to connect with Andrews train layout 3 houses down".
2a. Like noise cancelling headphones, little speakers under the track that makes sound to cancel the sound made by the train. Might be a little bit expensive.
2b. Like noise cancelling headphones, little speakers on the underside of train cars that make sound to cancel sound made by the train as it travels. Might be a little expensive but less than 2a.
3rd rail that sinks back down into the ties after the train passes.
Clear plastic 3rd rail with thin metal strip on the top.
For Lionel Fastrak, instead of the ugly upside down “U” shaped rails, make tubular realistically looking rails like the real ones use. I think it can be done with the roadbed they are using now.
For a person with limited space who wants to have a multi level layout, cogged center rail for pulling those 20 car freights up a 5% grade so the climbing section of track takes up less space.
A while back, someone (Fred?) posted pics of track with a bare wire rather than a center rail–like a compromise between stud rail and regular 3-rail that would not require engine modifications. Could maybe be coated in graphite (dark, conductive).
Or how about Gargraves with an occasional steel tie between the outer rails, for better performance from Magnetraction locos?
I played around with some hand laid track that used a code 100 center rail that I had blackened. I have many old magazines from the 30’s and 40’s and in them are a few layouts that used a similar technique. One of them has the center rail on small stands to bring them up to running rail height which was most certainly taller than code 148 as it didn’t exist yet. The center rail looks alot like you took an outside 3rd rail and just placed it between the main rails due to the way it is mounted. It actually looks kind of neat.
I think it’d be nice to have Super-O track, only with the outside pins one on each side like with fastrack. Also, different radius Super-O track would be nice.