what o scale track do you like best?

[ozzy]

1. 027 tube

2. fast track

3. gargraves

[Cannonball]

027 Tube!
(Is there any other kind? )

[pgandw]

It varies with what I'm trying to do. I don't care for the O27 switches, but otherwise like the track. Of the O27 switches, I prefer the postwar 1122E, but a lot of rolling stock needs wider curves.

Most of my switches are the O O22, or 1980/90s remakes. Overall, the O track has reasonable curve selection and much better switches. But I like the lower profile of O27 better.

I have tinkered with the Atlas track, and like it a lot. I have yet to try any switches. And I admit a fondness for the old Super O track, as well.

If I were to start from scratch, I would probably go Atlas where space permitted, and O/O27 where needed for compact spaces and operating accessories. I don't see anything that Fastrack offers over Atlas, unless you are running on the floor/carpet.

just my thoughts and experiences, yours may differ

[alastairq]

peco!

no carpets, just grass.

[Greg Elems]

Well I guess it depends on what you are doing with it. For rug layouts I used to use O27. When my boys started running trains, I bought MTH Realtrax. It kept the carpet clean and the gears didn't ball up with carpet fuzz. For my layout, modular and up off the floor I prefer the Atlas 2-Rail scale track.

Greg

[ozzy]

2- rail wont work for me, i got all 3 rail engines, and besides, 2 rail track looks goofy!....lol

Originally Posted by Greg Elems

Well I guess it depends on what you are doing with it. For rug layouts I used to use O27. When my boys started running trains, I bought MTH Realtrax. It kept the carpet clean and the gears didn't ball up with carpet fuzz. For my layout, modular and up off the floor I prefer the Atlas 2-Rail scale track.

Greg

[ozzy]

see heres the deal, im starting a new layout, i already got almost 200 feet of o27 track, some better then other pieces. i have around 70 feet of fast track already. so i could get a good start with one of them kinds, but i kinda like the gargraves, i dont have any, but we started using it at my train club.

i think it may come down to witch one have the best switches.

i never thought about atlas, i dont know anything about there o scale track.

[Greg Elems]

I grew up on O27 tubular track. I was able to find boxes of it at garage sales cheap. The larger rail in the O gauge track was nice but not plentiful at flea markets and so on. I also like the O27 manual switches because I could make spur track and park an engine on it and it was dead till I switched the switch to run it out. Also I didn't have clearance problems with my bigger engine with them. I don't know if you will be using the flexable Gargraves or sectional. I didn't like the flex because once you bend it and trim it, it's pretty much set that way. The switches from Gargraves that I had experiance with weren't all the good. That is why Ross Custom Switches are so popular. Remember my experiance was 30 years or more ago. Atlas has nice track and their new line might be the way to go. Limited switch selection right now with their Industrial Models line but at least you can insert their regular line of switches and crossings.

Greg Elems

[alastairq]

enlighten me someone..but was/is gargraves rail, actually made up from 'corrugated' metal strip, folded over on itself, with the two 'tails' inserted into a slot cut into a wooden sleeper?

[ozzy]

huh????? you lost me!.

Originally Posted by alastairq

enlighten me someone..but was/is gargraves rail, actually made up from 'corrugated' metal strip, folded over on itself, with the two 'tails' inserted into a slot cut into a wooden sleeper?

[ozzy]

Originally Posted by Greg Elems

I grew up on O27 tubular track. I was able to find boxes of it at garage sales cheap. The larger rail in the O gauge track was nice but not plentiful at flea markets and so on. I also like the O27 manual switches because I could make spur track and park an engine on it and it was dead till I switched the switch to run it out. Also I didn't have clearance problems with my bigger engine with them. I don't know if you will be using the flexable Gargraves or sectional. I didn't like the flex because once you bend it and trim it, it's pretty much set that way. The switches from Gargraves that I had experiance with weren't all the good. That is why Ross Custom Switches are so popular. Remember my experiance was 30 years or more ago. Atlas has nice track and their new line might be the way to go. Limited switch selection right now with their Industrial Models line but at least you can insert their regular line of switches and crossings.

Greg Elems

yes, i was thinking about gargraves flex track, the phantom rail.

[alastairq]

huh????? you lost me!.

ooookaaay....her in the YuK of england....many years ago, a live steam, garden railway specalist...I think it was 'Merlin', who had a shop in Kendal...(for those UK correspondants herein)....sold a type of flex track, in 0 gauge, called 'gargraves' track.....it consisted f very simpe construction...instead of 'extruded', or formed rail...as we know it today (like Peco, Atlas, etc)...the rail was folded up out of a length of corrugated sheet...I think ally,....the rail head was the folded-over 'bulb' of a corrugation....the 'base or foot of the rail was also the next corrugated hump, one each side....then the whole ended in two 'tails' which were inserted into slots cut in softwood ties(sleepers)...it gave the impression of formed rail, but was hollow........ie it looked like flatbottom rail in cross section, but with a tail sticking out the base, inserted into the wood......plus, as said before, it was hollow....like hornby tinplatetrack.

just wondered....

[ozzy]

ok , it is hollow, like 027 tube. and is held together with pins like 027. (but the pins works way better then 027) has wood ties,

now this is the new gargraves stuff. and it is tinplate. but so is o-27, and fast track.

Wholesale Trains, Cars, Boats and Airplanes - Custom Built Hobby, Parts, Peripherals, Services

theres a pic

Originally Posted by alastairq

ooookaaay....her in the YuK of england....many years ago, a live steam, garden railway specalist...I think it was 'Merlin', who had a shop in Kendal...(for those UK correspondants herein)....sold a type of flex track, in 0 gauge, called 'gargraves' track.....it consisted f very simpe construction...instead of 'extruded', or formed rail...as we know it today (like Peco, Atlas, etc)...the rail was folded up out of a length of corrugated sheet...I think ally,....the rail head was the folded-over 'bulb' of a corrugation....the 'base or foot of the rail was also the next corrugated hump, one each side....then the whole ended in two 'tails' which were inserted into slots cut in softwood ties(sleepers)...it gave the impression of formed rail, but was hollow........ie it looked like flatbottom rail in cross section, but with a tail sticking out the base, inserted into the wood......plus, as said before, it was hollow....like hornby tinplatetrack.

just wondered....

[alastairq]

I see now......it IS more or less the same stuff I saw......except it didn't have a third rail, and the sleepers(ties) were plain, white wood, and fewer of them per length....(depicting a narrow gauge PW, scaled at something like 16mm/foot]

[ozzy]

Originally Posted by alastairq

I see now......it IS more or less the same stuff I saw......except it didn't have a third rail, and the sleepers(ties) were plain, white wood, and fewer of them per length....(depicting a narrow gauge PW, scaled at something like 16mm/foot]

it comes in 2 and 3 rail, but im a 3 railer.