What Track is best

[burnthebox]

Hi all you knowledgeable guys, tell me what type of Track system is best to put for a layout, & including the best manufacturer of points for the same track system, I'm leaning towards the Peco code ???? so what's best, thanks in advance,

[irishthump]

I've just started a new layout and I went with Peco for all the points. I had some Hornby points on my old layout and I wouldn't touch them again!

All my points are Peco Streamline Code 100 small radius and they are all Insulfrog. I know the purists will recommend using Electrofrog with DCC but if you run nothing smaller than

a Bo-Bo you shouldn't have any track pickup problems.

 

My track is about 90% Peco streamline Code 100 flex track,. I had some lengths of Hornby semi-flex that I saved from the old layout and I always found them fine so I'll use them in

freight sidings.

[burnthebox]

I've just started a new layout and I went with Peco for all the points. I had some Hornby points on my old layout and I wouldn't touch them again!

All my points are Peco Streamline Code 100 small radius and they are all Insulfrog. I know the purists will recommend using Electrofrog with DCC but if you run nothing smaller than

a Bo-Bo you shouldn't have any track pickup problems.

 

My track is about 90% Peco streamline Code 100 flex track,. I had some lengths of Hornby semi-flex that I saved from the old layout and I always found them fine so I'll use them in

freight sidings.

 

Forgot to mention my layout will be DCC, so I'm looking at Peco Flexi Code 100, & Electrofrog, & I'm hoping to be using as much a cross as is possible, meaning BoBo's, CoCo's, O-4-O's, O-6-O's, & whatever else I can run, no matter how long, or small,or should that be short !!!

[irishthump]

Forgot to mention my layout will be DCC, so I'm looking at Peco Flexi Code 100, & Electrofrog, & I'm hoping to be using as much a cross as is possible, meaning BoBo's, CoCo's, O-4-O's, O-6-O's, & whatever else I can run, no matter how long, or small,or should that be short !!!

 

Well then Electrofrog might be your best bet. The 0-4-0's will give trouble over Insulfrog points.

[Dunluce Castle]

Peco all the way, we've had no problems what so ever with it. Code 100 will allow absolutely everything to be run, especially those old triang engines, code 75 for the more newer stuff.

[burnthebox]

Peco all the way, we've had no problems what so ever with it. Code 100 will allow absolutely everything to be run, especially those old triang engines, code 75 for the more newer stuff.

 

Thanks guys, now do's that mean it's not possible to run new stuff over Peco code 100 without problems or do's that mean you have to change wheels / bogies, ? thanks again,

[Broithe]

New stuff will run on 100 or 75 - older stuff will prefer100 - some really old wheels will argue even on 100.

[DiveController]

Paul, I'm considering Code 75 but the discussion on here will help you a bit regarding wheels etc

http://irishrailwaymodeller.com/showthread.php/3484-Old-Dapol-amp-Lima-CIE-Wagons-on-Peco-Code-75-track

[Noel]

Peco stream line all the way. As others have said, if you are starting with newish rolling stock then code 75, or 100 if you want to run older hornby. If possible avoid set track as the wider track separation distance is aimed at the toy market.

[Broithe]

I once spent ages trying to get an old loco running on 100 to stop ticking - only to eventually find that the noise was not in the mechanism, but came from the flanges hitting the chairs..

[Dunluce Castle]

Thanks guys, now do's that mean it's not possible to run new stuff over Peco code 100 without problems or do's that mean you have to change wheels / bogies, ? thanks again,

Probably should have constructed my comment a bit better haha, all the new stuff will happily run on code 100 track, the problem only occurs when you try to run some older rolling stock on code 75 because it's a lot more finer.

[burnthebox]

For what ever reason I'm going with Code 100, do'nt know exactly why, I did see a layout in Dun Laoghaire & part of the the track looked great, especially the sleepers, looked so real, wood ! maybe just a feeling in my waters, or maybe it's the Jameson, ( wish the bloody hell I was putting my layout down right now !! ) I think I may have seen it on displays, etc. I'll be watching Kevin's development on his with the Code 75, anyway it's looking like when I get to putting it down, it will be interesting, some of my stuff is so long in boxes I do'nt remember just how old it is, thanks again guys,

[Dunluce Castle]

Hope you don't mind me posting these but here's our exhibition layout and it features peco streamline code 100 track.

Something to think about.

[burnthebox]

Hope you don't mind me posting these but here's our exhibition layout and it features peco streamline code 100 track.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]18921[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]18922[/ATTACH]

Something to think about.

 

Thanks DC, is that "streamline" different to code 100 ? it looks great, but I do'nt think it's the same as the track I seen in DL,

Edited May 4, 2015 by burnthebox

[Broithe]

Looks great, D C.

 

 

A vertical shot of the real thing might be of interest.

 

[Dunluce Castle]

Not that I know of burnthebox. That's well ballasted Broithe

[DiveController]

Can someone just clarify what the difference between code 100, fine scale and what is streamline about Peco's streamline 100?

[Broithe]

Streamline is a trade-name for Peco's flexitrack system and its associated points, slips and crossovers. I think the term is used because you can sweep bends more realistically than with fixed-curve Setrack.

 

The rail on code 100 is 100/1000th of an inch high and Code 75 is 75/1000ths high. Fine scale is a generic term for things that are more scale-accurate - thus, 75 track is more "fine scale" than 100 is.

[Dunluce Castle]

Google search brought me this,

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peco#Track_systems

[DiveController]

Fine scale is a generic term for things that are more scale-accurate - thus, 75 track is more "fine scale" than 100 is.

Ok, that makes sense now. Pretty much knew Streamline didn't mean anything as such. That finescale thing was boring a hole in my brain.

So what's true scale for broad gauge track then? i.e. how high is a prototypical rail? I guess I can do the maths after that

[burnthebox]

Thanks again guys, & Broithe great explanation, so it'll be code 100 for me, btw do's everyone know your supposed to bend Peco Flexi one (1) way, only, apparently !! thanks again,

[Broithe]

I've never had any trouble bending Peco 100 Streamline flexi-track in either direction.

[Broithe]

Ok, that makes sense now. Pretty much knew Streamline didn't mean anything as such. That finescale thing was boring a hole in my brain.

So what's true scale for broad gauge track then? i.e. how high is a prototypical rail? I guess I can do the maths after that

 

In 00 4mm is one foot - a tenth of an inch is 2.5 mm, or 5/8 of a foot, which is 5 times 1.5 inches, or 7.5 inches - a bit over-sized.

 

Somewhere around 5 or 5.5 inches seems about right, in real life.

[Noel]

All settrack is effectively code 100, whereas with streamline one has the choice to be either code 100 or the finer scale code 75.

 

• Streamline has a centre-to-centre track distance of 50mm (e.g. stream line code 100 or code 75)
  
• Settrack has a centre-to-centre track distance of 67mm (e.g. hornby & peco toy set track)
  

I have found that streamline's 50mm centre to centre gap between track looks much better than the huge 67mm gap between settrack, but some very long mk3 and uk mk4 coaches can snag when passing parallel unless the curves are large radius. My old stock had no problem but on one of my curves I increased the flexitrack spacing to 54mm just on the bend so that mk3 coaches have sufficient clearance.

[Broithe]

That's the beauty of Streamline - you can have a closer spacing on the straights and 'slide' the spacing wider on the bends, as necessary.

[burnthebox]

Thanks DC, is that "streamline" different to code 100 ? it looks great, but I do'nt think it's the same as the track I seen in DL,

 

Forgot to ask DC, is that track the type you solder to the rails,?

[Dunluce Castle]

Forgot to ask DC, is that track the type you solder to the rails,?

If you mean kit built track then no it's not, peco track comes ready to lay and all you need to do is cut it to length.

[Broithe]

[burnthebox]

Hi guys & thanks for all the info on tracks, it'll be Peco Code 100 & Electrofrog points, may have to visit Hattons when the time comes as weight could be a postage cost, enjoy the Bank Holiday one & all

[Warbonnet]

Hi guys & thanks for all the info on tracks, it'll be Peco Code 100 & Electrofrog points, may have to visit Hattons when the time comes as weight could be a postage cost, enjoy the Bank Holiday one & all

 

Hattons postage on track is actually very reasonable so worth giving them a shout first.

[Noel]

Hi guys & thanks for all the info on tracks, it'll be Peco Code 100 & Electrofrog points, may have to visit Hattons when the time comes as weight could be a postage cost, enjoy the Bank Holiday one & all

 

You may be able to save yourself postage on bulky items such as a few boxes of flexitrack from some of the large Irish model outlets.

[Warbonnet]

You may be able to save yourself postage on bulky items such as a few boxes of flexitrack from some of the large Irish model outlets.

 

A fountain of invaluable advice as per usual Noel! Don't know why I didn't think of that myself in my previous post.

[Dhu Varren]

Peco also produce a range of Code 75 track components called ‘Individulay’. This range includes plain wooden and concrete sleepers, lengths of point sleepering, and rail fasteners, all in polystyrene. These components are particularly useful if you wished to build a small Irish layout to the correct 21mm gauge. They are also useful if you are building a layout using Code 75 track, where you have a requirement for a special point arrangement and there is no ready made point available to fit the location.

My most recent addition to my layout is a branch line terminus built using Code 75 track. The station throat proved to be a bit awkward due to the space available, so the only option was to build a scissors crossover from scratch, using Individulay components, to fit the location. The end result is shown below.

 

 

I cheated slightly by using half of a R/H and half of a L/H large radius point to get started, but the rest is built with Individulay components.

[Dunluce Castle]

I've never heard of peco Individulay before, wow never knew they did such a range, could come in handy for the future, that cross over is a work of art.

[leslie10646]

Peco all the way, we've had no problems what so ever with it. Code 100 will allow absolutely everything to be run, especially those old triang engines, code 75 for the more newer stuff.

Just for the record, I have used a mix of Peco 100, Peco Setrack (I'm lazy and it saves cutting rail!) and even Hornby straights for some sidings (you can pick up secondhand ones cheaply at exhibitions here in England and it's cheaper than yards of Peco), all without obvious problems.

 

Peco Setrack Special curves (33" or so radius) was particularly useful to lay a fairly inaccesible curve on the layout.

 

I agree with others - buy it from your local shop - if you're buying a lot, they usually offer something off - maybe not to Rails or Hattons level. Better to support them, so that they're still there the day you need something quickly!!!!

 

Leslie

[Broithe]

If buying flexi-track, don't forget to get enough joiners, as well......