# What are the different kinds of track?



## punchy71 (Dec 1, 2014)

Greetings,
I was wondering if someone might be able to tell me what all the different kinds of track mean? For example; I keep seeing such things as "_code 70 track_". Or even "_hand-laid track_", or "_snap track_" or "fast track" and things of this nature...
I went to a hobby store that specializes in model railroads recently and scanned the shelfs very quickly and saw a wide array of different track types. I already know what "_flex track_" is... but not all these other various different kinds I'm seeing now days....
What is a good kind of track for a beginner to start out with and which kind should a beginner generally avoid?
Thank you


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

Punchy there are so many personal likes and dislikes of
the various makes of track that there really is not one
single 'best' answer.

in HO scale, the codes refer to rail height. Some who want
a more true to scale track use code 83 or even code 70.

However, most layouts use the more common code 100.

There is also wide disagreement in the use of track that
has it's own plastic base such as Bachmann EZ track. It
does make an attractive layout. My complaint about it,
in addition to higher cost,
is that it doesn't give you the flexibility of FLEX track.

You possibly saw flex track at the hobby store. It comes
in 3 foot sections. You can bend it to whatever plan you
have on your layout. There is an almost endless array
of turnout types as well as crossings that will also match
the flex track. 

Hand laid track is a product
for the very experienced modeler who has the ability
to lay down ties then add the rails just as does the
real railroads.

Snap track by Atlas is individual sections of straights
and curves. It is not recommended for a serious layout.
It requires joiners between each section. It has 
stability as well as electrical concerns, and is costly.

For the beginner, go with code 100 flex track. It is
easier to use and widely available as are the turnouts
and other accessories.

Don


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## rzw0wr (Aug 28, 2013)

punchy, as Don has said the code number is the track in thousandths of an inch.
code 100 is .100", code 83 is .083" and so on.
The code is standard for all manufactures.
What is not standard is the width or thickness.
Atlas has a very thick base and web, PE track is about the smallest base and web I have seen. These 2 do not play well together. You have trouble with joiners.

The code of a track may be standard, that is just the rail height.
Some tracks come with road bed attached.
If you used track, like atlas, you would need to raise the Atlas track to match the over all height of the track with the road bed attached.

Fast Tracks is what I use.
It is called hand laid but, it isn't really hand laid in the traditional sense.
With Fast Tracks you buy a jig, rails and PC board ties.
You solder the rails to the track using the jig to hold and align the section.

I can't advise you on good track to start with however, I will tell you to stay away from hand laid and Fast Tracks system until you get more experience.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

I presume you know about track materials? Steel track is basically garbage. It's only advantage is that it's cheap, but you will spend so much more time cleaning that it isn't worth it. Brass is the best conductor, but it too oxidizes quickly, making frequent cleaning necessary. Nickel silver is what most experienced modelers use. 

My spin on what the other guys said: Prototype rail would be something like code 45, so the lower the code, the more realistic it looks, but the more finicky some equipment is about running on it (especially older stuff). Personally, I find code 83 to be a good compromise, but you may not think so.

As far as roadbed track vs sectional track vs flextrack, that really is your choice, too. It's all about tradeoffs. Roadbed track costs more (unless you buy the steel garbage), but it goes together more quickly and has fewer connectivity issues. It does, however, tend to have a limited selection of shapes, thus limiting your track plan optoons somewhat. Sectional track (of which Atlas Snap Track is the most common brand) is the cheapest, and has a wide variety of geometries, but it can sometimes be hard to find just the right piece. Flex track is more expensive, but much more versatile, it's shape being limited only by your imagination and the capabilities of your rolling stock.

I'll reinforce the opinion that you should stay away from hand laid options initially, but other than that, let price, availability, and effort required be your guide.


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## punchy71 (Dec 1, 2014)

What about narrow gauge HO, otherwise known as HOn3?


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## sstlaure (Oct 12, 2010)

punchy71 said:


> What about narrow gauge HO, otherwise known as HOn3?


That's an HO scale locomotive that runs on N scale track (to simulate the 3' wide narrow gauge railroads of yesteryear.) You can run tighter radii in HOn3 than you can on regular HO, but you need special narrow gauge rolling stock to go with it.


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## Howard1975 (Jan 6, 2014)

sstlaure said:


> That's an HO scale locomotive that runs on N scale track (to simulate the 3' wide narrow gauge railroads of yesteryear.) You can run tighter radii in HOn3 than you can on regular HO, but you need special narrow gauge rolling stock to go with it.


Actually that is not quite true. Proper HOn3 runs on a 10.5 mm (0.413 in) gauge track. 
The stuff that runs on N scale track is called by various names: HOn30, HOn2½, HOn2.5, and OO9, and HOe (all are exact same thing). They call it HOe in Continental Europe, OO9 in England, and usually HOn30 or HOn2½ (HOn2.5) in America. 

Yes it's that confusing. Sorry, but if you read various magazines and internet sites like I do, you will see it called by various names. 

Normal N scale track has a 9 mm (0.354 in) gauge track. 
Normal HO scale track has a 16.5 gauge track. 
Proper HOn3 has a 10.5 mm (0.413 in) gauge track. 
Proper HOn2 has a 7 mm (0.276 in) gauge track. Two foot gauge was used mostly in the State of Maine.
HOn30 (also called HOn2½, HOn2.5, and OO9, and HOe) uses the same 9 mm gauge track, as normal N scale trains. 

Almost forgot, there is also a HOm, used by some in Europe. That has a 12 mm (0.472 in) gauge track. It's used to model the meter gauge trains common there. 

The HOn3 (which is 1/87th sized trains running on a 10.5 mm track gauge) is the most accurate for modeling the 3 foot narrow gauge trains common in North America. But it's quite expensive, and little is available commercially. So some people decide to fudge the accuracy some, and run 1/87th HO scale narrow gauge, on readily available and inexpensive N gauge track and mechanisms. 

Honestly the 9mm N gauge track (in 1/87th scale) is closer to about 30 inch gauge (when scaled up to full size). 

If you care more about exact prototypical accuracy, choose HOn3, which is more expensive. But if you just want something close enough, and don't mind a slight inaccuracy, then you can go with the cheaper HOn30. 

Howard


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

punchy71 said:


> What about narrow gauge HO, otherwise known as HOn3?


Punchy

This scale is usually used in model logging railroads and
the like. These logging railroads were usually in
the more mountain areas and they used colorful steam locos and shorter cars
than the regular railroads. They continued to operate up until
about WWII, some after. There is quite an array of locos and cars
available in this scale. 

Some layouts will have a logging railroad running along side their
main line railroads. 

Don


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