# Track differences?



## FramFramson (Dec 23, 2014)

Howdy hey, 

Background: My planned layout is a very light and modular one, primarily meant to be integrated into tabletop wargaming sessions (S is by far the best commercially available scale for this, if one is playing the most common wargaming scale, which is 28-32mm). 

I understand there are several different variations on S (as with many scales), but it seems the two most common are S fitted to American Flyer models (including new, modern kits for this scale) and "true" S. 

For American Flyer, you can get newer-style track from sites such as American Models, (i.e. http://www.americanmodels.com/misc/track.html). This is what I was thinking of getting to start off a layout, as I quite like the track and it seems very decently-priced. It's also already conveniently modular in footlong sections (and wargaming tables tend to be measured in feet), so I won't need to cut it. 

However, when looking at alternates just for the sake of shopping around, I noticed that other tracks, such as Tomalco or Shinohara that they are not compatible with American Flyer trains or trains intended to match American Flyer. 

Is this simply because American Flyer wheels have larger flanges, or is there a more substantial difference between the two, such as track width? The reason I'm asking is because I would like to know how incompatible the different ranges of rolling stock and locos are before committing to a track type. 

Thanks!


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## llskis (Apr 11, 2013)

Just a couple of quick notes for you: Do a "Search" on tracks on this forum as this has been
discussed numerous times. AFAIK all "S" gauge track has the same width. The difference is in the flanges of the wheels of the rolling stock. Fastrack from Lional and S-Trax from MTH can be used for both Hi-Rail and Scale Loco's. Larry

From American Models:
Many people still have American Flyer trains...others remember playing with them when they were young. This is the reason we, at American Models manufacture our trains to be compatible with these. This type...called "hi-rail" (tinplate) because of the larger wheel flanges and couplers, which ran on oversized hollow track. This accounts for about 90% of the current "S" scale market. Others who are known as "scalers" want the most realism possible with DC motors; only the smallest possible wheel flanges


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Welcome to the site.

War gaming tables I had to look that up.
The first one I found WW2.










Explain in layman's terms the rules for playing one?
You play with some kind of cards over the internet or something?
Or do you have people come over to play?
Or do you bring your layout somewhere to hook into another to play?

What time period are you planning to build for having a war?
Do a build thread here? 
It would be cool to see it all come together as you go along.

If you do the build thread, do it in the S forum as your planning on using S track.
I don't think that we have any build threads on a RR incorporated into a war gaming table. 
I can't find anything here to do with war games, though I think there may be one somewhere. If so I can't find it.
You would be a first.


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## flyernut (Oct 31, 2010)

Don't forget about GarGraves Track!! They're located almost directly across the big lake from you in NY. Their track comes in flexible 3 foot sections, with real wood ties. It's great stuff, and will work with the original AF track..:smilie_daumenpos:


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## FramFramson (Dec 23, 2014)

Thanks guys! 

@ Big Ed: Wargaming is an in-person affair, being played on tabletops. Standard table sizes vary between games, but the most common sizes float between 3'x3' to 4'x6'. There are much larger tables. Typically they are dice-rolling affairs using painted miniatures (typically white metal or plastic) and size depends on the game or the player preference. 

I'm running a skirmish-style game (which is small groups of individual figures, such as a cowboy shoot-out, instead of large clashing armies like say, a WWII game) with a Pulp 30's theme, hence my need for trains. My main problem is that much of my games will be in Europe and European S-Scale stuff is very difficult to find cheaply, so I expect I will be doing some converting. Though, a Brit I know might be doing some laser-cut goods cars in the new year and they look very promising (static models, not proper rolling stock, but they would work for me). 

My own layout won't be a running one, as often there will just be a strip of track going through a table, so I'm focusing more on the modelling aspects - I just need everything to look good! But I do know a fellow who built a genuine integrated layout with proper running trains using On30. You can see his build thread on our wargaming forum here: http://www.lead-adventure.de/index.php?topic=35212.0 but here are a few sample images:


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## llskis (Apr 11, 2013)

Wow; what a concept; kinda neat. I do like the detail. I guess you can say American Flyer had a "Model T" version of this in 1964-65; nothing like what you got though.:thumbsup:
Larry


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