# How much HO track do I need...?



## pologuy (Oct 20, 2010)

Hi everyone,

I am looking at track online, EZ track to be exact...

Is this good HO track?

How much, and which pieces would I need to make a 72" diameter circle around a Christmas Tree? 

Thanks as always!


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## tooter (Feb 26, 2010)

Hi polo, 

You might consider checking out Atlas True Track. 

It's cheap, widely available, has nickel silver code 83 rail (I think Bachmann ez track is steel), and the roadbed can be removed from the track in case later you want to use it later in a layout where you make your own ballasted roadbed.

The biggest radius True Track curve is 24 inches which makes a 48 inch diameter circle, which might be a little small for a Christmas tree, but if you alternate some straight tracks between the curves, you can make it as big as you need. It takes sixteen 24 inch radius curve tracks to make a complete circle.

Hobbylinc.com sells 4 pack 24" radius Atlas True Track for $5.89...










...so a circle would cost about $24 plus shipping.



Greg


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## Boston&Maine (Dec 19, 2007)

choo choo said:


> Hi polo,
> 
> You might consider checking out Atlas True Track.
> 
> It's cheap, widely available, has nickel silver code 83 rail (I think Bachmann ez track is steel),


With Bachmann, if it has a black road bed then it is steel, but if it has a grey road bed then it is nickel silver...


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## pologuy (Oct 20, 2010)

Thanks very much guys! 

Ok, so...

If I want black track and not gray...

What exactly do I need to make a 72" diameter "circle"? 

Am I right in understanding that there is no way to make a 72" diameter perfect circle?

And I will need some curved pieces and some straight pieces?

Thanks for all of your help, I really am new to this!


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## Boston&Maine (Dec 19, 2007)

pologuy said:


> Thanks very much guys!
> 
> Ok, so...
> 
> ...


I am not too familiar with HO scale, but if no one makes 36" radius curves, you could always buy flex track and make your own


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## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

Boston&Maine said:


> I am not too familiar with HO scale, but if no one makes 36" radius curves, you could always buy flex track and make your own


Boston & Maine is right no one makes that big of a radius curve that I know of and I have been looking for larger radius turns for a long time so the only way to make your size circle is to get flex track wich is fairly easy to work with and get the shape you want or you can use the above listed track types but you will need straight track between each curve piece on both sides and is very easy to put together and do your self a favor get the gray ballast it works much better than the black. I have used both and the gray runs much more problem free and less cleaning. I also would sugest instead of a cirlce just makeing a rectangle this will not need straight track in between curve sections and will look much neater than the above options (this is what I normally do for all the trains I run under my Christmas Tree) but the choice is completly up to you.


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## pologuy (Oct 20, 2010)

Hey, thanks for everyone's help... 

But, I am getting a little discouraged... 

I found the engine and tender I want... the Athearn Big Boy...

Now it seems finding the rest of what I want is, well, discouraging... 

I would like to add 2-3 black passenger cars, but can not find black unless I go to e-bay and get old cars that I have to assemble myself...

And I do not understand this track stuff...

You can make a circle using straight pieces, but a rectangle is just all curved pieces - that makes no sense to me, lol... It would seem that a circle would use all curved pieces and a rectangle would use straight pieces... 

Or flex track...

HELP!


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## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

no...no... I mean your circle would have a turn piece then a straight piece then another turn piece to make a sort of circle but not a perfect one. and the rectangle would have a long straight piece of track the a half circle made up of turn pieces then some shorter straight track the another half circle then a long piece of track a half turn short straight track then a half turn this will make you a rectangle formation not a perfect 90 degree rectangle a curved egded rectangle  hope this helps and does make it any more confussing.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

GC,

Clear to me ... good explanation!

TJ


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## stationmaster (Dec 7, 2008)

EZ Track come in NS(gray road bed). Atlas is quite a bit more expensive than the EZ Track.

Bob


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## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

ez track also comes in a black road bed to.


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