N scale track with built in plastic roadbed?????

if you had to use the snap together n scale track with the roadbed witch brand would you use? and why? what brand is more common to find? what brand has the best switches?
 

Cannonball

More Trains Than Brains
Bachmann & Model Power are both fairly common. I don't like the molded roadbed myself. It looks cheap and fake. If I had to use it, I don't think one is really better than the other and they connect to each other. There are a couple of other brands out there as well but those two are the ones flooding the market.
 

brakie

Active Member
I also don't care for the molded roadbed because it limits the track design..
However,if I was to use this track I would use Atlas's Trutrack or Kato's Unittrack
 

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
However,if I was to use this track I would use Atlas's Trutrack or Kato's Unittrack

That would be my choice also

But again like the others have said, i wouldnt go with molded on roadbed, looks cheap, not realistic, and as said above, limits trackage and possibilities you could have with normal snap track and flex track....

I would try and stay away from molded roadbed if possible, think its also more expensive to go that route anyways
 
i want it as the track needs to be tore down and put up repeatedly , or one track design took a part then a new one made repeatedly. i want to reuse the track , thats why i use Lionel fast track in o scale. my fun is coming up with and building layouts, and scenic work. different scenes . after 30 days of completing a layout im ready to rip it up and start a new one. i been using atlas flex track, but track is not cheap to replace after each layout, hard to save when its glued or nailed down.
 

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
i want it as the track needs to be tore down and put up repeatedly , or one track design took a part then a new one made repeatedly. i want to reuse the track , thats why i use Lionel fast track in o scale. my fun is coming up with and building layouts, and scenic work. different scenes . after 30 days of completing a layout im ready to rip it up and start a new one. i been using atlas flex track, but track is not cheap to replace after each layout, hard to save when its glued or nailed down.

I can see where you are coming from on that then, I think the Atlas and Kato tracks are the more higher end and reliable ones :thumb:
 
Atlas' version of this track is just hitting stores now (or soon?) so I can't comment on it. I expect it will be good, though.

If you can afford Unitrack and wanted to do something right now I think that would probably be the way to go. A good variety is already available and I've heard few complaints about it. (The most common adjective I've read, actually, is "bulletproof".) Plus it holds most of its value should you decide to switch to other non-roadbed track later.
 
i really dont know what i want to do, im in o scale mostly right now, but i have this box full of N scale engines and rolling stock that i want to do something with.

i had thought about making switching puzzle layouts on a card table, get one mastered then change it up. or make a operating rail yard, nothing else , to practice moving cars about in a yards, to make trains, i dont have room to do that the o scale.

or how about a 24" X 48" layout where all i do is spot cars at interindustry. ?

no loops to run trains on, just back and forth.

any other ideas?
 
ok with the Kato or Bachmann track do they have lots of different sizes of curves? like my lionel fast track has 0-36, 0-48, 0-54, 0-72, 0-36 takes a space 36" wide to make a U- turn, 0-72 takes a space 72" to make a U-turn.

in N scale are we stuck with just one or 2 sizes of curves in roadbed track?
 

Mountain Man

Active Member
I am finding it useful for planning my layout - quick to layout a configuration, push a few cars through and look for trouble spots. If I don't like it or the tested configuration doesn't blend well into the next section, I just pull it up and try something else.

Once I have it all worked out, I can put down more conventional track following a thoroughly tested full-sized template.
 

lucakiki

New Member
What about Fleischmann track? Since it was introduced, it always had molded roadbed. It has flexible track, and switches, of course. Plus 15° and 30° crossings.
I am fairly happy with it.
I am told Roco released a new track with roadbed, but I have not actually had a look to it.
 

Cannonball

More Trains Than Brains
ok with the Kato or Bachmann track do they have lots of different sizes of curves? like my lionel fast track has 0-36, 0-48, 0-54, 0-72, 0-36 takes a space 36" wide to make a U- turn, 0-72 takes a space 72" to make a U-turn.

in N scale are we stuck with just one or 2 sizes of curves in roadbed track?

I don't think that N scale has that much variety. I've seen 18", 21" and that's about it. Of course, I've never really looked very hard for it either.
 
here is a list of kato unitrack curves, buy looking at the way there describe each curve how does a guy figure out how wide a space that is needed to make a U-turn? or how many pieces needed? when going out and buying track and your layout is 24" wide, how do you keep from buying curves that need 30" of space to turn around?


Curve Track
R249-45 deg. (R=9-3/4"-45 deg.)

Curve Track
R282-45 deg. (R=11"-45 deg.)


Curve Track
R282-15 deg. (R=11"-15 deg.)

Curve Track
R315-45 deg. (R=12-3/8"-45 deg.)

Curve Track
R348-45 deg. (R=13-3/4"-45 deg.)

Curve Track
R381-30 deg. (R=15"-30 deg.)

Curve Track
R718-15 deg. (R=28-1/4"-15 deg.)

Curve Track
R481-15 deg. (R=19"-15 deg.)

Curve Track
R218-45 deg. (R=8-1/2"-45 deg.



Curve Track
R218-15 deg. (R=8-1/2"-15 deg.)



 

TruckLover

Mack CH613 & 53' Trailer
here is a list of kato unitrack curves, buy looking at the way there describe each curve how does a guy figure out how wide a space that is needed to make a U-turn? or how many pieces needed? when going out and buying track and your layout is 24" wide, how do you keep from buying curves that need 30" of space to turn around?

Ive been told you simply double the curves radius to find out the space needed to make a U turnaround.... I think that is correct if i remember i did it one time and it made sense.... Someone wanna back me up on that if its true or not? lol
 

lucakiki

New Member
roughly, yes, you double the radius. But you might use the max outside diameter to know the u turn space, and add something for clearance.
Curved tracks are available in different degrees. To make a u turn you need a total of 180°. You can obtain that with four 45° curved tracks, for instance ,or six 30°, etc.
Different manufacturers offer different radiuses. Minitrix, for instance, offered six and not just four as Fleischmann..
 
for those that think the "roadbed track" looks toy like,,,,, what i plan to do is put the track down into the pink foam base. cut the edges of the foam the same angle as the sides of the road bed. so the only part of the plastic roadbed you see is the top of the track/roadbed , then it will not look like the roadbed and track is 1/2 high off the base. and you can use the glue down ballast to blend it all in together.
 

60103

Pooh Bah
To find the require space, you double the radius, but that only takes you to the center line of the track. You then add on the width of the roadbed and then a bit for overhang and some table to catch the train when it comes off the track.
The number of pieces for a circle is not fixed. 12 was common, but larger radii use more sections so they can keep the length of the packaging down. (I just figured that a 36" radius curve with 12 sections would have 18" long sections. An 18" radius curve has about 9" sections.)
 

Cannonball

More Trains Than Brains
for those that think the "roadbed track" looks toy like,,,,, what i plan to do is put the track down into the pink foam base. cut the edges of the foam the same angle as the sides of the road bed. so the only part of the plastic roadbed you see is the top of the track/roadbed , then it will not look like the roadbed and track is 1/2 high off the base. and you can use the glue down ballast to blend it all in together.

And you're talking about tearing that up when you get bored and want to build a new layout?

If you're gonna go through all of that, you might as well use regular track and ballast.
 
And you're talking about tearing that up when you get bored and want to build a new layout?

If you're gonna go through all of that, you might as well use regular track and ballast.

cant reuse regular track thats what i been using, when it gets taken up it gets thrown away, as its cant be reused after its been glued down. and you cant make flex track that was once a curve straight again.

the point of the road bed track is i can reuse it, and not have to buy it all over again.
 
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