3RS track

Here's a shot of the GG and RCS track and switches on my layout:



I've seen one of our fellow forumites (Windy) layouts, he used Atlas track.

IMO the Atlas track looks great, the ties are thinner than GG or RCS. He said he had few if any problems with the Atlas, all I can tell you I've not had a single problem with GG or RCS in the almost 10 years I've had a layout. I've re-used a bunch of the track and switches (this is my 3rd or 4th layout) and they still work great.

I'll be laying ballast in the next few months which hopefully will make it look better.

The hot ticket is to use Atlas track with Ross turnouts as the Ross turnouts are available in more configurations and have outstanding reliability and operation. You just have to cut the stringers out on the end ties and move them back about 1/4" and use the Atlas regular joiners to connect them to Atlas track. My personal preference is to use the standard 11-degree turnouts for pretty much everything as their straight-leg/straight frog configuration and 11-degree frog angle makes them more suitable for scale-wheeled equipment. The #6 and #8 turnouts have a larger frog gap which is problematic for scale-wheeled equipment (we put a frog point in our #8 curved turnout.)

If you want to use Atlas turnouts, I would remove the bridge wiring and feed power from separate feed drops rather than rely on the internal wiring. It also makes it easier to create separate power districts at the turnout.

For my home switching layout, I've chosen MTH ScaleTrax. I got the last missing section for the initial phase last week, so the build starts this weekend.

Hope this helps.

Will,

My layout is 100% Atlas O. If I had known much more about the MTH ScaleTrack, I would have gone 100% with the MTH product! Why? The MTH ScaleTrack is a more prototypical rail height, plus the center rail is soooo much thinner/smaller.

Don't get me wrong, I am quite happy with how my layout track turned out, in spite of how difficult the Atlas O Flex-Track sections where to work with. Check out some of the photos posted here on the 3RS Forum, and you will see how it turned out.

thanks everyone! I think I will go MTH as this seems to be everyones favorite choice for looks and after some research the prices seem lower than Atlas.

Just to add to the discussion:

I too would have went with the MTH track IF they had the types & kinds of switches i needed. They didn't, so I've decided to use GarGraves with Ross switches. Overall, they look fine for my eyes and are MUCH cheaper than the other options.

The MTH stuff rocks. Hopefully you can get by with the limited switch variety and make something cool happen.

Good Luck
- RICH

Will, my layout and also Rich Battista's layouts are 100% MTH Scaletrax. It operates great and is the best looking scale track for 3RS

quote:

I too would have went with the MTH track IF they had the types & kinds of switches i needed. They didn't, so I've decided to use GarGraves with Ross switches. Overall, they look fine for my eyes and are MUCH cheaper than the other options.

If I am fortunate enough to be able to retire and move, I intend to build one more layout before I go to the great roundhouse upstairs. I like the MTH Scaletrax, but they need to provide a better variety of turnouts (curved ones in particular) to be competitive with what Atlas offers. Unless, this happens, I will very likely go with Atlas track.

Will,

Here is my 2 cents: if you need alot of options for TO's then GG & RCS is your best bet. However, if your track plan does not need the selection of RCS, then I would also recomend MTH Scaletrax. Furthermore, if you need flex trak that actually flexes, then IMO, Scaletrax is your best bet. I have used GG, Atlas and Scaletrax for flextrack and by far, Scaletrax is the easiest to work with for making custom curves. Lastly, if you want to use scale wheels on your equipment, I would say use Scaletrax. I have used scale wheels on both Scaletrax and RCS and I thought Scaletrax worked a bit better.

If you want more info on this you really should check out Mr. Battista's videos (vol. 2 for using flextrack) from his website. They are the best How-to vids I've seen for building a 3 rail layout.

I'm happy with the results of my GarGraves/Ross:










But, if I had the chance to start over???? - I'm really not sure!

The Scaletrax and the Atlas both look very good, but not good enough to make me switch now on my present layout.


Will, I would check out all the photos you can find of the various types ballasted and weathered. Then go with the look you prefer. You've seen Scaletrax at its best on Al's layout. Check some well-done Atlas layouts too before deciding.

Jim

quote:

thanks everyone! I think I will go MTH as this seems to be everyones favorite choice for looks and after some research the prices seem lower than Atlas.

I was going to post earlier but held back, but then this afternoon I was double headding two 3rd Rail Santa Fe 2-10-2's backing through some #5's and a #5 double slip starting to relax and really enjoying the action. Then one of the #5's quits passing the current through and everything dies. I fix the switch, replacing the I don't know what gauge wire underneath and resume watching the engines glide through the switches. Then the engines die again and I see smoke coming from under the center rail of another #5. I wonder if Atlas ever had to deal with any fire issues.

I've had an email into Steve Horvath since the 16th and have had no reply. I'd like to get the new layout to where I can ballast it and not have to worry about tearing it up to replace a switch.

Trevize if you look at this, the double slip worked fine with the 3rd Rail engines (thanks to 3rd Rail steam engines having 3 pickup rollers). The only negative thing I can say so far about the double slip is that 2 rail wheel sets have a hard time with the switch, which is probably why Atlas didn't offer a double slip in 2 rail track.

My feeling about MTH track is that it looks great when ballasted in the pictures I've seen. MTH catalog pictures are not complementary to the track. I think Hot Waters remarks express the same conclusions I've reached. I especially like the center rail.

With regard to Gargraves and Ross, I have used the track, never had a problem with Ross switches. I also ended up buying Ross track because I didn't like the lack of spike detail on Gargraves, but it is more costly that way. This is probably the most reliable way to go and I probably would have done well to have stayed with these products.

I'm still open to loving my Atlas, I just need to get a handle on how to deal with the issues.

It is my personal opinion that the single most important aspect of making your track look good is painting it. I don't care which track system you use. If you just lay it and ballast it without painting it or weathering it, it just looks like ballasted toy track. The thing that makes all of the track in the above pictures all look so nice is that the track is painted and weathered. The eyes are very sensitive to color. Make the colors look real and the brain will do the rest. I'd be happy with any of those options.

I agree Fred.

All you have to do is look at my track and then look at Al's, the ballast alone makes it look way better. Without ballast mine looks just like what it is, toy-like and unfinished.

What's that saying...even a pig looks good with a coat of paint on it.

I'll be covering my "pig" up pretty soon!

Scale trax isn't as expensive as you may think. For instance, Trainz has the Tall Timber layout package for $1800, and it retails for $2,500. IN summary, it may not be as much of a savings to go with gargraves, especially if scaletrax is what you want.
http://www.mthtrains.com/scaletrax/talltimber
if you got this or one of the other kits you could reconfigure it. same goes for Atlas who also offers similar layout kits of various sizes.

Jim P,

What type of ballast (the brownish stuff) is that on your sidings?

One reason I haven't started on my ballast is I have a bag of gray ballast and IMO the particles are too large, something small like the brown you used would look better to me, even on the mainline (but more grayish).

Bob,

That's a dark cinder ballast (Woodland Scenics - medium/fine mix) with some WS earth-colored fine turf sprinkled on top while the glue was still wet.

I prefer a finer ballast too. I even used a bucket of the local sandy soil here in the yard area.




Mixing a fine ballast of the same or similar color with your coarse ballast should improve the appearance.

One look that some like, but I can't stand, is mixing very light with very dark ballasts. Too salt and peppery IMO. Similar grays or browns look good together though.

Jim

Thanks Jim! It's on my shopping list

wow it seems that with painting weathering and ballasting almost any track can look fantastic!Jim great job with the GG and Al the MTH looks awesome as well! thanks everyone for the input and pictures they really helped!

I have always been a supporter of ATLAS track. However my Lionel Challenger just hates my 7.5 degree switch. The center rails are too far apart for the Challenger tender.

Will, let me add my recommendation for ScaleTrax as well. The two advantages visually it has over any other is the low profile and thin center blade as mentioned above. These are what truly sets it apart. Right up there is the ease of use with their flextrack. It would be nice to have more variety with switches but the Hikel brothers have successfully created some curve and specialty switches which is always an option.

My vote for a more realistic 3 rail track is to either go stud rail or move the center rail to the outside.

It is new. It was laid less than a month ago. However the rail, outside rail, and outside rail chairs were salvaged from a layout that was built in 1930 so it's really an old but new layout. The ties are cut from 1/8" x 1/4" basswood and laid per Frank Ellison's book written in 1955. It's my current under construction shelf layout. I've got a thread about it in the scenery forum titled "doing it the old way".

MTH ScaleTrax tie spacing seems to be too far apart.

paul m.

Scaletrax ties equal 28" center to center. Atlas ties equal 24" center to center. Prototypical for a mainline is around 21" to 22".

"....GG track and Ross switches........too toy looking...." (cobbled quote)

Let me see, you are running three rail trains, couplers, flanges and middle rails and you are concerned that a certain mfg. of three rail track may too toy looking???

Have no fear, IMO, GG & Ross may very well be the best all around recommendation. You will save big dollars on the track and have excellent selection and quality with the Ross turnouts. Weathered & ballasted properly you will have an absolute winner. A decent upgrade wouild be Scaletraxx. tt

quote:

Originally posted by Tom Tee:
"....GG track and Ross switches........too toy looking...." (cobbled quote)

Let me see, you are running three rail trains, couplers, flanges and middle rails and you are concerned that a certain mfg. of three rail track may too toy looking???

Have no fear, IMO, GG & Ross may very well be the best all around recommendation. You will save big dollars on the track and have excellent selection and quality with the Ross turnouts. Weathered & ballasted properly you will have an absolute winner. A decent upgrade wouild be Scaletraxx. tt

Not an insignificant consideration in today's economy, purchasing Ross / Gargraves product lets you "Buy American". I've had great success with Ross / Gargraves track on my IHMD engine terminal modules, and when it is painted, it looks pretty darn good.




Another shot on RichTrow's IHMD modules. He rusts the sides of his rails, also looks great.



Regards,
GNNPNUT

I like the look of MTH Scaletrax, but have found that they are really hard to connect. Does anyone have any suggestions based on what they have done?

FYI, MTH now offers engines that can run on Marklin stud rail track. They are listed as Proto Sound 3E+ models in the HO 2011 catalog.
Hmm......

O Scale stud rail track engines somewhere down the road?

I have Gargraves track with Ross and Gargrave switches on my layout now and they are working very well for me. But, if and when I ever have to change my track I will probably go with the MTH Scale track system.

When I saw Rich Battista's layout in print and how beautiful his Scale Track looked I started to pay alot more attention to it. Well not only dose it look good but everyone who has it says it operates just as nice. On top of that it cost as much or less then the other systems. The electrical properties are very good and the thin rounded center rail is almost invisible. Yea it's true, it will probably score your center rollers over time as did Super-O track but Center rollers can be changed in seconds. I could live with that two dollar cost evry few years or so.

All and all it's the best track system on the market for the 3RS guys and dolls.