I would greatly appreciate advice on switches as I plan my first layout. I'm pretty new to the hobby and enjoy prewar and postwar Lionel, Marx, and American Flyer (particularly streamlined locos), though I may get some slightly bigger modern equipment down the road. I’m using SCARM to do a rough design of the planned layout, with sample images shown here.
The main line has curves of 054 and part of it is elevated (grade changes of 3.4 degrees given footprint constraints). The other line has minimum curves of O42, no elevation and passes once under the main line. There is also a completely elevated and simple third line, but for ease of reference, I have not depicted it here.
I am planning to buy Tinman 3Rail once they restock (this fall?) to have U.S.-made tubular track that is in good shape with a classic and consistent look (rather than piecing together different Lionel and K-line track from over the years), but I am up in the air on which switches to use. It seems 072 switches are the best “fit” when doing the design, they may be the least drastic / jarring coming out of curves (one is at the base of the main line’s descent/ascent due to space constraints), and they offer flexibility in terms of being able to run larger locos.
Am I misinterpreting these perceived benefits of O72 switches, and would vintage O22, O42 or O54 switches work just as well (I can tweak the design in SCARM to fit these)? Drawbacks of 072 seem to be the far higher cost, less common availability, and most that I have seen are relatively new and made in China (and perhaps less reliable/robust than O22). Ross is out of my price range and I prefer original / vintage if possible, but it looks like Tinman only offers advice on repairing 072 switches.
Before I look to start investing in all of this track, I would appreciate the wisdom of experienced model train enthusiasts. Thank you for any advice you can provide as my children and I plan ahead for our first layout!
