Is the Bachmann track really just the old Aristo? Talking about the standard brass.
The straight up answer is NO. Bachmann came out with their own line of brass track a few years ago (before Aristo went out of business). The Bachmann track represented narrow gauge track, therefore the tie spacing and size was different from Aristo. Aristo had two tie types, one representing American standard gauge tie spacing and size, the other representing (I believe) a European narrow gauge. Although the cross section of the Bachmann brass track is slightly different than the Aristo, it is compatible functionally.
The possibility that Bachmann/Kader may reintroduce the old Aristo line of track is not out of the question. Currently, the only source for American standard gauge track (that I am aware of) is USA Trains. I understand that Piko (Pico) has track I am not familiar with their product.
Bob,
I am just curious in your comment that USA is the only American source for standard gauge track. I canāt argue this but it does raise a question. Is Llagas no longer producing their American standard gauge track? Or are you specifically referring to track sections that come with preformed curvature and not flex track? I havenāt ordered from them in years and have no idea what they do or do not offer but it appears their website still list everything as long as it it not āout of stockā
Now you get in to the unfortunate issue of scale!
I believe the Aristo and USAT āstandard gaugeā track is larger (fatter ties, taller rail - code 332) than the Llagas 1/32nd scale track in code 250. Llagas:
All,
Piko is a german company making track similar to LGB.
PECO [Pritchard Patent Product Co] is an old-established UK manufacturer of track, etc., but their āG-45ā range is not standard gauge - it is for narrow gauge trains, similar to Llagas 1:24 or 1:20. Peco:
I have several of the Piko switches, and they look and play nicely with LGB, USTrains, Bachmann, and old Aristo products.
The fact is, no-mater what the ties look like; once the track is laid and ballasted, you wonāt really notice the difference in ties, unless you are trying to create a āMuseumā quality display.
What is important is track that mates well with other makes, so that you can experience āFrustration Freeā, train running, without derailments caused by poor track, or a combination of poor, unstable roadbed, poor track, and/or poor track laying.
FJM
Too many missed the OP question. A comparison of Aristo and Bachmann track. I interpreted his question to be relative to the fact that it has been said on this forum several times that Kader owns Bachmann, and Kader owns the dies for Aristo products. I also interpreted his question to be relative to sectional track, not including flex track.
That said, all who posted provided good information. The photo of the PECO track was interesting. Not sure how to characterize PECOās track. The width of the ties leans toward standard gauge and the tie spacing toward narrow gauge.
@Pete - If I am reading your photo correctly, the track on the left is Llagas Creek and the track on the right sure looks like Aristo/USAT standard gauge track. Llagas Creek catered to the narrow gauge crowd, and the tie appearance says that to me. Wider spacing on the ties and longer extension outside the rial.
@Sean - Aside from the appearance of the TrainLi following more along the line of the Aristo/USAT Euro tie track, their line is all flex track, not what the OP was questioning.
@Devon - I hope I have cleared up my intention in my original post. And to add to the confusion, I forgot about AML track. I have not seen their track in over 10 years, so I donāt know if it is still available. When I worked with it, it was code 332 which would match up nicely, but the tie strip was not as robust as Aristoā¦it theirs can be called robust.
I am sure someone will add some more I missed, all the aluminum guys and hand layers out there. All great solutions, just IMHO not what the OP was asking.
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Yes basically that was what I was thinking as to who owns what of Aristo and would it (the Bachmann stuff) match up. You were right on. When I first got started I did all sectional track. But as I start thinking about a new layout, I know I will need/want more track. But as I have continued to research, that dual track bender from TrainLi is neat. One of my original reasons to go with sectional was not wanting to fight bending then fight putting on the ties. But all of that goes away with their tool. Yes expensive, but I learned long ago that the right tool is half the job. So now Iām mainly concerned with the ends match up and working with that tool.
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Bob, it might look like Aristo, but they are both Llagas and it is true 1/32nd and much more delicate. However, I donāt have too many samples lying around so I canāt take a photo of both.
So does the USA Trains ties match more closely the old Artisto American style? In terms of spacing and size/look? In getting the 5ā sections of USA vs the 6ā of TrainLi, the price is pretty comparable. Maybe the TrainLi is .50 a foot more but which matches the best?
And how do their switches compare in terms of quality and real world functioning?