Large Scale Central

Newbie Looking for Track

For Sale/Trade/Wanted
#1

Greetings, one and all. I’m new to the hobby or should I say renewed. I used to have railroad layouts when I was a kid and then just never had the time nor space. Then I bought the biggest layout I’ve ever had, sort of. I bought a resort made out of real retired railroad cabooses.

So now I want to put a G-Scale train in our common dining area and lobby. Having looked around, I’ve found LGB track to be VERY expensive, albeit good in quality. I’m sure you all have experience with the newer “clones” from companies like Piko and American somethingorother - any thoughts?

Since this is the for sale or trade forum, anybody have about 64’ of straight track around and a full circle that they’re looking to sell at a relative bargain?

Thanks!

#2

Tony, welcome aboard. Would this resort be located in the Strasburg,Pa area ? And for deals on track you just missed the ECLSTS by a week

#3

Greetings, Dave. Nope - we’re in NorCal - www.featherbedrailroad.com. Pardon the plug.

And what is ECLSTS?

#4

Very cool. Looks like a wonderful location for a B & B.

ECLSTS is the East Coast Large Scale Train Show. But since you’re a “left coaster”, there are shows closer to you.

Welcome to LSC.
Ralph

#5

A-ha. Man, I’d have loved to have seen that but I don’t get to escape from here all that often.

#6

Lots of garden railroaders in So. California, I’d say get involved with a club and you can probably find some used track at a descent price.

Welcome Aboard, don’t feel shy about the plug - looks like a nice place to stay. You’ll need a garden railroad also and an invitation for anyone to run their trains.

#7

Tony, call Upland Trains also, he sometimes has a deal on used track. Did you buy the caboose joint near Dunsmuir?

#8

Tony, I clicked on your link, guess there are two in NorCal !

#9

Dear Mr Barthel - sadly, we can’t see the Oregon border from where you are, else we’d have been experiencing your hospitality some time. Looks wonderful, though!

As there are about 8 billion garden railway lovers in the state in which you live, you should not encounter any problems finding one who is keen to rid himslef of a bunch of track at some time. But I echo the advice you have thus far been given - join a LS train group [apart from us here, that is].

tac

#10

Check out code 250 track, trains look more real, plus it is cheaper. SVRR has it in different metals. AML(or AMS can’t recall) also has it. MIcro Engineering made it, but not sure where to get it or Old Pullman.
$3.00 a foot for aluminum, higher for the other metals.
http://www.svrronline.com/TrackandRail.html

#11

Yup - there’s another place that’s a caboose motel (as opposed to our being a bed and breakfast) in Dunsmuir that has 30 cabooses. That place is called the Railroad Park Motel in Dunsmuir. There’s also a place in Napa that has old reefer cars that you can sleep in and a few cabooses to boot.

#12

Silver State (an advertiser here) has AMS brass code 250 5’ flex track. $185.00 / 60’

#13

As cool as this board is I’m very interested in supporting an advertiser.

Since I mentioned I don’t know from Shinola, does the AMS brand of track match LGB pretty well in terms of rail height and such? While the trains are going to be on a track near the ceiling of the dining room if the AMS track is taller or shorter, that would be a problem as I’ve already purchased LGB curved track and switches about two years ago.

Thanks for y’all’s tolerance. I’m totally diggin’ this!

#14

The AMS track is code 250 (0.250" high) LGB track is code 320 (0.320" high)
But you can get transition joiners to connect the two different heights.

#15
Jerry Barnes said:
Check out code 250 track, trains look more real, plus it is cheaper. SVRR has it in different metals. AML(or AMS can't recall) also has it. MIcro Engineering made it, but not sure where to get it or Old Pullman. $3.00 a foot for aluminum, higher for the other metals. http://www.svrronline.com/TrackandRail.html
Jerry - if the track is going to be suspended from a ceiling it won't matter WHAT it looks like.....nobody will ever get to see it.

Besp

tac

#16

Hey Tony welcome aboard this great site. BTW you have a great looking B & B.

If you have already purchased LGB track then you want to stay with Code 332 track. The following manufacturers make code 332, Aristo-Craft, USA Trains, Piko, LGB, AML, and Micro Scale Engineering.

As you posted above this is going to go in the dining area of your Bed & Breakfast. I have a few suggestions based on my experience with a railroad in one of our local restaurants that I use to service.

  1. Use track power with at least a 10 amp power pack.
  2. Use brass track.
  3. Use Hillman or Split Jaw type of rail clamps so you don’t loose power.
  4. Keep the railroad “Away” from the kitchen area. (grease likes to float in the air)
  5. Make sure that all your rolling stock has metal wheels. (helps keep track clean)
  6. Either use the “Loop & Hook” or “Kadee” couples. (because they stay together)
  7. Use locomotives from major manufacturers that can supply repair parts. (Aristo-Craft, USA Trains, Hartland)
  8. Make sure your track and supports are “Level”. (things stay on the track that way)

These suggestions won’t guarantee a completely trouble free operation, but they’ll take away about 90% of the problems. I could never get the owner of the restaurant to understand why he had so many problems and I got tired of dealing with them.

Chuck

#17

One other thing. If you can avoid it, don’t have any facing point switches. Even the real railroads found that a trailing point switch is much less likely to cause a derailment than a facing point.

(Trailing point: In the direction of operation, a train would have to pass over the switch, and then back a car off to set it out. Facing Point: coming to the switch, the train can go either direction without having to stop first.)