Kevin:
That’s a good accurate list of comparisons for the commonly available rail materials.
Since you mentioned moving, and thus not wanting to put up a permanent layout, there may be another consideration: You probably want track that you can either reuse or resell in the future. Sectional track is best at meeting this requirement. Not as realistic nor as elegant as other solutions, but you can walk on it, change the layout, incorporate flex track, modify pieces, and still reuse most if not all of it on a new layout or get cash for it used if you really want or need to change to something else.
To my knowledge, true full-line sectional track and track components (turnouts, crossings, etc.) are only available in code 332. Materials are either brass or stainless steel. Both materials are easily available OTS and are fully compatible with every kind of track power, battery power, steam power, DC, DCC and R/C. The manufacturers are LGB, Aristocraft and U.S.A Trains. Many track components from these three manufacturers can be interchanged with little work.
Why the concern about soldering stainless steel? If you’re going to build track components such as frogs, points and turnouts, NS is easy to cut and solder to itself and is fully compatible with stainless steel. If the concern is hooking up wiring, or rail to rail connections, you’ll find that properly done screw connections are just fine when used on stainless steel.
You mentioned “. . . switches and relays . . .”. In general, electronics don’t do as well in the garden as inside. For example I use EZ-Aire pneumatic controls where I have turnout controls. The LGB electric switch machines worked for a time, but needed enough maintenance that they weren’t adding to my RR operating fun. I replaced them with pneumatics (virtually zero maintenance) and now only buy bare turnouts without controls, then add the EZ-Aire. Other than lighting, there is virtually no wiring required.
I use a combination of sectional and flex, mostly LGB, as that is what I started with well over 20 years ago. At that time, most of us had 1:22.5 gummi scale rolling stock with deep flanges (all that was available) and D.C. track power (just like we had done inside).
Now, my engines are all fully self-contained, battery powered, sound equipped and RCS radio contolled. Rolling stock is all 1:20.3 scale. That means I would like some ‘more to scale’ track. For my next expansion, I’ll probably go with Llagas Creek code 250 aluminum. Meanwhile, my weathered brass code 332 does the job very well!
BTW, how big and how complex do you envision your first layout? Since you’re scratch building, I assume scale look is some consideration?
Hope some of this diatribe helps!
Happy RRing,
Jerry Bowers