Considering, Scott Polks GeneratioNext states they will be importing track, is there one main manufacturer of large scale track? If so, does it really matter if USA, LGB, PIKO, Accucraft. Bachmann, or Aristo-Craft (or the newer Polk company) has their label on it – the quality is essentially the same?
Simply, use price as the discriminator?
Though they all may play together at times, as has been shown and reported time and again in the past, a cross section of each type shows a different footprint for the rail. This along with statements of copper content and UV durability of the tie sections would lead me to believe that each company will have a different track.Therefore quality is not the same.
Me personally, I buy what is available when I need it.
AC and USA are both from the same Kader factory, the only difference being the tie strips, USA turnouts plastic parts are different as well.
Bachmann brass track rails I believe also come from the same source, again the tie-strips being different.
LGB is its own, different from AC/USA with slight differences in thicknesses and widths. This is why the joiners of AC and LGB track have to be rammed together. Piko track is unique, but very similar to LGB. I believe track mfr has moved back to Europe for both. (Maybe from same place???)
Accucraft, don’t know where that’s coming from, but also believe it to be its own.
Personally I would buy LGB Piko or USA/AC because they work together OK. I have to admit most of my Harbor layout is older LGB, ALL turnouts are LGB , AC simply stuck in that Department and I never tried USA turnouts.
Vic Smith said:
AC and USA are both from the same Kader factory, the only difference being the tie strips, USA turnouts plastic parts are different as well.
Bachmann brass track rails I believe also come from the same source, again the tie-strips being different.
LGB is its own, different from AC/USA with slight differences in thicknesses and widths. This is why the joiners of AC and LGB track have to be rammed together. Piko track is unique, but very similar to LGB. I believe track mfr has moved back to Europe for both. (Maybe from same place???)
Accucraft, don’t know where that’s coming from, but also believe it to be its own.
Personally I would buy LGB Piko or USA/AC because they work together OK. I have to admit most of my Harbor layout is older LGB, ALL turnouts are LGB , AC simply stuck in that Department and I never tried USA turnouts.
Aristo moved their track production a long time ago, I have no idea who is producing the new track for the new company or where USA trains track is currently produced. Several very different companies are currently producing Large Scale track.
The content of the rail by the various manufacturers is quite a bit different, as is the material used for the ties. Also the quality of the design amongst the various manufacturers is also vastly different. PIKO track is amongst the best at the current time but alas they do not do stainless steel.
Train-LI is another good source for better quality track.
Stan
“…Next states they will be importing track, is there one main manufacturer of large scale track…”
And I thought I was the last one to view “where trains are made…” Aristo’ 2008 prod. where it shows how their track is produced. I would label it low tech but gets the results req’d. (K I S)
imho
I didn’t see anything about “importing” track. Perhaps I missed it. All track arrives in a container as do all of the product delivered from China.
In addition, just because two American companies have their products manufactured in the same plant, does not mean that they are the same. The manufacturer, here Kader, builds each company’s product to their own specifications. At least that is the way we always operated when using an outside manufacturer when I worked for AT&T.
Ed
LGB track of old was made in Germany, now it is made in Hungary.
Train-Li track is made in Germany.
The Train-Li plastic track is made in the USA (Concrete style ties and plastic rail code 332).