My thoughts echo many above. I would add that with most existing track systems, once the track is ballasted and weathered, it blends into the surrounding scenery, and when trains are running, very few, if any, people will notice track system shortcomings. I've seen layouts where the owners used old-school tubular track, added extra ties, ballasted and weathered the track, and added little details like weeds and debris ("old" ties, spikes, rusty tie plates, etc.), and these layouts looked fantastic.
Andy
