Need a little help

Oops my bad, premier diesels.

Go with Gargraves now.  In the long run, you'll be glad that you did!

PS:  I like the way the Atlas track looks!  But I hate their switches.  The majority of people in the know go with Gargraves track and Ross Switches.  I personally use Gargraves EVERYTHING except for specialty switches that Gargraves doesn't make and then I use ROSS ONLY!

That's pretty good for Paint, much better than I could do with it. There are many folks around here that can help you with SCARM, but I am not one of them. There have been some very nice layout drawings created with SCARM that have been posted here.

Track is a matter of personal preference. All of the current modern track systems are good systems. Some cost a bit more than others. Lionel tubular being the least expensive and probably the most available. My first suggestion would be to go to your local hobby shop (hopefully you have one) and look at all the track first hand. Research the different types of track systems. Make your selection on what you like and are comfortable with in price. That is what you will be happiest with.

Gargraves track and Ross switches are very well liked around here and preferred by many. Many like Gargraves flex track. Many are experienced layout builders. If you are just beginning and this is your first layout, the sectional track (pre-made curves) might be preferable to start with and may save you a lot of frustration learning to use the flex track. (We don't want you getting frustrated and giving up in the middle of your first layout.) The sectional track will probably get you up and going faster, you can experiment and learn to use the flex track later. Ross also has sectional track and I imagine it will be competitive with Gragraves sectional track. I believe they are both quite compatible with each other.

I happen to use Atlas track and switches and have not had any problems with either. I prefer the look of Atlas and the solid rails and I like their switches. I liked Fastrack at first, even read a book on it. Then I did the research as I suggested to you above before selecting a final track system. Ended up with Atlas, it just happened to be the system I liked best and met my needs more than the Fastrack. I am still considering a possible future temporary layout with Fastrack, as I still like it.

Edit: I have been looking at your track plan, very interesting. Looks like a nice one and I have saved the picture for possible future additions to my layout. Thanks for posting it.

Your track plan does not have a way to go from the outside track to the inside track unless you back up. Put another pair of turnouts at the top.

It's there, just concealed.

Thank you rtr. Starting my track shopping right now. I am messing with Just Tains of Delaware pricing the atlas track and compared to Tinmans' O gauge I can get double the track for what it will cost me to run Atlas, but I really like the look of Atlas. The dcs system was ordered today too!

You are welcome. Everyone here will have a different opinion on track, they are all good systems, each system has it's own set of unique set of pros and cons. There are also lots of threads here about track selection and the different types of track. I got a book called Trackwork for Toy Trains by Peter Riddle. To me that was very informative and helped me with my selection.

Get a copy of the DCS O Gauge Companion by Barry Broskowitz, and follow it for wiring and setting up your DCS system. Barry is a regular poster here and besides the excellent book he has written, he provides lots of  help to us all with the MTH and DCS stuff.

Good luck!

For consistency of appearance I'd recommend Gargraves track with Ross turnouts. You can use Atlas track with Ross turnouts as well, which is what we've been doing on new construction and track realignments. Ross also makes fixed diameter curves and turnouts to match, which makes things easier -- flex can get testy when you try to bend it down to O-42 and smaller.

Also keep in mind that many new MTH Premier diesel locomotives now require O-42 curves. Just about all of the Premier steam with a few exceptions require O-42 or larger.

Hi Lancer,

Most smaller layouts need more switches to create interest. That's where the expense comes in to play. Switches are expensive for prototypical trains and modeler's as well.

Do you have SCARM installed? I recreated your plan in SCARM with Gargraves track and Ross switches. I can upload the file. If you don't, I'll do the images.

Ya I am still leaning that way. Like you said, I noticed in the new MTH catalog that they have bumped them up to 042.

Yes I have SCARM installed. Thank you very much Moonman! Looking great! Do you think I may be better off making the tables larger and running the inside loop at 042 with the outside at 054?

Also from my understandings since I am newer to GarGraves, are those odd length sections custom cut to length? I know the 12.4 and 24.8 sections can be bought but there are a few oddball lengths in there, just wanting to clarify.

Lancer,

    You must purchase track that is engineered for the engines and rolling stock you are planning to run.  However what I have also done is construct an inner loop of RealTrax

that only certain engines and rolling stock run on, everything else runs on my FasTrack with much larger curves, infact my FT Command Control switches are mostly 072 even the Y's.  My Tin Plate runs much better thru the 072 switches.  Match your engine qualifications to what ever track you plan to purchase, if you have the space the 054 and 072 curves can run just about any kind of engines, make sure however your tracks

are spaced properly for your bigger steam engines. 

PCRR/Dave

Good to know Dave. Thanks!

Here's the SCARM file for your layout plan. I used Gargraves track, sectional and flex, wood ties. The switches and Ross Custom switches and the 90° is Ross.

I used 042 switches mostly, 11° for the crossover and #4's for the yard. I don't think the yard provides much and would leave it out. Pieces marked with lengths only are Gargraves flex, wood ties.

The straights are close at about 4" center-to center rail. The closest curves are 5".

The layout is a little off on the table. There should be about 1 3/4" from the edge to the ties all around.

There are very few 031 curves. So, you should not have any problems with the diesels.

So, now you can go to tools and select Parts List to get a list for pricing and construction.

No problem, you are welcome!

If you build that plan, ask someone which Ross ready switches work best with DCS.

I would guess the DZ1000 may be better suited, but I am not a DCS person. They both may work well with the AIU.

Removed the yard, looks much better! 

The mouse is touchy when trying to hit the length exactly. In that case, I measure and enter the length in the flex box for straight, add a flex, hit the straight button, then the fix button.

It was 31 inches.

You can also use CTRL+Left click and hold ctrl and select all of the tracks to be removed. Then right-click on the highlighted tracks and select "Length of selected section".

Oh by the way, the angled piece at 11 o'clock of the 90° doesn't connect because it's not perfectly aligned. It will fit in the build. It's about a 1/16th" off.

Not positive, but I don't think the DZ2500 has manual operation either, I think it has to have power to operate. I have a DZ1000, it is a very nice switch machine, it has an un-powered manual over-ride. DZ1000 is also cheaper I think. 

Thanks! I kinda figure it out and I see as long as you use the flex piece and click on the corresponding connection is automatically fixes the length. 

I just dont have the space right now for anything that big. I pondered swapping the 31 for 42 and the 42 for 54 but not sure if space will permit it right now.

Lancer

I would not use flex track for those curves.  Buy the preformed curves from Gargraves.  You will be glad you did.  Also if you can go 0-42 and 0-54 things will be much smoother.

Al

Nothing wrong with the flex track, many folks here use it. There will probably be bit of a learning curve and the smaller curves are more difficult. All we are saying is that just starting out the sectional (ready made) track will be a lot easier. If you are fairly with things like this then you may not have any problem at all. Many here can provide help with using it as well, if you get stuck.

Another option, in several recent past issues of OGR magazine Jim Barrett has been building a layout using the Gargraves flex track. In one of the issues he gives pretty good instructions on how he makes the curves and works with the track. This may be of help to you.

If you don't have or can't find a copy of that issue, a digital subscription here (sign up as premium member) will get you access to all previous issues back to run 239, from Dec. 2009. (Also supports OGR and this forum.) That will get you to Jim's articles on his new layout. The track article was in Run 271, June/July 2014. I'm not OGR staff, but it was a good article on Gargraves flex track laying.

I will look into that, thanks!

I am playing on Ross Switches website and I am going to need 042 switches but it says they are hi rail? They still compatible with Gargraves track? Guess im not quite sure what hi rail is. I see it on quite a few MTH engines. Speaking of which, Ross switches are gonna cost me about double what track is haha. 

Also, after playing with SCARM a bit more...here is a picture with the only flex curves (highlighted in red) and this is using o42 and o54...not sure if I will have room for this version of the layout but im doing some math.

Lancer,

The layout with 054\042 should be a 60" wide table by whatever length you want. It would extend into the room only 1' more. It's a slight reach problem.

Hi-rail means they are for O gauge. After looking at the specifications, the newer DZ2500 machines Ross ready with a data wire driver accessory work with MTH DCS AIU. Simple hook-up for non-derail. 110M25 and 111M25.  DZ2001 data wire driver.

Why did you take the regular 11º s out for the interlocking?

Looks like Moonman has the switches explained. I don't have any Ross switches and don't know much about them, other than many folks like and use them and they have a great reputation. They are competitively priced with all the other O gauge switches. None of the O gauge switches are inexpensive. If I remember correctly, the Fastrack switches were even more than Atlas O switches, back when I was trying to decide between the two track systems.

The curves you have as flex don't look bad, they are pretty broad curves. The only tight one looks like the one just below and to the right of the 90 deg. cross. That may be the only difficult one in your track plan? You probably won't have any trouble with the others.

Now it's time to decide what size to go with so I can start ordering track. Got my DCS system today so I'm ready to start lol.

Heres the updated version of the wider curves. (Looking at around $344 for the track minus the cost of the switches and the crossover) Let me know what you think Moon and rtr...and if I should just stick with the smaller radius plan. (Also: I am seeing that the new MTH diesels are requiring min. of o42.)

The size is really up to you. You won't regret the larger curves if you have the room.

get an extra straight for a programming track. The track will cost the same regardless of radius.

It's really a matter of do you have the space or want to use the space.

You can save some bench work cash by using two ping pong tables. There's one for $25 and one for free in your area. that gives you a 5 x 9 and a 5 x 14  L. You only need the tops. You can use 2 x 4's for the legs.Then you can get a case or two of Mid West cork for roadbed and have silent running.

Just some ramblings to introduce some cost savings. It took me a year to accumulate my base materials and equipment because I don't like to pay retail.

Good deal, thanks Moon! The building materials and track aren't bugging me too much. I have most of the wood laying around. Its the switches that im trying to wrap my mind around spending that much on lol. Also, I put the 11 switches back in but I am having a problem lining up the track. I know in person it will fit, but on SCARM its being a pain lol.