old track

[yardbull]

I have an older train set with "power lok" track.  It is not compatible with the newer EZ track.  Can I still get new pieces of track for my set or do I need to buy new trackage.  I would like to expand my layout from an oval to a more complicated layout.  I will need some switches and smaller diameter curved track plus other pieces.

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

Power-Loc is by Life Like. They did an adaptor peice to connect thier power loc to Atlas, Bachmann etc. I recommend however to do the switch over to Bachmann Nickle Silver, I did for my test track(i used the power lock but it broke and went to bachmann). Bachmann Nickle Silver allows you to use atlas bridges and more. Nickle Silver is also easier to clean.

[yardbull]

I'm really new to model RR'ing and don't under stand.  do you mean EZ track or something else.  I have mostly black plastic ballast but I do have some gray plastic ballast that I think is nickle.  Help me.

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

Bachmanns track is like this...

Black Roadbed - Steel Alloy
Grey Roadbed - Nickle Silver. the Nickle Silver is the better, easier to keep clean and conducts electricity better for the locomotive.

Power-Loc is Life Likes version of EZ-Track but with diffrent connectors that tend to break after muliple uses...and if you lose the pices that transfers the power from each section of track, your out of luck there.

[jward]

ifi am not mistaken, power lock track connects sideways rather than end to end. that makes it much harder to keep the rails of adjoining sections in line, and can lead to derailments. better to use another brand of track, which connects end to end with rail joiners to keep the rails aligned.

you will also find that if you forget about using track with roadbed installed, there is much more compatability between brands, and thus a much wider range of pieces available. with roadbed type track what you gain in ease of setup is lost in flexibilty of design in your track plan.

as for the 3 major types of rail you are likely to find, nickle silver is the easiest to keep clean, and pretty much the standard. steel alloy can rust, and will rust if you try to solder wires to it, or your rail joints together. older track was often made of brass, and can still be found at flea markets and train shows. this is the hardest to keep clean, and doesn't look very realistic even when it is clean.

[Jhanecker2]

To jward :you are correct power-loc track does connect sideways.  Yardbull onless you have a lot of power-loc track get EZ track if you require a more complicated layout . Power-loc has only one type of turnout .   EZ track is much more flexible in that it many more types of track .  If you don't need roadbed consider  Atlas track in either Code 100 or Code 83 both types have many more types of turnouts and crossings and has flex track for radii greater than 22"radius sections. Note that steel track has a nickel coating so that rust is not inevitable . John   II