track

[full maxx]

is there a difference between the black and gray road bed track besides the color

[ABC]

is there a difference between the black and gray road bed track besides the color

Yes the one has much better conductivity, that is the track with grey roadbed has nickel-silver rails which when oxidized are far superior to oxidized steel, which is what the rails are made of on the black roadbed. You'll have better results for sure with the grey roadbed.

[full maxx]

is the black roadbed track a problem to use , will it stop the train, is it a big issue that requires a lot of maintenance or just not worth having

[jonathan]

When I was building my first layout (the one I have now), I bought a few pieces of steel track, not realizing what I was getting.  One gets lured in because most LHS's will sell this stuff individually.  So it seems like a bargain.  As a beginner, I thought my steel track did not conduct electricity as well as the nickel silver.  The trains would slow down whenever they went over the steel.  I quickly replaced it, and am happier without it. 

This is just my perspective.  I have read where folks have mixed different kinds of track and had no problems.

Regards,

Jonathan

P.S.  I threw in a few pieces of my grandfather's old brass track (in my freight yard).  Seems to work as well as the Nickel Silver, as long as it's kept clean.  jv

[jward]

regarding track:

brass rail was the standard  for many years. it will work but needs frequent cleaning. ironically, it seems to work better on dcc than dc.

nickle silver came along later and quickly became the standard, it is the most reliable electrically of the three types.

steel track has usually been marketed with train sets, and is a low end product. it is galvanized steel, but will still rust. unlike the other two types, it is very difficult to solder to. the rosin flux used when soldering will cause it to rust anywhere it touches the rail, and i've been unable to solder to it without flux.

by the way, many of us solder the rail joints to ensure electrical conductivity. over time the joints can corrode and lose contact otherwise.

[Joe Satnik]

In Bachmann's HO E-Z Track line, all track piece varieties are available in N/S with gray roadbed.

Only the basic pieces are available in (cheaper) steel with black roadbed.  This is their starter set track. 

Hope this helps.   

[full maxx]

never mind I found it...

[Jim Banner]

Brass, Nickel Silver, plated steel and bare steel - I've got all of them on my H0 layout.
Brass - best conductor, (particularly red brass,) easy to clean, easy to solder.
Nickel Silver - requires least cleaning if used dry, easy to solder.
Plated Steel - cheapest.
Bare Steel - best traction, worst conduction, difficult to solder, may rust in damp air.

However, conductivity of the rail means nothing if you use bus wires and frequent feeders.  Surface corrosion is not a problem with any of the materials if you oil your rails from time to time (tiny amount of conductive oil.)  Using rails dry often leads to wheel sparking which forms a non-conductive "dirt" on all rails, including Nickel Silver.  So that leaves traction and ease of soldering.  The increased traction with bare steel is generally not worth the extra trouble to solder it and bare steel is rarely seen anymore.  Clean Brass is very easy to solder which makes it particularly useful for hand laying turnouts and other appliances.  Nickel Silver is almost as easy to solder and some people prefer the silver colour to the gold colour of Brass.  I think they both look just fine with a shiny top and rusty black sides.

Because I oil my rails and because of the number of hand laid appliances on my latest layout (0n30) the choice was equally in favour of Brass or Nickel Silver.  The only local source of Nickel Silver rail was to buy new Atlas flex track and strip out the rails.  But when I mentioned the possibility of using Brass, boxes of it started appearing on my door step.  Bottom line, for me it's Brass.  Your results may differ.

Jim

[full maxx]

I think I will stick with the nickle silver as the set I got comes with it ...I need to do more research before buying anything more ... other than rolling stock from ebay  ,the turn outs are a little expensive but will have several before long, plan on starting with 4x8...seem to be the standard starting block for ho, need to see lots of track plans to get a better idea of what I want and already know I want to make places where adding on will be simple...I build it, the wife landscapes it and my little man runs it

[jbsmith]

the grey is the higher quality of the two.

some track plans to get the ideas going, worth a look if you have not already discovered them

http://www.thortrains.net/marx/funlayez2.html

http://www.thortrains.net/marx/kdlayhoa.html

[full maxx]

We are getting the painted unlettered  Berkshire Pere Marquette and painting the pass. cars in the set I got last night and taking then to Greensboro to the train store and the owner is possibly gonna put the name and numbers on them to match the polar express, and a few people on here say that the Berkshire 2-8-4 will only go through a #6 turnout no sharper, without derailing however one guy that owns one says it will go round the 18" radius curve , so the turn out are slightly limiting