Mixing E-Z Tracks, Turnouts, and Crossovers

[Forrest]

Can Nickle Silver and Steel Alloy tracks be combined?

[Doneldon]

Woody-

Any size, material or construction of tracks (rails) can be combined. The real questions are, "is it a good idea?" and "how difficult will the blending be compared to the payoff?"

Sometimes the answer is yes. For example, you might want to use lighter track for sidings and yards, to mimic what twelve-inches-to-the-foot railroads do. Or maybe you want to use flex track for hidden staging yards or other tracks which are out of view in order to save some time and money. Or maybe you have a whole bunch of old track which you want to recycle because recycling makes you all warm and fuzzy inside. Or maybe you prefer one brand or style of track but you have to use a piece from another manufacturer because your prefered brand doesn't make what you need.

Other times the answer is no. For example, mixing rail sizes on the same right of way looks ridiculous. Doing all of the cosmetics necessary to mix materials or construction methods might not be worth the time and effort. (Thus the use of surplus or prefab tracks in areas which can't be seen.)

Still other times the question morphs into "why do you want to use steel track at all?" Steel rusts. That rust seriously interferes with wheel-to-rail electrical transmission and steel isn't a particularly good conductor of electricity in the first place.

[jward]

assuming you are talking about ez track, yes they can be mixed. you'd probably be better off using nickle silverr on all your main tracks, and only using steel on the lighter use sections such as yard tracks and industrial spurs. if you spread ballast over the track, the colour difference of the roadbed won't be seen. you'll have a hard time telling where one type ends and the other begins.

[Len]

Jeff's suggestion about using ballast to mask the transition from black roadbed steel track to grey roadbed NS is a good one. A mixture of grey & black ballast would give the impression of changing from one type of ballast to another.

An alternative method is to use a 'wash' of black acrylic paint that has been thinned to the point of looking like black water. Build it up in layers on the grey roadbed where it connects to the black, getting lighter as you move away from the black roadbe. Again, it creates the illusion of switching from cinders to gravel for the roadbed.

Len

[Forrest]

Thank you all for your quick responses.  My issue is more straight forward than I implied in my original post.  My layout is all Bachmann E-Z Track steel alloy.  I need only one crossover.  The only one I need and I see is available from Bachmann is a #6 Remote Crossover Turnout - Left (44575).  It appears that it is only available in Nickel Silver.  My question is this; can I use one Nickel Silver crossover on a steel alloy track layout?  Will the crossover be compatible with the track type (steel alloy), and will the crossover work on my layout?  Again, thanks for your responses.

Forrest

[jward]

yes they will work together, but you'll find the nickle silver will need less cleaning than the steel.

[Forrest]

Thanks Jeff.  In retrospect I wish I would have gone with Nickel Silver.  Being "new' to model railroading (hadn't set up a train since 1953 - Lionel).  The set I purchased from Bachmann (the HO Santa Special) included only steel alloy track.  Thanks again!

Forrest Graves
New Haven, Michigan

[Doneldon]

Forrest-

Aha! You have the circumstance where you need a track component not available in the system you are using, one of the conditions I mentioned. Short of building your own crossover from steel turnouts, the Bachmann NS unit is just what the doctor ordered. Be aware that the crossover will require some work on your part to ensure electrical continuity if you are running DC. Bachmann designed them for DCC without adequately explaining what's needed to get them to work properly with DC. It's all on this board if you need some help.

I hope I wasn't too hard on you about using steel track. Coming from 1950s Lionel would understandably lead you in that direction. Of course, those old Lionels weighed so much and had such broad rail contact compared to HO, not to mention Magna-Traction, that electrical continuity was rarely an issue as long as any remnant of even badly rusted rail remained.

                                                                                            -- D

[Forrest]

Thanks D,  my layout runs both DC and DCC locos.  The Santa Special and two DCC Sound Bachmann's, one steam and the other diesel.

Forrest