Novice Train Owner

[HO Novice]

I though that this would be a Q&A to a real person at the company, not an open board.  I don't know how to be answers this way, but here goes....  I just acquired the HO "Rail Boss" train set.  I don't want to do anything fancy or complicated.  My husband is doing that with his N-gauge set-up, which is getting started. 

I need to know the following:

     1.  As I do not have permanent space for my track layout, how frequently can the "E-Z" track sections be taken apart and put back together?  How many times before the parts start to fail?

     2.  I have the catalog.  It looks like the included track is steel alloy/black roadbed.  What is the difference between that and the nickel silver/gray roadbed?  If you expand, can you mix the two?  Why or why not?

     3.  How many cars can the engine safely pull?  I bought an additional Bachmann B&O boxcar to use with this set.

Thank you to anyone who knows more than I do.

Novice Train Owner

[Len]

I need to know the following:

     1.  As I do not have permanent space for my track layout, how frequently can the "E-Z" track sections be taken apart and put back together?  How many times before the parts start to fail?

     2.  I have the catalog.  It looks like the included track is steel alloy/black roadbed.  What is the difference between that and the nickel silver/gray roadbed?  If you expand, can you mix the two?  Why or why not?

     3.  How many cars can the engine safely pull?  I bought an additional Bachmann B&O boxcar to use with this set.

1. You may need to tighten the rail joiners that connect the track sections electrically occasionally, but otherwise the track sections should last indefinately if cared for. Don't lift when pulling sections apart, pull straight. And be careful not to bend the joiners when storing.

2. Steel track is cheaper, but not as conductive as nickel silver and requires cleaning more often. The two types can be mixed together, but eventually you'll want to move to all nickel silver.

3. A basic rule of thumb I use for train set loco pulling power is what comes in the set, plus three add on cars. Some set locos may pull more, you'll have to try and see.

Len

[Flare]

While Len summed up the answers pretty well, I'd like to add my experience with a box of used E-Z Track I bought once:

A few sections did not want to separate and building too much tension can break the 'hooks' on the ends.  They seem to hold well enough with only one section's hook, but if they feel stuck you can turn them over and press the hooks inward while pulling to avoid breakage.