News:

Please read the Forum Code of Conduct   >>Click Here <<

Main Menu

Large Scale track compatibility

Started by cperes, December 18, 2018, 01:55:16 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

cperes

Good day everybody!
I have spent quite a while googling away at the following question.   In 2009 I bought a Atchison Topeka Santa Fe train set with steel rails,  Locomotive is #49. 
I would like to purchase a set of tracks to make a circle wider than the current 4 foot circle. I thought the existing track was G gauge but the distance between rails for G gauge is 45mm and the existing track is about 49mm. 
Is the existing track a proprietary gauge?

Thanks!

Loco Bill Canelos

Hi cperes,

The track from your set is "steel alloy" and is the correct style. It is not proprietary, but the connections are not compatible with brass or other track materials.   You will have to put your existing track aside and purchase some brass track (or other if you choose) and I can assure you your loco and cars will run on it fine.   Bachmann makes excellent brass track which is compatible with other brands of brass track.   

Have fun,

Loco Bill
Loco Bill,  Roundhouse Foreman
Colorado & Kansas Railway-Missouri Western Railway
Official Historian; Bachmann Large Scale
Retired Colorado RR Museum-Brakeman-Engineer-Motorman-Trainman
There are no dumb or stupid questions, just questions!

cperes

Thanks for the quick answer, Loco Bill.
I do not intend using the existing track so the connections are not an issue.  So this track I see described as Bachmann-Code 332 -- 30" 76.2cm Radius Section (Makes 5' 152.4cm Diameter Circle) should work, right?
Sorry I still have this niggling concern : could you confirm the rails in this 332 track the same distance apart as my exiting rails, namely 49mm?  Am I wrong in stating G gauge has rails 45mm apart?
Maybe I am confusing G Gauge and G Scale?

Thanks again!

Joe Zullo

The standard gauge for large scale trains is 45mm. The code 332 brass track will be closer to that figure than your tin track. Don't worry your trains are made for that track. It is also compatible with all other brands of track. BTW 332 means it is 3/32 of an inch tall. There is lighter (smaller0 track out there so stick with code 332 and you will be fine.  ;D

charon

Code 332 actually means the rail is .332" high.  Closer to 3/8" than 3/32".
Chuck
Mesquite Short Line

Joe Zullo

Oops, my bad. You are absolutely correct. .332 not 3/32.