Track

[fhenn]

Are any of the brass tracks brands interchangeable, IE LGB, Pico  Thank You

[Loco Bill Canelos]

I am pretty sure all of them are, but I have no personal experience with Piko or AMT.   There was one brand I can't remember which, that was higher in profile than the others when it first came out but it was corrected in later runs.  I used shims and a rail clamp to make the transition work

If you are asking because you are looking for bargains that might crop up, you should be OK, and at most might have to make a minor tweak here and there.

Hopefully others with more specific experience with specific brands will post responses.

[fhenn]

Thank You, trying to do the garden railroad thing, As being retired all ways looking to save money. But as much as this stuff cost, I do not want make that kind of mistake

[Loco Bill Canelos]

I understand the need to keep costs down.  If you will be doing track power outside, then as expensive as they can be I strongly recommend using rail clamps to connect your track pieces. You can save on joiners and clamps by buying the longest possible sections of track.

Have fun,

Bill

[Chuck N]

I agree with Bill.  If you are going to be outdoors with your track you will need better rail joiners than the usual joiners that come with the track.  The repeated temperature changes through the year will flex the track and weaken the contact.

In addition to rail clamps I have used 0-80 nuts and bolts, and #4 self tapping stainless steel screws.

The 0-80 bolts are secured through the rail and rail joiner.  The #4 screw is drilled at a 45 degree down through the joiner and foot of the rail.

I have had these out side for 30 plus years, 10 in Colorado and 20 in Virginia.  They are secure.  They are much less expensive than rail joiners, which I also use, but they are more work.

#4 stainless steel screw.



0-80 nuts and bolts







Chuck

[Kevin Strong]

LGB, Piko, Train-Line45, Bachmann (brass track), Aristo, USA Trains, AMS (code 332), and other manufacturers of solid rail code 332 track are all designed to be compatible with each other. There may be subtle differences in the profile of the rail, but you can put them together and trains will run smoothly over them. All of them have slightly different ties, but that's an aesthetic thing that doesn't affect the operation.

I'll echo what Bill and Chuck said about proper connections at the rail joiners. Clamps are great, but expensive. Chuck's experience with screws instead of rail clamps has been echoed quite often by other modelers. Some manufacturers (Bachmann, Aristo, USA) include screws with their track sections so you can screw the railjoints together.

Later,

K

[Chuck N]

I have found that the Aristo rail joiner screws are small and hard to handle.  I keep the one that is in the track, but I will drill through the hole in the other track and use the 0-80.  If you mix track that comes with screws with track without holes, LGB, you will need something.  Chuck

[mickeykelley]

I used clamps on the most vulnerable section (curves, switches, in tunnels, rerailers, certain transitions, etc) but just the standard aristo joiner that came with it for the rest.  However, I also soldered ALL joints with jumper wires. I was going to do clamps on all, but after doing the soldering, I noticed how it keeps the track in place and the aristo joiners does a good job at alignment. The switches I did jumper around for future maintenance. I left a slight bend in the wire for the expansion. Time will tell.