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Selecting or designing a layout
plan is primarily about the amount of space you have and the most interesting
layout you want to create. At some point early in the design, you might even have
an idea of what industry, period, or area you want to model. When it comes to
reality, though, all layouts are compromises of some kind. The real world doesn’t
always fit into a 1:160 box, so we have to make adjustments.
You will also want to decide
which manufacturer or brand of track you want to use throughout your model railroad
layout. It would be best to decide on one brand and stick with that track
manufacturer during the construction process. Although mixing brands can work in
some instances, it doesn’t make a lot of sense, especially when you consider how
important the N scale track will be to your layout. If the trains keep derailing,
then that can spoil all the fun, and risk damaging your valuable locomotives,
rolling stock, structures, or scenery. Having a $200 locomotive roll off the rails
and crash on to the tiled floor is not particularly exciting.
| N
scale manufacturers include: Bachmann, Peco, Athearn, Atlas, Red
Caboose, Kato, Model Power, Finescale, Life Like, DeLuxe
Innovations, Micro Trains, Graham Farish, Hornby, Con Cor, Arnold,
Unitrack, Fleischmann, Minitrix, and Intermountain. Prices,
specification, and quality does differ so it is advised to look
around and consider all the alternatives. |
Peco N Gauge Track
Turnout
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Also realize that each model
railroader has his or her own preferences or dislikes. Just because someone has had
a derailment or electrical problems with one particular brand of track, it doesn't
necessarily mean you will have the same problems. My advice is to be wary reading
too much on some model railroad forums as personal opinions and experiences can
often overtake the facts. The particular modeler might have dirty track or
unrealistically tight curves which could be causing the problem. It may not be a
fault of the track manufacturer.
Also, the biggest manufacturers
typically get the most complaints because they sell the most products so are more
likely to be criticised. It doesn't mean that because manufacturer “A” gets 25
complaints, and manufacturer “B” gets 150, that manufacturer “B” sells inferior
quality model railroading products. The 150 complaints company “B” gets might
represent a smaller percentages of complaints in relation to sales than company “B”
makes every year.
Kato N Scale Track – Kato
UNITRACK
This can be utilized in almost
any N gauge layout situations – small or large, modular or permanent. N scale
Unitrack is ideal for “newbies” to this great hobby as it is proven to be extremely
reliable so avoids much of the frustration and the disappointment that can occur
when trains derail or there are electrical problems on the track. However, this
Kato track is not just for beginners… far from it. Kato track is also the preferred
choice for many highly experienced model railroaders who want the reliability and
flexibility of a busy always changing staging yard.
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Recommended
Model Train Resources
Getting Started
In
N Scale Model Railroading
Click Here To Watch
Video
Space
Saving
N SCALE TRACK PLANS
From Plan To Performance
Click Here To Watch
Video
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