45/32 track

[Enginehouse]

Having enjoyed the weight and strength of my outdoor 45mm Piko and LGB trackwork for several years I am now faced with a difficult problem regarding a new 32mm gauge track. Currently I run "live" track and RC controlled battery power on my 45mm raised garden railway using the above track system with absolutely no problems whatsoever. However I am now considering building a completely separate 32mm gauge (quarry style) track on roughly the same footprint. As I see it I have only two real choices, use Peco SM32 track or use the Piko much heavier and conductive brass rail to timber sleepers and hand build the sections of 32mm track. This will also allow visitors with 32mm Gauge stock to run on the line, should I decide later to considerably extend the new quarry line to match the existing layout. Not at all keen on three rail trackwork I can't see an easier or cheaper way to proceed. (Cheap is especially good).
I am sure others have faced the same or similar problems. Anyone any suggestions of the most efficient way to proceed?

Cheers.

Roy H

 

[jameshilton]

Hi Roy - is the 32mm completely new for you? Garden Railways are expensive enough without having two sets of stock so I suppose I'd question do you really need two gauges? If the 32mm is a done deal, you could look at some of the European manufacturers track building components to see if you could add a third rail to your existing setup? I remember seeing in Garden Rail that someone had a 32mm and 64mm (gauge 3) line, what he'd done is cut the Peco sleepers of some 32mm track and epoxy them alongside the original 32mm line to add a third rail

 

[Enginehouse]

Hi Roy - is the 32mm completely new for you? Garden Railways are expensive enough without having two sets of stock so I suppose I'd question do you really need two gauges? If the 32mm is a done deal, you could look at some of the European manufacturers track building components to see if you could add a third rail to your existing setup? I remember seeing in Garden Rail that someone had a 32mm and 64mm (gauge 3) line, what he'd done is cut the Peco sleepers of some 32mm track and epoxy them alongside the original 32mm line to add a third rail

"She" runs G-Gauge while I build and run 16mm and have fancied a quarry style railway for ages. Also it might be ideal where friends come around to run their own stock if we have both track gauges on site. I originally suggested a three rail system along the lines that you suggest but that didn't go down at all well.

Cheers

Roy H

 

[hornbeam]

Peco I'd think is your best bet. Tenmille may also be worth looking into. Either way the smaller the rail section the more you save. Think the issue with dual gauge is the complex point work. Speaking of track I'm about to embark on drilling 600 gauge 3 sleepers!