New to G gauge

trammayo said:
Perhaps Nicholas could show us what space he has to build a line - or what he'd like to achieve? We could then advise better.

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Mick is right, available space must be the starting point. It doesn't matter how much you have to spend, what you buy has to fit into the space available.
 
Yes with a caveat: When I started I determined what I wanted to run, and then the radius I needed. It took a lot of planning to get 10' diameter minimum, but I achieved it, because I was motivated to "get there"... Without that motivation, I would have wound up with fewer different locomotives possible on my layout.

Looking back, it was a synthesis of
  • what space I had available
  • use of a layout planning tool
  • and a set of goals for the type and length of trains I wanted to run.

Greg
 
Welcome aboard Nick. Wow, 1993, that's old.....LOL
 
Thanks for all the help. I received the set which is Bachmann 90018. The box says steel alloy. It is brand new track so I wanted to know if this type can be used year round. I live in Illinois so this may help.
 
You have two choices. If you are going outside use it and see how long it survives and be prepared to take the hit if it doesn't, then replace with brass. The other choice is to see if you can sell the track new on Ebay or somesuch and replace with brass which most people on this thread have been advocating. The other thing to remember is that this is all R1 (4' diameter) and you will be buggered if you like the whole hobby so much and find it difficult to expand because your curves are too tight. I speak from experience having started with an LGB starter set and an expansion set but once the bug has bitten it all becomes too tight and the only items to have survived are the 1' straights. Fortunately there are enough people out there who are constrained by space and can only use R1 so there is a market, plus of course 2nd hand is cheaper!
 
Greg Elmassian said:
Most people have the Bachmann steel track rust quickly. Going to the effort to put it down and replace it quickly may not be worth it.

Greg
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But it could be nicely used at the end of sidings where a little bit of rusty rail looks quite good. But no more than a wagon length for obvious reasons.
JonD
 
Personally, I would use it for sidings in a shed, or for static display inside the house..

It may take a little longer (getting funds for brass track), but you will only need to do it once.
 
There are many manufacturers of brass track. Is any one brand better than others? Is an 1100 track made by all? I was told that is the best one to use. Now that I had the set it has 14 pieces of steel ally track, 2 straight and 12 curved. They look brand new. On the back it just states Bachmann and China. If I go to sell what is a fair price to ask since I want to use it outdoors so I will have to buy brass. I know O gauge track since I have been using it for years but this scale is new to me. Any information would be appreciated. I have the book by Kevin Strong and it has helped. Any other sites or books that would be helpful?
 
Look back from post number 5 Nicholas - its all there.
 
You will need to buy whatever American market track fits the gauge you are modeling. LGB is European metre gauge with the sleeper, ties, spacing to suit, I don't know about Piko since they do a lot of American outline. Aristocraft do both European narrow gauge as well as American standard. You pays your money and take your choice. Lengths can be varied up to 5ft and can be flexible using a belly bender or you can buy a track bender for exorbitant money from a hobby store.
Buy Garden Railways, a magazine, although American, available in the UK via post, Kevin Strong being a regular contributor.
Go through this Forum as you will find many posts offering advise on how and how not to do things, also YouTube has films on how to build a layout.
Good luck.
 
I think you may be getting too bogged down in trying to build up the perfect G gauge railway from the start.

Why not just lay down the steel track indoors or outdoors and start running trains? That way you can get a "feel" for the gauge and have some fun.

While doing this, you can decide which make of brass track to use and gradually build it up, adding to the steel with brass (you could start by adding a siding, for example) and replacing the steel with brass as it rusted up.
 
Good suggestion. :)
 
playmofire said:
While doing this, you can decide which make of brass track to use and gradually build it up, adding to the steel with brass (you could start by adding a siding, for example) and replacing the steel with brass as it rusted up.
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Apparently Bachmann's steel alloy track is the one 45 mm track system that is not compatible with any of the other code 332 brass "compatibles" :mad: - LGB, Aristocraft, USAT, Piko, Trainline and er..... Bachmann's own brass 45 mm gauge track. Take a look here http://www.gardentrainsinformation.co.uk/part-7--choosing-the-track.php

One of the advantages of going with compatible code 332 45 mm gauge track systems is the shear wealth of trackage available such as - switches/slips, various set radii curves, crossovers, fixed length straights and flexi-track - available from the range of suppliers. It ensures that just about whatever your imagination can conceive, or needs dictate, in terms of layout design can be achieved. Max
 
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Peco track, Tenmille track, PIKO track, LGB track - you can get most everywhere. Bachmann track, not so much.

tac
 
maxi-model said:
Apparently Bachmann's steel alloy track is the one 45 mm track system that is not compatible with any of the other code 332 brass "compatibles" :mad: - LGB, Aristocraft, USAT, Piko, Trainline and er..... Bachmann's own brass 45 mm gauge track. Take a look here http://www.gardentrainsinformation.co.uk/part-7--choosing-the-track.php

One of the advantages of going with compatible code 332 45 mm gauge track systems is the shear wealth of trackage available such as - switches/slips, various set radii curves, crossovers, fixed length straights and flexi-track - available from the range of suppliers. It ensures that just about whatever your imagination can conceive, or needs dictate, in terms of layout design can be achieved. Max
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This is what I find confusing. You talk about code and mm gauge. With O scale I know what goes or works with Lionel and have a nice layout. I use a 36 curve which works well. They have wider curves such as a 54 and 72 which is a wider area for turns. If I want to find out more about code and gauge where would I find this information?
 
Nicholas said:
This is what I find confusing. You talk about code and mm gauge. With O scale I know what goes or works with Lionel and have a nice layout. I use a 36 curve which works well. They have wider curves such as a 54 and 72 which is a wider area for turns. If I want to find out more about code and gauge where would I find this information?
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well have a wee look here

http://trains4africa.co.za/?p=711
 
Nicholas said:
This is what I find confusing. You talk about code and mm gauge. With O scale I know what goes or works with Lionel and have a nice layout. I use a 36 curve which works well. They have wider curves such as a 54 and 72 which is a wider area for turns. If I want to find out more about code and gauge where would I find this information?
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The code relates to the cross section and principally the height of the rail.

So, of all the readily available 45 mm gauge track, code 332 rail is the most common - LGB, Piko, Accucraft, (Aristocraft and USAT when they were in production but still available second hand) and in Europe, Train Line. All of these are brass rail, and all of these are compatible.

Peco, and some US suppliers make 45 mm gauge track in a code 250 rail, so the rail height above the sleepers is lower. However, most rolling stock will run on this track, although LGB locos with skates have am electrical problem going through Peco points (turnouts).

As to the curves, here you get into further issues:

LGB make track with a diameter as small as 4 ft, which is very tight, and they adapt their loco and rolling stock chassis to suit this very tight curvature. Pik, I believe are similar.

Most US manufacturers recommend 8 ft diameter as a minimum radius for their models, and all of the code 332 manufacturers make track od this radius and larger.

See if I can find some links >:)>:)
 
I clicked on the link you provided and that cleared up a lot. What is the name of the book this came from? This message is for maxi-model.
 
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