N gauge train

[Fred J Herr]

Hi, new to this. I have an old train set, 35 years old. Getting back into it. Question my set is ATLAS,
Will my tracks work with ez tracks or what do I need. Will I be better off getting new tracks and start from new?. Help, Thanks

[Len]

If you're going to fasten it down to a board, yes the Atlas track, if installed on roadbed to even the height, will work with EZ-Track. You may have to shim it slightly with card stock to match the heights of the railhead, but both use code 80 rails.

Len

[Hunt]

The rails are probably brass but whatever they are made of it is very likely there is significant corrosion especially inside of the rail joiners.  Unless you have a lot of track I suggest you start with new track with nickel silver rails.

Put together a small amount of your track and see how well a locomotive will run on it after properly cleaning the rails.

[jward]

having dabbled with n scale off and on since the late 1960s, I have never seen brass rail used in n scale track. it has always been nickel silver. the atlas track from the 1980 era is essentially the same as the atlas code 80 currently sold. curve radii were 9 3/4, 11 and 19 inches. the standard switch also had a 19" radius, and the curved side was a drop in replacement for a standard 19r curve.

what this has to do with ez track is that the curve radii and switches have a different geometry. they can be used together, but are not interchangeable.

cars and locomotives from any manufacturer will work on this track. if your old track is in good shape, clean it up and it should be good to use.

[ACY]

Jeff brass and steel rails in N scale does exist, however it is not very common, anything made in the past 25 years is nickel silver. I think the brass and steel track was only made very early on and was not popular at all andthus discontinued. And I don't think Atlas ever made brass or steel rail in n scale. I have a very early model power n scale train set that did not include nickel silver rails, I think model power is the only company that had it available ever.

[Desertdweller]

Reliable operation in N scale is all about good electrical contact.  Nickle silver is much less susceptible to power-blocking corrosion than brass or steel, although clean ns rails will outperform dirty ones.

Your 1980-era N-scale trains represent a transition era.  Manufacturers were discovering that N-scale trains needed to be more refined than merely shrinking down HO trains.  Corner-cutting dodges that were marginally acceptable in low-priced HO trains will not work in N scale.  Locos need to drive and pickup power through both trucks.

The reason for this is the light weight of N-scale locos require better electrical contact than HO locos.  The most successful N-scale locos are scaled-down versions of high-quality HO locos: power by both trucks, all-wheel electrical pickup.

Atlas locos of this period were a mixed lot.  The older models (Rivarossi made) used the technology found in 1960's Rivarossi HO locos: small plastic-bodied can motors mounted vertically over the rear truck, driving only that truck.  Later models used centrally mounted open-frame motors driving both trucks through drive shafts.

The Rivarossi-Atlas models were known for very good die work and paint jobs.  If you use ns track and keep everything clean, both types of Atlas locos should provide good service if you don't overload them.

You probably should try some new state of the art N-scale locos and see how they compare to your old units. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

Les

[brokemoto]

As others have posted, you must bring the Atlas track up to the level of the B-mann.   The cork roadbed, alone will not do this.   When I mix Atlas with B-mann, first, I glue a shim made from shirt cardboard to the sub-roadbed, next glue or nail the cork, finally put the Atlas track on top of the roadbed.  

One of the drawbacks of the E-Z TRAK is that it does not lend itself well to layouts that require electrical gapping.   The rail joiners are secured to the rail in such a way that if you are not extremely careful when you take them off of the track, you will mangle it.  If you do succeed in removing the metal joiner from the rail, the available plastic rail joiners do not fit the profile of the E-Z TRAK pieces well.  What I find that I must do, if I need a gap, is to place small straight pieces of Atlas SNAP-TRAK between sections of the B-mann track   I put the gap between the sections of the Atlas track.  

You can use the Kato track with the B-mann, as well, but, again, you must put a shim under the Kato track.  The Kato track will be level with the Atlas track-on-cork without the use of a shim.  I use Atlas flex, Atlas SNAP-TRAK, Kato UNITRAK, Peco turnouts and even two Shinohara turnouts on my pike.  The Shinoharas are in sections where slow speed running occurs, as they will cause trains that run though them at speed to derail.

Two things that I will never understand about sectional track-cum-roadbed:

1.  Why the B-mann sits at a higher level than the Atlas TRUE-TRAK, the Kato UNITRAK or even the Atlas SNAP TRAK or flex on cork.

2.  Atlas uses code sixty five on its TRUE-TRAK but does not sell a transition piece either to code eighty or fifty-five.  Even Kato sells a transition piece to go from UNITRAK to Atlas flex or SNAP TRAK, although really you do not need it.

[James in FL]

Hi Fred,

Pull off the old rail joiners and clean the ends of the track, where they connect, with a small brass brush in a Dremel, then replace with new joiners.
Clean the top of the rail head with some isopropyl alcohol (70+%) and you should be good to go.

Good luck

[Len]

Rather than put cardboard shims under the cork, which can absorb water and fall apart when ballasting, I run the base of the EZ-Track over some 1200 grit emory paper to bring one end down a bit. I do this for HO and N EZ-Track.

Len

[James in FL]

Wow!
Coming from two experts it must be true. After all, it's on the internet.

The rails are probably brass...

Jeff brass and steel rails in N scale does exist...

Your Atlas track is NS despite what these two experts here claim.
But don't take my word, contact Atlas directly and inquire if Atlas manufactured any Brass track in N scale at any time.

ACY alleges brass track was made by Model Power in n scale "early on".
Take it with a grain of salt.

Enough of that BS.

Did you get continuity between all track sections?
Do you have a multimeter to check?
If not, your lokie will tell you.

In addition to cleaning your track, clean your wheelsets, and all your contact points within your lokies (wipers, contact strips, wheel backs etc.), as applicable.
It wouldn't hurt to clean the armature as well, where the motor brushes contact the commutator.
Old hardened lubricant has to be removed.

My weapon of choice is CRC® QD Contact cleaner #02130.

Shims;
Forget anything that will absorb moisture like cardboard or paper.
Use styrene or other plastic.

[ACY]

I said Atlas never made brass track in n scale as far as I know.
The track in the old model power set is definitely of a gold color, so that should rule out Nickel-Silver.

[James in FL]

Ok ACY,
Can you post any creditably citation/reference/link/ proof/ to where Model Power has produced Brass track in N scale?
I would have preferred to help you save face.
You are on your own.

If you can, I will retract my BS comment towards you.

The other comment that the OP's Atlas track is "probably brass" is simply ignorance.

[ACY]

I can take a photo of the track, but it is in storage so it might take a while. Sorry for the inconvenience.

[James in FL]

This is so far off track to the OP's questions.
As you can conclude, I'm not a fan of thread drift into irrelevant information and wild speculation and assumption/presumption.
This is supposed to be a help forum.
Most post replies, from real world experience, to offer advice, others just feel the need to post regardless, to assert their expertise.
This, I find a distraction and feel it takes away from the forum credibility as a whole.
Perhaps others don't feel the same.

I can't figure out what this;

Jeff brass and steel rails in N scale does exist, however it is not very common, anything made in the past 25 years is nickel silver. I think the brass and steel track was only made very early on and was not popular at all andthus discontinued. And I don't think Atlas ever made brass or steel rail in n scale. I have a very early model power n scale train set that did not include nickel silver rails, I think model power is the only company that had it available ever.

Has to do with this:

Hi, new to this. I have an old train set, 35 years old. Getting back into it. Question my set is ATLAS,
Will my tracks work with ez tracks or what do I need. Will I be better off getting new tracks and start from new?. Help, Thanks

I see no help offered to the OP.

Nor do I see help toward the OP where this thread is currently going.
I refuse to continue it.

No need to dig out that track, it's irrelevant to the question.
A picture will not prove metallurgical composition.
The colors you see may not be the same colors I see.
It's unlikely both our computers will reproduce the exact true color the item is.

I would suggest to you, we let it go.

And both of us to focus on actually providing help, assistance, and advice, where we can, when we can with confidence and truthfulness that our replies are as accurate and relevant as possible.
What do you say?
Truce?

[ACY]

I agree my post had nothing to do with the question asked originally. And whether my old train set has brass track or not is irrelevant. I have a tendency to get off topic at times. The only relevant remark I made was that Atlas never made brass or steel track for N scale as the original poster had Atlas track and one person thought it may have been brass.