N-Scale

[HankAmericanEngine]

So, who here collects N-Scale, and do you have a preference for road names that you collect and/or run?

I am beginning N-Scale again. I currently have an assortment of modern rolling stock and have an SD70ACe in NS livery, along with a UP ES44AC waiting for a decoder.

[HankAmericanEngine]

That's a neat collection you've got.

I'm guessing you don't fancy the BNSF liveries then?

I've been getting some 'N' Gauge over the last 6 months or so, primarily Japanese outline (surprise, surprise) and of course the Bandai B-Train Shorty's which are length limited but otherwise 'N' Gauge trains. I've also been buying Kato track etc... not because its necessarily better than say Tomix or even the more 'rivert counter' type like Peco, but just because that's what came up in auctions

Having said that one big advantage of Kato is the clip together/pull-apart design which means it can be built, put away, re-designed pretty much like Tomy blue track which is quite a nice thing in comparison to the more normal rail/fish-plate type tracks which tend to get a bit troublesome if you keep dis-assembling things.

I've also got a Battle of Britain class '42 Squadron' steamer which is pretty nice, picked it up 2nd hand off eBay

[HankAmericanEngine]

Dang, Nigels! Is it safe to say that most, if not all, of your N-Scale items are from KATO?

Dang, Nigels! Is it safe to say that most, if not all, of your N-Scale items are from KATO?

Actually no that's not true, I got rolling stock/loco's from Tomix, Kato (of course), MicroAce (including a Nankai Rapi:t ), Graham Farish, basically I'm pretty brand agnostic when it comes to the rolling stock. It only tends to be the track that I stick to Kato purely because I can't be bothered to mess with adaptors to connect the various types together. Although having said that I do have a motorised Tomix turntable, so when (finally) I build a permanent layout I will have to merge that in somehow

Mind you in terms of sheer numbers I've got more Bandai Shorty's than any other N gauge rolling stock as its cheaper

[HankAmericanEngine]

Actually no that's not true, I got rolling stock/loco's from Tomix, Kato (of course), MicroAce (including a Nankai Rapi:t ), Graham Farish, basically I'm pretty brand agnostic when it comes to the rolling stock. It only tends to be the track that I stick to Kato purely because I can't be bothered to mess with adaptors to connect the various types together. Although having said that I do have a motorised Tomix turntable, so when (finally) I build a permanent layout I will have to merge that in somehow

KATO sells a two-pack of a track adapter piece for model railroading, so I think that might help you use the TOMIX track in conjunction to KATO, especially if the TOMIX track has an adapter set.

I've actually got some Kato track that has the normal 'clip' type adaptors seperate, I figure if I want to connect it to another brand the best way would be to use a piece of standard track with fish-plates. But I'll have a look around for the adaptors, what do they adapt it to?

[HankAmericanEngine]

I've actually got some Kato track that has the normal 'clip' type adaptors seperate, I figure if I want to connect it to another brand the best way would be to use a piece of standard track with fish-plates. But I'll have a look around for the adaptors, what do they adapt it to?

KATO has two-- One has the usual KATO connection, then an open space so it can connect to other N-Scale track (my guess is that it's meant for Atlas track), and another that can be used to fill gaps in KATO track.

The adapter that Hank is talking about is meant for the Tomix track, it just isn't well known. There is a video on YouTube that talks about it.