Bachmann Ez-track?

[TruckLover]

I hate to do this but the offers on e-bay are just too good to pass up. I love the atlas track but im wondering if the bachmann ez-track with the roadbed is good to for my new n-scale layout. There is somebody selling this stuff in boxes on ebay.

Does the roadbed come all the way up to the top of the ties or can I lay ballast over the plastic?? I don't want that cheazy plastic roadbed look.

Even better, can you take the roadbed off and use just the track? Will bachmann track connect to atlas track??

Thanks in advance

 

[Iron Goat]

In the HO scale, as long as you use "fine" ballast, you can lay ballast on the roadbed up to the top of the ties and it looks good. HERC DRIVER would really be the one to ask that question, he uses N scale EZ track.

Bob

 

[xbbox]

I have the Bachmann ez-track setup for my n scale. You can take it off the plastic, but the way it's connected to it, you can't put if back on unles you glue it back. The only major flaw in this track is the switches. They work like garbage and will derail your train every time. I have 3 of them and they all do the same. The roadbed does not come all the way up to the top of the ties, all it is is the plastic roadbed, with a regular track sitting on top of it. As for the chessy look, I don't think it really looks all that bad, but that's comming from a newbie. I have seen some pics before of someone weathering the roadbed part and it looked completly different.

 

[TruckLover]

Thanks xbbox, I was not planning on getting switches by bachmann but now I will deffinetly never get them!!!:thumb: Thanks for telling me that.

Can bachmann track hook up to atlas??

 

[Herc Driver]

I've used Bachmann EZ for my layout (don't ask me why...it's a long story). You can weather it and ballast it. I have found that a few drops of carpenters glue in your ballast glue mixture holds the ballast in place better. Since the road bed is plastic, the basic glue/water/alchohol mixture tended to run off the sides too easily. I used Liquid Nails for Plastic to glue the track/roadbed down to a flat door and it worked great. I think I've added some pictures of the track weathered so you can see what results I got. Bear in mind, this is the first layout and the first time I ever weathered and ballasted track so you could get better results I'm sure. I also think I added some pictures somewhere in a thread that showed the turnouts weathered and ballasted.

As for the quality of the turnouts...I'd agree that they move a little rough and take quite a bit of sanding down to run more smoothly. I filed every sharp edge and 90-degree metal edge on the turnout and they work a lot better. Every once in a while a car will derail, but I have more problems with diesels that have a low fuel tank clearance than anything else. Ironically, it seems the more expensive the car, the more likely it will derail on a turnout. The more inexpensive cars never seem to care and run right through them without a hitch. One word of caution that I didn't realize when I was putting together my layout...I'd add a layer of foam board under this track before glueing it...the track is a bit noisey or louder than cork roadbed type layouts. I don't really mind...but to some it might be a different sound than they're used to. I don't know of any adapters to Atlas track at this time...I know there is one for LifeLike track mating to Bachmann EZ.

 

[TruckLover]

Ok thanks Herc, Well I guess Im going to stick with the Atlas track because I really like the atlas stuff and because there is nothing to connect atlas to bachmann. Also because of the poor quality of the bachmann switches!!

Thanks everyone for all your help

 

[TruckLover]

I have another question, Can Peco track be connected to Atlas track.

I want to get the Double crossover for the mainline for the n-scale layout also but the only MFR that makes it is peco.

So can Peco track be joined with atlas??

 

[Jim Krause]

I don't know about the N scale EZ track but the orignal HO scale EZ track was steel rail (black roadbed) and tended to corrode and require a lot of maintenance. The later track has nickle silver rail and grey roadbed. Might be something to check on before you spend your money.

 

[kf4jqd]

I have some EZ track I might get rid of. It's N scale. I also have 1, right and left, each of switch track. The switched for switching the track are damage . I am also going to Atlas on my layout. As for Peco and Atlas track interchangable. They are! I used them both in my HO layout.:thumb: Email me direct at kf4jqd@netzero.net if you are interested in the track.

Andy

 

[TruckLover]

Andy, thanks for your offer but I am going to avoid the Bachmann stuff now that I know it isn't interchangable with atlas.

But thanks for letting me know that peco and atlas are interchangable:thumb:

 

[norfolkwestern]

I'm relatively new to n scale. I've started with EZ-Track because I want to be able to put my trains away from time to time. I've had problems with derailment at the turnouts. The wheels of my rolling stock instead of following the direction of the deflecting blade of the turnout appear to go "outside" the blade, as if it were going straight instead of turning. This thus causes the derailment. How might I remedy this problem? Are my trucks out of gauge? Should I file down the defecting blade? Would adding weight to the rolling stock help, and if so how? I would appreciate some advise.

 

[CNWman]

Sounds like I got lucky with my switches My trains NEVER derailed (save for my tank car, but that was caused by another factor which has been corected) they always went over my switches with ease. guess I got the only good ones...?

 

[TruckLover]

I'm relatively new to n scale. I've started with EZ-Track because I want to be able to put my trains away from time to time. I've had problems with derailment at the turnouts. The wheels of my rolling stock instead of following the direction of the deflecting blade of the turnout appear to go "outside" the blade, as if it were going straight instead of turning. This thus causes the derailment. How might I remedy this problem? Are my trucks out of gauge? Should I file down the defecting blade? Would adding weight to the rolling stock help, and if so how? I would appreciate some advise.

Well, I know that some people like the ez-track stuff but my advise would be to stay away from it and go with something like Atlas. You will thank your self in the long run cause you wont have to deal with these troubles anymore. Atlas track is exelent, even for a beginer. I started with Atlas and I am really glad I did so. I have heard mostly bad things about bachman ex0-track, mainly the turnouts, but for the most part, it is just crummy. My thoughts on Bachman Ez-track. Sorry I could not be more of a help with your problem.

CNW, I guess you did get lucky? sign1

 

[Iron Goat]

Count me in on that, CNWman... I have 3 cross-overs and 12 turn-out's and have never had a problem to date.

 

[TruckLover]

Count me in on that, CNWman... I have 3 cross-overs and 12 turn-out's and have never had a problem to date.

You guys are one of the lucky one's :thumb: :thumb:

 

[CNWman]

You guys are one of the lucky one's :thumb: :thumb:

all my switches cam from those expander paks they are beauties too be sure. They even re-rail some cars on VERY rare occasions when a truck mysteriously shifts and de-rails for some reason, not doing any damage.:thumb:

 

[Meiriongwril]

I have another question, Can Peco track be connected to Atlas track.

I want to get the Double crossover for the mainline for the n-scale layout also but the only MFR that makes it is peco.

So can Peco track be joined with atlas??

Well yes, if it's Code 80. If you use Code 55 it's a bit more tricky, as Peco Code 55 is a hybrid - more or less looks 55 but is in fact about 80 with the bottom part of the rail buried in the base. So, it doesn't join to Atlas 55 without an adaptor.:curse:

 

[kf4jqd]

I had the same posting here last summer. The probblem was solved very easy. The frogs had to bent. I used a needle nose pliers. I ran the train and bend the frog a little bit. I did that until the train did not derail! Good luck.

Andy

 

[TruckLover]

Thanks for the help Meiriongwril and Andy