Great track - An N scale Essential

It’s really important to have the best looking and operating track you possibly can. It is just great to watch model trains gliding smoothly through even the simplest of junctions. When it comes to N scale, it is doubly important to get this aspect of the hobby right.

N scale is about modelling the train much more than it is about the individual car or locomotive. Don’t get me wrong, I love a nicely detailed piece of rolling stock, especially when weathered nicely. It boils down to the the proportions of N scale being ideal for making visible a large portion of any train in just about any modelled scene. This is a big advantage from a modelling perspective, and goes well with any expectations you might have about 30+ car trains, broad radius curves, prototypic motive power lashups or realistic scenery to track ratios.

But! N scale’s small size is also a hurdle to be overcome. Tolerances matter a lot more - smooth flowing track is the key to making your beautiful models look like the trains they emulate.

This simple 2 foot stretch of track is my first attempt at handlaying in N scale. It took a total of about 4 hours including building a tie spacing jig (my second) out of styrene. More pictures.