Types of model trains
Model railroad track codes are defined by the NMRA. The code number is actually the height of the rails in thousandths of an inch, so Code 55 track is 0.055 inches high. Manufacturers may offer more than one code selection in any given scale, though one is always closer to prototypical. Here is a list of scales and the codes of track you will find for them:
O Scale: 125, 100 HO Scale: 100, 83, 70, 55 N Scale: 80, 55, 40 Z Scale: 55, 40 You can use different codes of track on the same layout. Real railroads often use different sizes of rail on mainlines and spurs. When connecting rails of different codes, like the prototype, you'll need a special joint bar called a transition joint.
Different metals are used in making model railroad track. The most popular track today is called "nickel silver" because it is an alloy of those two metals. Nickel silver is popular because it doesn't oxidize as fast as other metals used for rails, meaning that it won't have to be cleaned as often.
Model railroad track is also available with rails of steel, brass or aluminum. Steel and brass are less desirable because they will rust or corrode, especially in humid environments.
In addition to standard straight and curved track sections, flex track offers increased options when building a layout. Sold in longer strips, flex track can be curved to match any desired radius or track shape.
Switches, aka turnouts or points, are also available in a variety of sizes and shapes and in both standard and integrated roadbed forms.
The Different Types of Model Railway Trains
When you think about model railway trains, what is the first image you see? It’s probably a miniature form of an actual railway train. Moreover, the picture you’ve imagined is probably not just the locomotive by itself. The train more closely resembles a long snake with many railroad cars attached together.
You’re probably asking, “What does this have to do with model trains, right?” When people refer to model trains, they are referring to the locomotive and the railroad cars. The locomotive is the motor or engine that powers the entire train along the tracks; the railroad cars are the cars coupled to the locomotive that collectively forms the train.
Just like the real train, the replica must serve a purpose. After all, it would be odd to see a single locomotive chugging along the train track by itself. The railroad cars attached to the locomotive serve one of two primary, revenue-generating purposes. The train is either transporting passengers or freight from one location to another. This sounds simple enough so far, but most people are not familiar with the different types of railroad cars. Let’s explore the different types of railway cars in each category.
First, let’s take a closer look at passenger cars. The passenger-carrying cars have different functions and configurations. For instance, the following examples below highlight different types of passenger cars:
Coach – This is the most common passenger car where the interior rows of chairs are similar to the interior of a commercial passenger airplane. Two specific examples of this type of railway car are mass transit systems and long distance luxury trains.
Dining Car – This car resembles a long, narrow restaurant and provides full-service, sit down meals to passengers. This car is also referred to as a restaurant car or a diner.
Lounge – A lounge car is also known as a buffet or club car. This type of car is different because there is more space for passengers to move around, socialize, enjoy the view, purchase food from a grill, or order drinks from a bar. Some lounge cars even feature live music to entertain the passengers.
Observation – This is the last car in a passenger train. The main feature of this railway car is the tail end of the car; it is U-shaped and features larger windows. This design allows the passenger to enjoy the views.
Sleeping Car – This car was also called a “sleeper” or “Pullman car”. These cars provide sleeping facilities for riders travelling overnight.
A freight car (also called goods wagon) are used to transport freight. There are a wide variety of freight cars. Some of the more common types include:
Box Car – The box car has a roof and doors either at the side or end. It is also known as a covered wagon or goods van in the UK. This type of car is used to carry general freight.
Hoppers – This type of freight car is used to transport commodities such as coal, iron ore, grain, sugar, fertilizer, etc. The hopper can either be an open or covered design.
Stock Cars – The stock car transports livestock such as cattle, horses, sheep, pigs and poultry.
Refrigerator Cars (also called reefers) – A reefer is simply a refrigerated box car.
Tank Wagons (also called tank cars) – This car transports liquid or gaseous commodities such as milk, gasoline, liquid hydrogen, etc.
Many hobbyists get started with the loop of sectional track that came in their first train set. Then the train bug begins to bite, and they want to add more track. You can expand with the same brand of track that came with your set, but you don’t have to. You’ll find that there are plenty of track manufacturers out there and that track comes in a wide variety of scales, gauges, and appearances. Visit your local hobby shop or look through a copy of the most recent Wm. K. Walthers, Inc., catalog for your scale. Two types of sectional track (the track the comes in most train sets) are available: regular and all-in-one. Regular track features rails mounted to injection-molded plastic ties. All-in-one track includes plastic roadbed that represents the rock ballast under the ties. Some brands allow you to remove the track from the cast ballast base; others don’t. The big advantage of all-in-one track is that it eliminates track ballasting, a chore that isn’t particularly difficult, but can eat up a lot of time. Manufacturers offer track in a variety of curve radii and track codes. The term “code” simply means the rail height expressed in thousandths of an inch. For example, code 83 rail has gained popularity in HO scale because it looks more in proportion to the trains than code 100 rail, which was widely used in HO scale for many years and is still common today.
Turnouts (Switches) Watching a train race around a circle can lose its novelty after a while. The solution is to purchase some turnouts and additional track sections, which will enable you to vary the train’s route. A turnout (called a switch on a real railroad) is a piece of track that allows a train to go from one track to another. Turnouts direct trains onto different routes and provide access into yards and sidings. They are available in all the different rail sizes. Both real-world and model turnouts are identified with numbers that indicate their diverging angles. The numbers are shorthand for the length-to-width ratio of the frog (the point at which two rails join to form a V). For instance, a no. 4 turnout requires four units of length to spread one unit, while a no. 6 turnout requires six units of length to spread one unit. In short, the higher the frog number, the gentler the angle. Most model railroad turnouts are either no. 4s or no. 6s. (Those are sharp curves by full-sized railroad standards, which commonly require turnout sizes from no. 12 through no. 20 on main lines.) A wide variety of different types of turnouts is available, some for very specialized applications. Chances are you’ll be able to find the right one to suit the needs of your layout.
Not much can go wrong as long as you’re running a train around a simple loop of track, and any problems can almost certainly be traced to rail joints. It’s very easy to have a rail end sitting on top of a rail joiner rather than being slipped inside it. This kind of vertical misalignment is a common problem. Run your fingernail along the top of the rails – you’ll feel the height difference right away. Once you begin to expand a layout, the derailment possibilities increase dramatically. One problem we often see is using the wrong number or size of track components: using five curve sections where six are needed, or using fewer straight sections on one side of the layout than on the other. If you have to force the track to make it fit, something is probably wrong.
