Brand compatibility of N gauge track?

[Garry Drummond]

I have recently bought one the Arnold "Treno Merci" sets to make a start in N gauge.

I would like to get some more track in order to start with a more interesting layout than a single track oval with one siding! Those of us already working with Arnold trains may know that Arnold track is not easy to find in the UK. So I have been trying to find out if Arnold track is compatible with other brands.

What I have found out is that compatibility depends on two measurements: the height of the actual rails, expressed as Code xx where xx is the height of the rail in thousandths of an inch, and the thickness or width of the base of the rail, expressed in thousandths of an inch. As an example, the well-known PECO Setrack for N gauge is Code 80, with thickness 55 thou.

Does anyone here know what the equivalent measurements for Arnold track are? PECO provided the numbers for Setrack, but didn't know (or weren't telling!) how Arnold track measures up. I don't possess a micrometer, so I cannot measure the Arnold track myself.

[Chrissaf]

I found a German website that stated that Arnold N Gauge is Code 83.

http://www.der-moba.de/index.php/Benutzer:Edbert_van_Eimeren/Test2

[Yelrow]

Garry, hi, i run n gauge layouts with Arnold locos. I kept my arnold track as seperate loop, and bought Peco flexi, as so much cheaper. I use Marklin points, as well as peco, as no problems. Hence expansion no problem. Or you could sell your arnold track on ebay, to raise funds for flexi. john

[Garry Drummond]

Thank you, gents, that's very helpful! Code 83, eh? I have heard that a few strokes of a fine file at the ends will make Code 83 compatible with Code 80 . . .