The views expressed on this page are entirely my own, formed from my experiences in modelling in British N gauge. The track dimentions shown here should be taken as a guide, and are not guaranteed to be exact as they were taken using a mechanical measuring tool, So please allow for a slight margin of error on my measurements.
These are the measurements I have taken myself of pieces of spare Peco streamline track that happened to be lying around in the railway room.
There are several items of trackwork that are only available in Code 55, EG; Single Slip, Double Slip, and the Complete Scissors Crossing, are made in Code 55 only. Catch Points are only available in Code 80, but I have heard whispers that catch points will be added to PECO's Code 55 track range. Let's hope it happens soon!
Most if not all of the currently available British, European, American and Japanese N gauge models will run on Code 55 track without any modifications. A very few old models (possibly second hand) may have wheel flanges that are too big for Code 55 rail but I have not found any yet myself.
I will be using up the Code 80 track & pointwork I have on my `Home' Stoneybridge layout, and portable Stoneybridge West layouts. I am now also modelling in 2mm finescale (9.24mm track gauge) which uses code 40 rail, the track is built by hand with the aid of templates and roller gauges.
Joining code 55 to Code 80 can be done easily when no electrical connection is required across the join. By packing the Code 55 track up to the level of the Code 80 (using plasticard packing Under the Code 55 track sleepers) you can avoid having to file the Code 80 track down at the ends to lower it to the level of the Code 55 track. If an electrical connection across the join is required in a Scenic section I use a seperate power feed to each individual section of track, Where the join is not in a visible scenic section (The fiddle yard and hidden sidings) I would simply solder a fine piece of wire to the outside of the rails across the track gap.
Painting trackwork can seem a daunting task when first attemting to make realistic model railways (As Opposed to a shiny `trainset') but it is well worth the effort making the track `fit in' better with scenic surroundings and greatly improving the overall look of your layout.
I have used finely crushed granite ballast for all of the Code 80 trackwork on Stoneybridge and Stoneybridge West (A & B boards) as I have a few pounds of it to use up. Using a `HARD' ballast is quite easy with code 80 track as long as care is taken not to clog up pointwork and the inner reailchairs are kept clear as even a few stray grains can stop a point blade from closing properly or lift the trains wheels off the track losing electrical contact. (I have found N gauge fine ballst looked really good on my OO Helensburgh Branch) I will be trying out a `soft' ballast for future tracklaying projects as I have now seen several layouts using it with good results. I would reccommend using a soft ballast with code 55 trackwork as there is so little clearance that one single grain of hard ballast can easily stop a train! Trains being propelled are more likely to be derailed by stray ballast than hauled trains.
