TRACK MANUFACTURERS


Aristo-craft

Aristo-craft market an impressive assortment of pre-formed track sections in no less than 3 materials (brass, stainless steel and nickel-silver); USA Standard Mainline and Narrow Gauge sleeper variants and no less than 15 radii up to a massive 20' diameter. It is probably the most comprehensive range offered by any manufacturer and a good choice for ambitious layouts where flexible track is not the preferred solution. This track is available in the UK from a number of sources and now you can obtain via mail order from the USA but be prepared for eye-watering shipment costs and Customs VAT and Duty when you import as these can easily double the USA price.

Occasionally Aristo-craft will run special offers in conjunction with their UK retailers but these are rarely as generous as the regular offers to USA customers (and don't apply here) such as 3 for 2, free postage, cash-back, etc.

Here are some of the features claimed by Aristo-craft and I have generally found them to be true:

CONDUCTIVITY .....

Aristo-Craft's brass rail has a very high percentage of copper ensuring that conductivity of Aristo-Craft Track is superlative. Their brass rail also features a very low percentage of lead, greatly inhibiting oxidation. Oxidation is the main cause of "browning" in brass rail which lowers conductivity, requires constant cleaning, and detracts form the appearance of the rail. 

DURABILITY... 

Instead of being hollow, the rail in Aristo-Craft Track is solid for strength and performance. Aristo-Craft Track can endure the heaviest of locomotives plus trampling by your neighbors' kids with the greatest of ease and still perform like new! Every piece of track is strong and durable allowing it to survive outdoors in the harshest of condition. The plastic ties in Aristo-Craft Track are made from a high grade P.P. plastic for durability and quality. An ultra-violet protectant stabilizer is supplied by a major U.S. chemical company who also analyzed Aristo-craft's tie material to guarantee that the percentage of U.V. additive was correct.

EASE OF USE...

Track goes together securely and quickly with screw/rail-joiner system so that you'll spend more time enjoying your railroad and less time maintaining it. (This may be true but in my experience the hexagonal screws are very small and fiddly and can easily get dropped and lost. It helps to magnetise the special tool that come with each box of track and to place white card or paper under the track whilst you are installing it so that the screws are easier to find.)

Range

Aristo-craft's major selling point is the sheer range of track types available. You can opt for USA or European sleeper spacing and brass or stainless steel rail. Their are 13 different lengths of curved track; 6 lengths of straight track, 9 types of switches (points) and a whole host of accessories and useful add-ons including a very nifty track gauge.

Brass Track (European & USA Style)

Perfect for the model railroader who uses track power and wants good all-round every-day use.

As mentioned above Aristo-Craft's brass rail has a very high percentage of copper ensuring that conductivity of Aristo-Craft Track is superlative. Their brass rail also features a very low percentage of lead, greatly inhibiting oxidation. Oxidation is the main cause of "browning" in brass rail which lowers conductivity, requires constant cleaning, and detracts form the appearance of the rail.

Stainless Steel Track (USA Style only)

Ideal for those who intend to use battery power and require a high-end track product for their layout.

Aristo-craft USA-style Stainless Steel Track is almost impervious to tarnishing and most outdoor debris will not stick to it's surface. The silvery colour is more authentic to the prototype and the sleeper pattern (14 ties per foot) is appropriate to USA style trains. Stainless Steel is somewhat less conductive than brass that is mostly pure copper. However, this can be overcome by running an extra pair of feeder wires to the furthest point of the layout. The native conductivity is still far greater than on tubular steel track found on many O Gauge  trains and Aristo-craft's formula is the most conductive of the  international grades to be found. Best of all, there is less time spent on maintenance and more time running your trains.

Aluminium Track (Euro-Style Only)

Probably the optimum choice for the cost-conscious modeller who runs exclusively with battery power or live steam.

This track is a low-cost alternative to Stainless Steel and was introduced to the Aristo-craft product line in 2008 (just after the price of brass went through the roof). Like Stainless Steel, aluminium is not as conductive as brass, so track power users may encounter more difficulty in operating their trains on such a layout, especially larger installations. However, if you confine your operations to battery power or live steam, this should not prove a problem for you and the financial savings can be put to go use elsewhere on the layout.

Product Codes

There are simply too many product lines to list here but they can all be found on Aristo-craft's Online Catalogue which can be viewed at their website at www.aristocraft.com

The company's product coding convention is as follows:

11XXX Euro-Style Brass Track (11 ties or sleepers to the foot)

20XXX USA Stainless Steel Track (14 ties / sleepers to the foot)

30XXX USA-Style Brass Track (14 ties/sleepers to the foot)