Model Railroading > Tru Scale roadbed/track

I am curious if anyone out there is still using Tru-Scale roadbed/track. I know of a small quantity of roadbed with ties, some turnout blocks, and at least one turnout on roadbed. Interested, PM me please. I have no financial involvement, just helping a friend. Curves are largely 22 inch radius, but there may be other sizes. Turnout looks to be a number 4 switch.

TIA

RR

That stuff dates back to the 60s so if someone has any, they and the track are pretty old

WAF Wrote:
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> That stuff dates back to the 60s so if someone has
> any, they and the track are pretty old

I used Tru Scale roadbed in the mid-fifties!

Forgot all about Tru Scale.

An early attempt at more realistic track, but with a lot of drawbacks.

Tried some myself.

ts1457 Wrote:
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> Forgot all about Tru Scale.
>
> An early attempt at more realistic track, but with
> a lot of drawbacks.
>
> Tried some myself.

One of which was sound amplification or not very sound deadening if you will. Belonged to a club that used a lot of that at one time and I did a lot of rail laying and ballasting on it. 

KC

GRNDMND Wrote:
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> One of which was sound amplification or not very
> sound deadening if you will. Belonged to a club
> that used a lot of that at one time and I did a
> lot of rail laying and ballasting on it. 
>
> KC

I was in my youth back then. Hand laying was the best for realistic track, but that was beyond my skill set.

Fiber tie flex track was not so great. Plastic ties were an improvement but until smaller rail and better turnouts came around, realism was still a problem, IMO.

As I recall all their track had brass rail. Looked great but switches were very difficult with dead spots and
derail ment pron.
Regards, Jim Evans

ts1457 Wrote:
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> GRNDMND Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > One of which was sound amplification or not
> very
> > sound deadening if you will. Belonged to a club
> > that used a lot of that at one time and I did a
> > lot of rail laying and ballasting on it. 
> >
> > KC
>
> I was in my youth back then. Hand laying was the
> best for realistic track, but that was beyond my
> skill set.
>
> Fiber tie flex track was not so great. Plastic
> ties were an improvement but until smaller rail
> and better turnouts came around, realism was still
> a problem, IMO.

Me as well. We were using the "pre-guaged" type from Tru-scale. Just had to lay the rail in between the raised "tie plate" nubs and spike down. Of course, you needed a three-point track guage to confirm the guage was correct. Handlaying track was never an issue once I started, but building switches was not in my playbook. I let the more experienced part of the team tackle those. 

KC

> I used Tru Scale roadbed in the mid-fifties!

Tru-Scale also made a line of injection-molded MoW equipment. Mostly screwdriver kits. Including a blacksmith's car, which seemed to appear in every layout photo well into the sixties. The cars went to Trains-Miniture and then to Walthers. The Bachmann cars are copies, not the originals. Tru-Scale also made plastic structures with a Wild West theme, which went to all sorts of sellers after Tru-Scale.

If that wasn't enough, Tru-Scale made well-regarded rolling stock and structure kits from wood.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/04/26 10:37 by Lighter.

Had some passed down from my mother who was a civil war modeler. Really enjoyed it and the hand spiking that went with it.

Thanks to all who commented.  It was state of the art when they started making it.  Alas, the state left Tru Scale beind before too long.  A lot of inetersting thoughts you all supplied.  A local reader of this area's Facebook bage lsited some for sale ($1?).  I got in touch and we chatted a bit about the material.  I'm glad I no longer model otherwise I would probably pried a buck from my wallet.  I do remember designing a few layouts using the material.  Was difficult to design with..

RR