If this is in the wrong section I'm very sorry - mods are free to move.

I am not the "train person" that would be my husband. He usually models in something completely different - but last year we saw some tin plate track in a box in a second hand shop and he bought it. He told me it was "3 rail" and talked on a bit, I didn't really understand (you know how it is with your OH)

He put it in a box, and that was that. Now I thought how nice it would be to buy a vintage train to run on it - not knowing the huge can of worms I was opening...

The track he bought was mostly Marklin, three rail, and the same size as some Horny Dublo by Meccano in the same box - so I went down the Marklin route. I bought a vintage 1960's set on ebay (arrived yesterday) only to discover the track itself is not the same.

Having looked here at a photograph showing track of different ages, it appears it might be quite early (the 1938 - 40 stuff) - the track bed is very wide, yellow overmottled with brown. The outer rails are solid, the inner rail an inverted hollow u-shape.
The rail set which has arrived has the power rail underneath the track bed, and little spigots stick up through the base.

So my main question is - are these two types compatible? Could they be made up together and would the train supplied in the 1960's set run on the old track??

I'm sure if you're a Marklin purist that would be dreadful - but for someone who is just being gifted something so that it might work, rather than sit in a box - would it run?


What is your opinion? I would welcome help or advise on this.
Many thanks
HVS


ETA - the pieces are: 12 curves and 4 straights, all the same type - presume this is the track from some kind of starter set?

The 1960s trains will run fine on the earlier tracks with the continuous 3rd rail. I did so myself for many years before changing to the newer plastic based track.

You would need to take care if the situation was reversed. Earlier locos designed for the continuous rail will not run well on the track with the stud contacts.

Here is a link to the photobucket of the track pictures (some not very good, sorry)

http://s1291.photobucket...lamay1961/library/Trains

Many thanks for the responses so far - looks like he could combine the two sets of track if he wanted, although the purchased set does have enough track to create a simple layout by itself.